Kishwar Desai | Fewer Brits go to America; Indians shine at West End

So we had said it before — the UK is becoming a safe haven for Americans. Since President Donald Trump was elected, given the way he is slashing the federal budgets and his scheme of reciprocal tariffs — London is attracting Americans who want to stay away at least until the next mid-term elections!

Even universities here are thrilled at the prospect of getting top academicians from America who may want to take “refuge” in British academic surroundings. This one is London’s prize for being a tolerant and diverse city with lots of culture and colour.

As the uncertainty in the US grows over free speech and visas — UK, and especially London, appears to be much more stable despite serious challenges as the leadership here is not mercurial.

However, this has also meant that the reverse travel from the UK into US has been slowing down. In fact, after one British backpacker, Roberta Burke, was reportedly arrested and jailed by US immigration officers for three weeks — it has led to a further decline of British visitors to the US. Travel agents are reporting a drop in bookings in March and many are predicting that the trend will continue.

Of course, UK has the advantage of its European connection — and so undoubtedly the Easter weekend will see families heading off to sunny climes in Spain or France. US may not be the most favoured destination as of now — but people are already concerned whether this situation of uncertainty will last till the World Cup in 2026? And will it be easier (and safer) to watch the match in the sanctity of your own home or your favourite pub than risk the journey? And then, what about the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles — will this reluctance to travel to the US remain…?

However, like everywhere else, it is a good time for Indians in London — especially actors of Indian origin, who are at the centre of some upcoming shows. Ambika Mod who captured eyeballs with her performance in the TV series One Day, will enact a sex-addicted academic in Porn Play written by Sophia Chetin-Leuner. Mod’s stage character, who is drawn to violent pornography, will be a far cry from the original plays and comedies in which Indian actors played — usually in which they were the stereotypical “Southall” residents with desi accents and a penchant for arranged marriages. Those were, of course, amusing vignettes of a different era ably portrayed by Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar —but the subjects they dealt with kept alive the myth of Indians who were basically caught up in a ghetto life — while living abroad.

Mod and others are breaking that myth along with other gen next actors — and when this play premieres in November it will no doubt create another milestone in creative history.

Similarly, there have been already murmurs (not all of them appreciative) over the casting of another actress of Indian origin in the much-loved series Dr Who. Some people believe it has become far too “woke” because while Dr Who himself is no longer a White male, he has been joined by an actor of Indian origin, Varada Sethu. Sethu plays “Belinda Chandra” Dr Who’s travelling companion. Ncuti Gatwa who plays Dr Who is already well established in his role — and for the first time, it seems the Tardis team will be led by people of colour.

But in her interviews Sethu has refused to be intimidated by the outcry over her appearance next to Gatwa. She has maintained that being “woke” is actually being “inclusive” and that cannot be a bad thing. This, of course does not mean that all new productions are taking the multicultural and inclusive route — but it does mean that there is scope and opportunity for those with talent. And it is important that these roles are not playing to the Indian stereotypes but are much more universal in nature.

Sometimes to cope with this ever-changing world and new values — it is better to escape into nature — and what could be a better way than The Wordsworth Way— a meandering 14-mile trail through the Lake District that has been designed to celebrate William Wordsworth’s 225th birth anniversary, and was launched on April 7, last week. You would start at Ullswater and end at Ambleside — and is a route which will be loved by those who appreciate the Romantic literature movement and also possess a good set of hiking boots.

I am very tempted to set off for the Lake District — out of the urban jungle that traps us, for a very different kind of crowd — remembering that old poem we had learnt in school:

“I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils…”