Marvel’s live-action series, “Ms. Marvel” hit the small screens on June 8th 2022. The debut introduced to Marvel Studios enthusiasts the very first Muslim superhero, Kamala Khan.
The Pakistani-American high school character was played by Iman Vellani and she deals with racial microaggressions, teenage angst, and superpowers.
How Did Iman Vellani Get The Role Of Kamala Khan?
“Ms. Marvel” was looking for their star and Imani Vellani managed to find out through her family.
The 19 year old said, “My aunt opened a group chat that she never opens and someone had forwarded this casting call through WhatsApp that she sent to me,”
Next thing she realized she had passed through the casting process and by Allah’s grace, she got the role.
Vellani said in an interview that she had always wished to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe since her childhood. She actually once dressed up as Ms. Marvel for Halloween one year.
The charming girl joined theater in middle school. However, she wasn’t big on the idea of being a professional actor.
Marvel Studios has always stayed true to the original comic book storyline and roots even when it takes a whole new actor.
What Is The Plot In Ms. Marvel?
The main plot is typically Kamala Khan’s original comic story. We notice the 16-year-old Pakistani-American from New Jersey dealing with everyday struggles of teenage life. She gets to deal with typical teenage struggles like learning how to drive, crushing on classmates, and arguing with her strict parents. Another vivid trait in Khan is her love for Captain Marvel and the Avengers. And spends hours doodling cartoons. This grows worry in her parents about her balancing school, family and cultural traditions.
Kamala Khan Plot Twist
All those average hassles take a turn once she gets her powers through a bracelet passed down through her family. In the comics, Ms. Marvel is a polymorph (aka a shapeshifter), although her powers vary a bit in the TV show version. We see her throwing punches with an enlarged fist. Sometimes we see her using cosmic blue energy to walk through the air.
Although the movie industry is regularly evolving and becoming more inclusive of Asia and Africa, we still see a long way to go.
This is because the appearance of such characters is still considered an exception, instead of a norm. Shall we one day see a Christian Marvel character too? We just have to keep fingers crossed.
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