Shyamalan denies 'Airbender' racism

M. Night Shyamalan has blasted accusations of racism following the casting of his upcoming 3D film The Last Airbender, based on an animated series.

The director has been the subject of controversy after casting Caucasian actors as the movie's heroes in what were originally Asian roles and leaving the picture's villains as Asians.

Shyamalan addressed the controversy in a recent interview with Indie Movies Online.

"Well, you caught me. I'm the face of racism. I'm always surprised at the level of misunderstanding, the sensitivities that exist. As an Asian-American, it bothers me when people take all of their passion and rightful indignation about the subject and then misplace it," he said.

Shyamalan added: "Here's the reality: first of all, the Uncle Iroh character is the Yoda character in the movie, and it would be like saying that Yoda was a villain. So he's Persian."

The filmmaker also said that some of the perceived villains in the story are actually the heroes.

"And Dev Patel is the actual hero of the series, and he's Indian, okay? The whole point of the movie is that there isn't any bad or good. The irony is that I'm playing on the exact prejudices that the people who are claiming I'm racist are doing.

"They immediately assume that everyone with dark skin is a villain. That was an incredibly racist assumption which as it turns out is completely incorrect."

The Last Airbender opens July 1 in US cinemas.