The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh 'explores the immigrant's struggle'

Sindhu Vee is to star  in a new Amazon comedy about an Indian family who move to America.

The British-based comedian is one of the leads in The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, which has been commissioned for eight half-hour episodes.

She plays Sudha, the matriarch of the Pradeep family,  who is described as ‘intelligent and self-assured,’ but becomes embroiled in a feud with her neighbours which ‘is about to test her in new ways’.

New Delhi-born Vee, who started comedy on the UK circuit in 2012, can currently be seen as Mrs Phelps in the screen version of Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin’s Matilda the Musical. She previously had regular roles in Mae Martin’s Feel Good and Rose Matafeo’s Starstuck.

The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, which will air on the free Amazon Freevee platform, was inspired by the personal experiences of comedian Vijal Patel, who was previously a writer on Black-ish

He said: ‘This show is from a very personal place, and explores the many facets of the immigrant struggle. As my parents say, the pain got funnier over time—like wine.’

Patel will write the series and serve as showrunner and executive producer.

Vee stars alongside Naveen Andrews and Megan Hilty with Sahana Srinivasan, Arjun Sriram, Ashwin Sakthivel, Ethan Suplee and Nicholas Hamilton rounding out the regular cast.

The story will unfold through a series of flashbacks from an interrogation room, as the Pradeeps tell how they became  tied up—romantically, personally, and professionally—with a polar-opposite neighbourhood family. American stand-up Pete Holmes will have a recurring role as one of the investigators.

Amazon Studios executive Lauren Anderson said: ‘The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh shines a comedic light on the centuries-old, universally relatable first-generation experience. We look forward to sharing Vijal’s personally inspired story—filled with heart, humility, and humour—with the Freevee audience.'

And Jason Clodfelter, co-president, of programme-makers Sony Pictures Television added: ‘Vijal created not only a rich world, but a highly personal look at the immigrant experience, grounded in heart and the outrageousness of real-life families.’

Here are the character descriptions, as provided by Amazon:

Naveen Andrews is Mahesh Pradeep

Mahesh is the patriarch of the Pradeep family.  A brilliant engineer who uprooted his family to America for a business opportunity.

Sindhu Vee is Sudha Pradeep

Intelligent and self-assured, Sudha is the matriarch of the Pradeep family, but her brewing feud with her neighbours is about to test her in new ways.

Sahana Srinivasan is Bhanu Pradeep

A rebellious teen trying to get out from under her mother’s thumb.Unfortunately, her rebellion gets her mixed up with the one person her mother can’t abide—the neighbour’s son.

Arjun Sriram is Kamal Pradeep

An epic mama’s boy, he loves following rules and believes narcs are just heroes who tell the truth.

Ashwin Sakthivel is Vinod Pradeep

Vinod loves all things American and is excited for their new life in Pittsburgh. He’s quick to make friends, but in dealing with bullies he looks to the nonviolent tactics of his hero Gandhi.

Megan Hilty is Janice Mills

Janice is a sexy suburban Christian who loves to preach forgiveness, but rarely forgives others.

Ethan Suplee is Jimbo Mills

Jimbo is a gregarious ‘guy’s guy’ who tries to befriend the men in the Pradeep family.

Nicholas Hamilton is Stu Mills

Stu is the Pradeeps’ teenage neighbour who spends most of his time in the garage. His "flannel hottie" vibe ensnares the Pradeeps’ teenage daughter from the get-go.

Pete Holmes is Dark Suit

Dark Suit is a rookie interrogator whose inexperience and innocence drives his partner nuts.

Romy Rosemont is Light Suit
Light Suit is the lead investigator in the Pradeep case. Ready for retirement, she’s uptight and ruthless in her tactics.

Published: 19 Jan 2023