When Sharon Johal was cast as Parvinder Sangar in the latest series of Binge’s jury drama The Twelve, she couldn’t contain her excitement.
“I wrote this long as e-mail that was just like, ‘hey, just giving you a bit of background information about Sikhism and Khalsas’… the directors loved it. They were just like, she’s passionate about what she’s doing and her character!” she laughs.
Of course, Johal has already been in her share of groundbreaking TV moments; she played the first Punjabi Sikh character on Neighbours, Australia’s longest running show, and with her husband, was the first Indian couple to appear on reality show The Block.
But the responsibility of playing the first Khalsa main character on Australian television is not lost on her.
“The gravity of it is just sometimes mind boggling, because it’s like you’re part of history, and you didn’t necessarily mean to be or want to be but it fell in your lap and then you took the opportunity to make sure that you’re representing other people,” she remarks.
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The former lawyer turned actor is in her element as an Australian-born Sikh juror on a complex murder in small town WA, a role which she’s found analogous with her own upbringing as a Punjabi Sikh in the Riverland.
“I grew up in a small country town… I know this firsthand; everybody knows everybody’s business,” she remembers. “[On the jury], people are coming in with their own biases and their own opinions and their own motives, which you’ll see play out… I felt like it was very accurately portrayed.”
A truthful, sensitive portrayal was front of mind for Johal; for Parvinder Sangar, she drew on her experience at a Himalayan Sikhi school she went to aged 15, where she learnt to read and write in Punjabi, as well as extensive research through community leaders and mentors.
Instead of a chunni (headscarf), Johal chose to wear the dastaar (turban), which she tied herself every day.
“It’s a very iconic, very visually striking look, which can obviously be perceived in different ways,” she says. “Having been in the entertainment industry for 15 years now… I have faced a lot of racism and backlash and trolling and stuff just by being me in those situations.”
“My dad came to Family Day on The Block [in a turban], [which I] posted up on socials and I got the worst commentary from the Australian public about. So, I was scared to look like her on a screen like that, to see what the backlash would be, and I was actually worried about the backlash from even our own community.”
Despite this fear, Johal knew it was important to persist with the role and set a positive example for brown women.
“I feel like if it helps young Khalsa women just to feel like they can be themselves and find their own identity in their relationship with God, then I’ve done a great job,” she says.
It’s this mission of representation that drives Johal dedication to her role; though not a Khalsa (baptised Sikh) herself, she would wake at 4am during filming to practice Sikh morning rituals. She also fondly remembers bringing food to share on set, and filming Parvinder’s family scenes with her own husband and parents.
She says the various creative teams behind The Twelve, including wardrobe and script, regularly consulted with her whilst creating the character to ensure the representation was positive. Described as ‘compassionate, thoughtful, and observant’ by the show’s creators, Parvinder Sangar is an ‘astute juror’ who is ‘deeply connected to her community’.
“I’m really lucky that the writers and myself and the costume team all got to work together… It’s just so true in line with who she would be [as a Khalsa woman]. I feel like as a Sikh, a lot of our time is dedicated to Seva…her being in a caregiver role, as a nurse at a hospital makes complete sense. Her role on the jury is kind of like the voice of reason and morality and ethics, which is kind of like how I operate too,” she says.
As with the first season, The Twelve features a diverse selection of talent, including Anthony Brandon Wong, Suesha Rana and Nelson Baker as Parvinder Sangar’s fellow jury members. Equally, the series isn’t afraid to delve into racism and questions of racial identity, particularly when Parvinder develops an interesting relationship with fellow juror Thelma, played by Tasma Walton.
Johal says she enjoyed sinking her teeth into such a multidimensional character.
“The thing that I really love about this character is that it’s just so well considered,” she says. “Obviously, through the years I’ve played different characters, but it always ends up being about being Indian or the colour of my skin or something like that.”
“Obviously Parvinder is a Khalsa woman, and she’s Sikh and Punjabi, but she was born in Australia, she’s got an Aussie accent; [it opened up] the choices I was able to make.”
She hopes the Indian community will welcome Parvinder Sangar, and that this won’t be the only time we see a Khalsa character on screen.
“Being a flag bearer, whether I wanted to be or not, there is an added level of responsibility towards the community to do it right,” she adds.
“I’m not perfect – of course I’m going to get things wrong, but I just want everyone to know that I’m doing my best at every given opportunity and time that I can, and if I’m wrong I will apologise.”
The Twelve is streaming now on BINGE and Foxtel, with episodes released weekly.
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