Star Trek Beyond: The film has an Indian connection. Want to know what it is?

The Star Trek franchise has prompted conversation about significant social issues since its conception in 1966. It has also been one of the first TV shows that have pushed the envelope of diversity that has been lacking from other mainstream shows by casting people of colour in important roles, and the new movie, Star Trek Beyond, continues this tradition. This comes as a relief after the Oscars last year were criticised for the lack of diversity and after the rumour doing the rounds that Leonardo DiCaprio is going to be cast as the Arabic poet Rumi for a new movie.

For Star Trek however, people of colour played have played an important role since the original TV series of 1966, where the diverse characters did not just exist for the sake of diversity. Nyota Uhura, the communications officer in the series has always been essayed by a black woman  and Sulu has always been essayed by an Asian man. Joining the league is the villain  Krall, played by Idris Elba, who is black, and a new alien character Jaylah, played by Algerian actress Sofia Boutella. Boutella joins Saldana (the film’s Uhura) as strong women of colour in authority, who effectively execute fighting roles. Star Trek Beyond also sends an important message about same sex relationships; with Sulu divulging onscreen that he has a child with a same-sex partner.

Stark Trek has also featured Indians in important roles since the 1970s. Other than the controversial casting of Benedict Cumberbatch in last year’s Star Trek movie as Khan instead of an Indian, we have had two castings of Indians in the movie/TV series franchise.

The 1979 movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture had Persis Khambatta cast as  Lieutenant Ilia, the bald Deltan alien.

This role made the Femina Miss India winner popular internationally and she went on to star in numerous Hollywood movies like Nighthawks (1981), Megaforce (1982), Warrior of the Lost World (1983), and Phoenix the Warrior (1988) after her role as Ilia. She also became the first ever Indian to present an Academy Award in 1980.

The new Star Trek Beyond has American Indian actor Deep Roy star as Keenser, the character he has played in the two previous installments Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013).

Keenser is the alien chief engineer of a spaceship who becomes friends with Scotty. The veteran genre actor has made a name for himself by starring in fantasy and sci-fi series and movies since his first notable role in Dr Who’s The Talons of Weng-Chiang in 1977.

Roy also played the role of 165 Oompa-Loompas in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and has an un-credited role in as Yoda in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980). His cinematography lists more than 50 films and TV series that he has worked in and it is this dedication to the craft that has put in in the league of 10 richest little people in Hollywood next to the Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage.

One his other most memorable roles was when he starred as foul-mouthed Mumbai-born Mexican criminal named Aaron in the comedy Eastbound & Down. For true Star Trek fans of course, Deep Roy will always be Scotty’s blue skinned pal, Keenser.