After much anticipation, Ms. Marvel was unveiled last night at the world premiere in Los Angeles. The latest series from Marvel Studios will start streaming on Disney Plus next week. It tells the story of Kamala Khan, a teenager of Pakistani descent who lives in New Jersey and finds her dreams of being a superhero coming to life.
Kamala, played by Pakistani-Canadian Iman Vellani, is a first generation Muslim immigrant. The character is being celebrated worldwide as being a step forward in the representation of Muslims and South Asians in the mainstream media. The rest of the cast is also fittingly representative and this was evident on the red carpet yesterday.
Iman Vellani at the world premiere of Ms. Marvel
Iman was joined by Rish Shah, an Asian-British actor who plays Kamala’s love interest in the series. Zenobia Shroff and Mohan Kapoor were also present. Both actors are of Indian descent and play Kamala’s parents. Pakistani-American actor Saagir Shaikh was also in attendance, having played the role of Kamala’s brothers.
⚡ @saagarshaikh, AKA Aamir, arrives at the Launch Event! #MsMarvel pic.twitter.com/0qxEnOdrLZ
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) June 3, 2022
Perhaps most exciting for us folks back home, however, were the familiar faces that we’ve so often seen on our own screens. Nimra Bucha, who’s appearance in the series was confirmed with a brief cameo in the trailer, was seen gracing the red carpet.
View this post on Instagram
In a surprise twist, Mahwish Hayat and Samina Ahmed were not only in attendance but also joined a group picture of the show’s cast members.
Samina Ahmed on the red carpet
While there have been rumors of their appearance in the show, Marvel has not offered any confirmation before this. Their presence at the premiere confirms what many of us have been suspecting.
Mahwish Hayat and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at the premiere
Actress and model Vardah Aziz also joined her fellow Pakistani cast members. And of course, the event would have been incomplete without Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy who has directed the fourth and fifth episode of Ms. Marvel, making this her first work of live-action fiction.
That’s a wrap! 🤩 Don’t miss the series premiere of Marvel Studios’ @MsMarvel, next Wednesday on @DisneyPlus. ⚡️ #MsMarvel pic.twitter.com/UCe5IyPn5R
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) June 3, 2022
Sana Amanat, who is the Director of Content and Character Development, first brought Kamala Khan to the comic-book universe along with Stephen Wacker in 2013. She could be seen on the red carpet representing South Asian fashion in a black sari.
Sana Amanat on the red carpet
It was a big night for Pakistani audiences, who were perhaps seeing so many relatable faces on a Hollywood red carpet for the first time. Ms. Marvel is set to premiere in Pakistani cinemas on 16th June and, if the premiere was any indication, it will be a celebration of all things South Asian.
