Kamala Khan, a Muslim woman from Jersey City, quietly says “Bismillah” before she puts the key in the ignition and starts the car. She pulls down on the gas with tremendous determination. She’s taking a driving test when all of a sudden her car lurches back and collides with the one parked behind her. The examiner is sitting in the passenger seat next to her, and he or she has a horrified expression on their faces.
Kamala’s mother accuses the examiner of “setting her up to fail” by making her daughter drive in the street alongside other vehicles. Mumbling, “Ma’am, because of your daughter, I’m heading home,” he finally complies and starts walking.
The first four minutes of the new Disney+ and MCU series Ms. Marvel are just like this. Iman Vellani, who plays Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel in the new show, will take on the role in the series. She is an imaginative Muslim American teen who is also extremely socially uncomfortable and clumsy.
With her role as the MCU’s first Muslim superhero, Vellani (the lead of the upcoming Disney+ series) is making history for Muslims everywhere. As a representative of the Pakistani-American community, she is also making history for her people. She claims the new show is just the beginning of diversity efforts in the field. Audiences and journalists alike were impressed by Vellani’s portrayal in the new series’ trailer, which premiered a few weeks ago. The Ms. Marvel trailer is embedded below.
What Is Ms. Marvel About?
Kamala Khan, a New Jersey-born Pakistani American teen, is introduced in Ms. Marvel. She excels in the classroom, has a passion for gaming, is an aspiring artist, and produces excellent fan fiction. The official Disney+ summary describes the protagonist as “a superhero mega-fan with an enlarged imagination – particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel.”
Nonetheless, “she feels unnoticed both at home and school,” she says. While speaking to CBS News about the Ms. Marvel series from the MCU in 2016, Editor Sana Amanat said, “We wanted to present a tale about a young individual coming into their own and dealing with all the hurdles that come with that path to adulthood.”
Ms. Marvel Representing the Muslim Community
Holy Islamic expressions like “Bismillah” (meaning in the name of God), “Assalamu Alaikum” (meaning peace be upon you), and “Astagfirullah” (meaning I seek forgiveness in God) are used throughout the episodes from the very beginning of the show. The show’s frequent use of these terminology, which are rarely heard or seen in media, is a terrific approach to normalize them and portray Muslims appropriately.
Currently streaming on Disney+, Ms. Marvel is more than just a show about a young girl learning to use her talents. In addition, the show follows a young woman as she attempts to navigate the challenges of being both a Pakistani Muslim and an American. Many Muslims who identify as hyphenated have never seen themselves reflected in media or heard the words they use on a daily basis. Ms. Marvel is a positive development since it tells a subject that is relevant to Muslims but rarely depicted in Western media.
Iman Vellani, who plays Kamala Khan, discusses her Pakistani and Muslim background and the program in an interview with Tyla:
No doubt, this is only the beginning. I realize that one TV show can’t speak for the world’s two billion Muslims and South Asians, but I’m hopeful that this show can pave the way for more South Asian voices to be heard and motivate them to share their tales.
She goes on to elaborate on why working on this show is “such an important job” for her:
The comics helped me feel less alone in the world, so I hope the show can do the same for other people.
Vellani cites the film’s astute use of fan culture into its narrative as a key factor in setting Ms. Marvel apart from the other films and movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“We really exploited that to elevate our storytelling in a really unique manner, because Kamala, sure, she is this troubled girl with superpowers, but she is also a fan of all the other superheroes inside the Marvel canon, and her excitement and passion for the Avengers is so shared with real-life Marvel fans. As a fan, I can say that I share a deep spiritual connection with Kamala. It’s so much work to be a part of this fandom, and we really encourage and respect it, and she spends all night producing cosplays and fanart and fanfic.
