The Indian Panorama

Tag: American Sikh

  • DESI FILMS & EVENTS ARRIVE AT 2023 TRIBECA FEST

    By Mabel Pais

    MIDNIGHT SECTION – ESCAPE FROM TRIBECA

    ADIPURUSH – World Premiere

    Director: Om Raut | India | Action, Drama l 2h 54m | Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu w/Eng Subs

    Adipurush. (Photo : tribecafilm.com)

    One of India’s most expensive film productions of all time, ‘Adipurush’ is a fun, family epic brought to life with song and lavish special-effects. Heroic Raghav (The Telugu Film Industry (slang: Tollywood) megastar Prabhas hails from a royal lineage in the city of Ayodhya. When his beloved wife, Janaki, is kidnapped by the vicious Raavan, the demon king of the island of Lanka, Raghav must go on an epic adventure to save her, aided by an incredible army of monkey warriors.

    “Directed by award-winning filmmaker Om Raut, this action-heavy 3D spectacle has been one of India’s most talked-about and anticipated films in years. Brought to ‘Escape From Tribeca’ as a way of introducing our audience to the joys of popular Indian Cinema, we are both honored and ecstatic to host the World Premiere of ‘Adipurush’ right here in New York City this June. Best experienced with a crowd of adventurous cinema lovers, this will surely be a Tribeca Festival night for the ages.”––Matt Barone and Jonathan Penner.

    Escape from Tribeca

    Tribeca’s new, Psychotronic Sidebar, dedicated to movies that make audiences stomp their feet and shout out loud. Presenting the most fun horror, action, and fantasy films from around the globe, with giveaways, guests and contests that turn the screenings into one of a kind events unavailable anywhere else. Sure to please even the rowdiest movie lovers, ‘Escape from Tribeca’ celebrates the joys of the communal filmgoing experience.

    For Key Credits, Cast & Crew, visit tribecafilm.com/films/escape-from-tribeca-adipurush-2023

    Screenings in Person:

    Thu June 15 – 8:00 PM @ AMC 19th St. East 6, and

    Sat June 17 – 12:00 PM @ SVA Theatre

    Check out tribecafilm.com for ticket availability.

    SHORTS SECTION: ANIMATION

    AMERICAN SIKH – World Premiere

    Directors: Ryan Westra and Vishavjit Singh l USA l English l Short l 10m

    New York, Animation, Documentary, Politics, Biography, Journalism

    American Sikh. (Photo: sikhtoons.com)

    The true and unlikely story of an American born, turban-wearing Sikh man, Vishavjit Singh, who after a lifetime of facing prejudice, self-doubt and violence, finally finds acceptance in a superhero costume.

    Due to the lack of representation and the statistically small global population of Sikhs as a whole, the vast majority of Americans and the world at large know almost nothing about Sikhs. Lack of knowledge is not only an education and awareness issue, but historically is the root of many issues such as xenophobia, intolerance, racism and violent hate crimes. What little knowledge people may have about Sikhs most often boils down to two things: a turban and a beard. This is the image that needs to be transformed – and that’s exactly what Sikh Captain America, Vishavjit Singh, is set out to do.

    Sikh Captain America is changing the narrative on Sikhs (and anyone else who may not look “traditionally American”) — creating a new American hero that challenges societal expectations and norms. This film also follows his journey of accepting his own identity.

    People have grown up idolizing superheroes for decades. Sikh Captain America may not fight evil monsters, but he takes on hate and intolerance that are sadly still very much part of our contemporary society. That’s why an animated documentary, much like the superhero cartoons we’ve all grown up watching, is such a unique way to raise awareness about Sikhs domestically and internationally in a style that people of all cultures and ages can enjoy.

    Vishavjit Singh

    Vishavjit Singh is a New York City based illustrator, writer, performance artist, diversity speaker and creator of Sikhtoons.com. He got his spark for cartooning in the post 9/11 tragedy when Americans with turbaned and bearded countenance became targets of hate/bias crimes.

    “I am a radical listener, status quo disruptor & social narrative innovator. I have tapped into my own vulnerabilities as a genocide survivor and a constant target of hate/bias into a transformational force,” Singh says.

    For the past few years Vishavjit has been traveling across the U.S. with his Sikh Captain America persona armed with a turban, beard and humor to tackle fear, anxiety, bigotry and intolerance. He uses storytelling as a tool to create a space for challenging conversations around identity, race, bias, vulnerability and how to be agents for change. Vishavjit hosts talks & keynotes in schools, universities, government agencies and companies including Google, Apple, NASA & Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic he has been working with the city of NYC Test & Trace Corps and a local NGO UNITED SIKHS on COVID-19 suppression and relief efforts. His message and work have been covered by a number of news outlets, including the New York Times, NPR, BBC, The Atlantic, Huffington Post, The Guardian and Time Magazine.

    For Key Credits, Cast & Crew, visit tribecafilm.com/films/american-sikh-2023

    Screenings: In Person

    Sat June 10 – 5:15 PM @ AMC 19th St. East 6, and

    Sun June 11 – 2:15 PM @ AMC 19th St. East 6

    Sat June 17 – 12:15 PM @ AMC 19th St. East 6

    Tribeca At Home: Streaming June 19 – July 2

    SOUTH ASIAN HOUSE (SAH)

    SOUTH ASIAN HOUSE makes its TRIBECA DEBUT

    TRIBECA PROGRAM

    Panels: Friday, June 16 @ 1 & 3 pm

    SAH PROGRAM

    Celebrations (Venue & Time: To Be Decided)

    Friday, June 16 evening, StoryLounge Variety Show, and

    Saturday, June 17, Desi Drag Brunch

    The South Asian House (SAH) will present events at the Tribeca Festival (SAH @ TF) for the first time on June 16th to highlight, recognize, and appreciate South Asians in film and television.

    SAH Co-Founders- (Left to Right) – Kirtana Banskota, Jitin Hingorani, Rohi Mirza Pandya & Monika Samtani. (Photo : Satwic Mudigulam)

    The brainchild of veteran producers, curators, and programmers: Jitin Hingorani (Jingo Media & DFW South Asian Film Festival), Rohi Mirza Pandya (Box Office Guru Media & Desipina), Monika Samtani (Ms. Media & The Fem Word), and Kirtana Banskota (Banskota Productions & Nepal America Film Society), SAH @ TF will showcase programming focused on the funding, creation, and distribution of uniquely South Asian stories for a global audience. The day will consist of two panel discussions (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) focused on content creation in the diaspora and the Indian film industry, respectively, featuring actors, directors, and producers and will be part of the AT&T Untold Stories Lounge at Spring Studios.

    “Following on the heels of the success of the South Asian House at South by Southwest (SXSW) in March, we are truly thrilled to be commissioned to curate SAH at this iconic New York-based festival that has been home to many of us for years,” said lead co-producers Hingorani and Mirza Pandya. “Our filmmakers are making tremendous headway in Hollywood, while the Indian film industry is creating content that is winning Oscars. It’s time to celebrate these major achievements as a diaspora and a fraternity!”

    In addition to the co-branded programming with Tribeca Festival, SAH will host two unique celebrations around Manhattan that weekend (venues TBD). On Friday, June 16th, NYC comedians and musicians will take center stage at the StoryLounge Variety Show to celebrate the power of the spoken word, and on Saturday, June 17th,  a Desi Drag Brunch, conceptualized by One Minute Saree, will bring together Bollywood drag performances paired with the staple of Indian fashion – the forever-fashionable saree.

    “South Asians content creators are in the global spotlight for raising the bar through their ingenuity and passion,” said David Speer, Director of Operations at Tribeca Enterprises. “Tribeca is proud to showcase ground-breaking South Asian storytelling; this year, we are especially thrilled to welcome the South Asian House to celebrate the diaspora.”

    For details on the programming and how to claim your spot at any of the events, follow @southasianhouse on Instagram or visit southasianhouse.com.

    (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Education, Cuisine, Spirituality, and Business)

  • Indian American Sikh man sells fuel at $500 loss a day to help people in difficult times

    Indian American Sikh man sells fuel at $500 loss a day to help people in difficult times

    PHOENIX (TIP): Amid rising costs, a Sikh gas station owner is selling fuel to his customers at a much lower price than he had purchased it. Jaswinder Singh claimed that he was suffering a loss of about $500 per day by selling nearly 3,785 liters of gas, reports media. He said, “People don’t have the money right now. My mother and my father did teach us to help if you have something,” adding that, “he wanted to help people-not to make money–and that he was very happy doing so”. The losses have forced him and his wife to work overtime. In March, his selling price was 10 cents less than the cost of purchase. He said that it didn’t matter, and that “God gave [him] the help.” Twitter users lauded Singh’s gesture. “Some heroes wear turbans,” one wrote. This is not the first time Singh has helped his customers spend less money. In 2007, he reportedly bought the gas station and lowered prices during the recession the following year.

  • Indian American Sikh man attacked with hammer by hate-fueled Black assailant

    Indian American Sikh man attacked with hammer by hate-fueled Black assailant

    NEW YORK (TIP): A Sikh man was attacked with a hammer by a Black assailant who shouted at him “I don’t like you” and “You’re not the same skin” at a hotel in Brooklyn here, prompting a prominent New-York based advocacy group to call on investigators to examine if the assault was a hate crime incident. Sumit Ahluwalia, 32, of Astoria has said his assailant was fueled by racial hatred, according to a report. Ahluwalia said the man, a Black, assaulted him on April 26 at his workplace, the Quality Inn in Brownsville. He said the man came into the lobby of the hotel at around 8 am and started shouting while the front desk lady asked him if he needed help. Ahluwalia stepped into the lobby to speak with the man and to seek the hotel security guard. At that point, the assailant “started running towards me, very fast, and he put his hand in the pocket — I thought, ‘He’s pulling out a gun”’, the report said.

    Pleading with the man, the victim said, “What happened? You’re my brother.” The attacker responded, “You’re not the same skin,” Ahluwalia said, adding that the man then “banged on my head with the hammer so hard.” The assailant then screamed, “I don’t like you,” and ran away, according to the report.

    It said the victim “couldn’t feel what happened with me” and was eventually taken to an emergency room.

    “I couldn’t sleep. I had a big bump on my head. I could fall — feeling dizziness, and the next morning I went to the doctor,” he said, adding that five days later, he was still feeling anxious and fearful.

    “I didn’t do anything… I don’t deserve this. I’m a hardworking guy, wake up in the morning 6 a.m. and go home at 7 pm,” he said. Police have released pictures of the suspect, who was still being sought. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said its legal team is providing free legal services to Ahluwalia.

    “We have already been in direct communication with law enforcement and demanded that investigators examine the real possibility that bias was a motive,” it said, adding that anyone with information about the incident should contact the New York Police Department.

    The tragic incident comes as the US has witnessed a recent wave of anti-Asian hate crimes during this pandemic.

    Eight people, including four Sikhs, were killed in a mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis last month.

    In March last year, a man stabbed two Asian American children – aged 2 and 6 – and their father at Sam’s Club in Texas because “he thought the family was Chinese, and infecting people with the coronavirus.”

    A group of Democratic Senators in May last year said there has been a surge in hate crime against Asian-Americans amid coronavirus pandemic and had urged the Trump administration to take concrete steps to arrest the spike.

  • Indian American Sikh community honors victims of FedEx mass shooting

    Indian American Sikh community honors victims of FedEx mass shooting

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Sikhs in the US state of Indiana have held a memorial service to honor the eight people, including four community members, who were killed in a mass shooting at a FedEx facility last month.

    Brandon Scott Hole, 19, a former worker at the Indianapolis FedEx facility, killed eight people on April 15 before killing himself.  Four of those killed were Sikhs, including three women.

    The memorial service on Saturday was opened with ardaas, a Sikh prayer.

    “We are so thankful to everyone who came together to attend and help put on this important event,” said Balwinder Singh, an Indianapolis Sikh community leader.

    “What happened on April 15 is a tragedy that forever altered too many lives, and only by coming together to grieve, honor, and call for action can we move forward,” he said.

    The event, held at a city stadium, featured city, state and federal representatives, Indianapolis-area interfaith leaders and Sikh community members.

    “As your governor, I stand with you in support of the Sikh community, with each of the families of the victims, with the hundreds of others who are feeling the impact of this tragedy, and with our law enforcement and first responders who face it daily so most of us don’t have to,” Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb said.

    “And we stand with this city and the entire community, still reeling from the impact of that terrible day. I’m grateful for each person here today to honor lives so tragically lost, to show support for survivors and to extend a comforting hand to the families and friends who were taken from us far too soon,” he said.

    Several of Indiana’s congressional representatives sent letters of support that were read aloud at the event.

    President Joe Biden also wrote a letter of support, media reported.

    The letter was read by Erika Moritsugu, deputy assistant to the president and Asian American and Pacific Islander senior liaison.

    “To the people of Indiana, I share the heartbreak you are experiencing after such senseless violence pierced your community and our nation’s soul once again,” Biden wrote.

    “They were our friends and neighbors. They were immigrants and fellow Americans, seeking their piece of the American dream.” Komal Chohan, whose grandmother was killed during the shooting, said: “It makes us feel like we’re not alone.”  “We don’t know if this was bias-related. It feels good to know that not everybody views us in that manner and not everybody sees us as outsiders,” Chohan said.

    There are an estimated 8,000-10,000 Sikhs in Indiana. Though Sikhs began settling in the state more than 50 years ago, the first gurdwara was not established until 1999. There are 10 gurdwaras in the state now.

    Police have not identified a motive for the shooting, yet. It is unclear if the shooter was targeting Sikhs.

    The memorial service was jointly organized by the Sikh community in Indianapolis, with the support of national Sikh organizations including the Sikh Coalition, United Sikhs, and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).