Samir Dutta

Can You Boogie For 70 Years?
By Deepmalya Ghosh

What does it mean to be a young South Asian man, in this country? How does one strive for better things in life, work hard, have a family, love friends and siblings, embrace the land that you live in, and stay consistent with your own roots? It is no easy task, with no clear answers, especially for those who left their motherland thousands of miles behind. I remember, as a young boy, seeing Kakus and Kakis working through these questions…debating with one another over these matters. At parties, they spoke with one another about how to make sure their children would stay close to home…stay Indian…stay Bengali. The children were all running around and playing, while they spoke and debated. Although it may seem that we weren’t listening, we actually were taking everything in.

Samir Kaku was always in the mix, and always in the forefront of the dialogue. With a strong voice and booming figure, he often led the way. I think, as a child, I was often intimidated by the strength that he exhibited. But intimidated or not, there was something about it that we all wanted and needed in our lives. We were growing up in the 70’s…during a time when hostages were being taken in Iran…at a time when Brown folks were seen as backwards and inadequate (this hasn’t really changed). Where does one find role models during a time like this? There were no Brown folks on the Yankee lineup back then. I mean there were Black Brown folks like Reggie Jackson…but there were no names like Ghosh, Haldar, Dutta, Datta, Ganguly, Sinha, or Biswas (There still aren’t almost 30 years later and I look forward to the day when the first South Asian hits the baseball diamond). Nothing and no one can take the name away from you, unless of course you get married and are forced to change your last name to that of your spouse…but it still remains your maiden name (and then it can possibly become a password to activate credit cards and thus a source of wealth and dollars). That name links you to a vast part of the world, thousands and thousands of miles away, where folks can pronounce it the way it should be.

I, unfortunately, no longer say my own name correctly. It doesn’t surprise me when someone writes out my name, upon hearing me say it, but leaves the H out in GHOSH. It’s my own fault. But, I have surprisingly fond memories of learning to say my name properly in Bangla Eeeschool. Sundays in our homes in Bayside, Floral Park and Little Neck were meant to teach us the language…but as I point out for myself, the retention is not necessarily noticeable…but subtly, it was a time when some form of pride in myself was developed. It was not something that I could see until many years had passed, but fell back on when times got tough. For me it was far less about the language…and I spent more time studying the mannerisms and ways of all our teachers. We were pre-adolescents with hormones flying all over the place…it was a crucial time to insure that there was a connection with all of us. Dr. Dutta was there, leading the way, teaching us about strong folks like Subhash Chandra Bose and teaching us to sing the Indian National Anthem. It was a great system to rebel against, but had its’ subtle positive impact on me, as well.

It was Dr. Dutta…Samir Kaku…who I would see from time to time, as I was growing into a man, and as I began to roam the city, on my own…who would ask about my father, encourage me to re-connect with my brother and be good to my mother. He seemed to recognize the struggles that the Ghosh family had to endure and always remarked at his surprise that I, of all people, somehow stayed close to home. I am not sure that Dr. Dutta realized how important it was to stop and talk to me when he did. In some odd way, those brief moments stabilized me and gave me strength to walk on. Walk on, I do, and often to my own beat…and very often, I am the only South Asian (and therefore, clearly the only Bengali) in the workplace…at a concert…playing softball or on the basketball court…I am the only Ghosh…but, I am proud to be a Ghosh doing what I am doing and living how I am living…and in some way, it is due to Samir Kaku (and all rest of the mothers and fathers who taught on those Sunday mornings in Bangla Eeeschool)…Some are still with us and some are not, but it should be something to take pride in for Dr. Samir Dutta who has reached a milestone in reaching 70! I hope you are blessed with another 70!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Dutta.

Alam & Nath Don’t Represent Me!

I am dismayed by the recent actions and allegations of Morshed Alam and Dilip Nath. Bringing illegitimate claims of, “racism,” into any election process, particularly for a seat to represent an area that is as diverse as ours is more than enough reason to ask that they both resign from further attempts to run for political office.

I believe that I speak for many South Asians, when I say that they do not represent all of us. With sureness, I can say that they don’t represent me. In 1939, Mahatma Gandhi said, “A born democrat is a born disciplinarian. Democracy comes naturally to him who is…willing to yield willing obedience to all laws, human or divine.” A good candidate and representative of the people, will stand by these principles…first and foremost, by running a clean campaign, obtaining legitimate signatures, representing multi-ethnic principles and presenting viewpoints that represent all of us, irrespective of race or ethnicity.

In my opionion, Morshed Alam and Dilip Nath are grandstanding and looking to get their picture in the paper. They are not doing South Asians (both recent immigrants, as well as those of us who were born and brought up in this country) any good by representing us in the way they have. We need honest political representation who exhibit strength, diversity in knowledge, that understands the process, and exhibit an ability to bond folks of differing ethnic background. This is most important particularly during a time of war.

Sahara & Sudhir Vaishnav

Sahara Comes West
Quality Always Wins: Sudhir Vaishnav
By Deepmalya Ghosh

When Sudhir Vaishnav first came to the United States in 1971, he was a teenager.  At that time there was no real awareness of Indian movies or artists.  It was a time before the VCR, Cable or the DVD.  Vaishnav, then in Philadelphia, made efforts to infuse India into a land that had no awareness or access to movies or theater of South Asia.  Although hesitant to speak of himself, Vaishnav has a wealth of stories about his early experiences of coordinating movies and entertainment features in those days.  Stories about Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar.   He whistfully recalls dragging himself down to the Greyhound station, where deliveries of large boxes with reels of film from India would finally arrive.  These would be shown on 16mm camera in local colleges and halls.  He laughs at a memory of being able to show a movie in a Cinemascope format for the first time.  He speaks of those days with zest and seems to find strength in all that he can reminisce about.  With such experience and a distinguished portfolio, it should not really surprise anyone that he is still at it…but now on a more advanced and global level.

Over thirty years have passed since Vaishnav first arrived to the United States, but his untiring  vision of bringing India to America faces greater challenges now, as the market has become flooded with a wealth of South Asian networks, all competing for the same viewers.  But his determination seems unfettered by it.  Vaishnav is insistent that his ventures bring a new quality and vision to the game.  He asserts that he is aware of what the viewers want from an understanding that is nurtured from a grassroots understanding of South Asians migrating to America.  It is one enhanced by a marriage of 27 years and 2 children brought up in America.

Last month, Vaishnav's group, Globosat Entertainment Network LLC obtained the rights to distribute Sahara Entertainment television broadcasts to North America, South America and the Caribbean.  Sahara, according to Vaishnav, is a conglomeration with diverse holdings that has over 910,000 employees (mostly in India) and operates with a business plan that Vaishnav loves.   He points to their obvious success in being able to grow to that size in a number of industries, including hotels and travel.  Startled by the number, I commented that this number of employees mirrors the city of Philadelphia (where he first started), and Vaishnav just nodded affirmatively.  When asked about how much it cost to make this move, Vaishnav hesitated and only mentioned that, "a serious commitment has been made toward quality entertainment and toward the future."  Quality is what Vaishnav is all about, and he states that it is, "the ultimate decision maker."  He wants to find new ways to merge South Asian media to the American mainstream.  He feels that the 2nd generation is far more prepared to deal with their roots and culture.  He, very easily, speaks of the pride he sees in the new generation, but feels (and perhaps correctly) that Bollywood is the only thing that links the Desi American to, "the motherland."  Born and raised in Mumbai, Vaishnav is speaking with an understanding of America where he has lived since he was 19.  He is a maverick and a pioneer in bringing theater and film presentation to America.  Vaishnav was one of those responsible for bringing Bollywood to Broadway through his support of Bombay Dreams, for which he was a Producer.  In mid-October, he is bringing another show to the Samuel Beckett Theater in Manhattan called India Awaits.  It is all of this, that makes the acquisition of the rights for Sahara even more understandable.  Why not bring Sahara to the West?  It's a move that is as ambitious and assertive as Vaishnav has always been.   He, excitedly, awaits the upcoming Sahara Sangeet Awards, which will be held in San Francisco on September 24th, where there will also be the launch party for this endeavor.  It is a large event that will be attended by major stars, including Sharukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee. 

Sahara programs will soon be offered on the Dish Network and will include 2 channels, including Sahara One and Sahara Samay, with a third, Sahara Filmy following closely behind.  Samay will offer news 24 hours, 7 days per week, which, at times, will offer live feed coming in from India.  The plan on the North American end  will focus on a regional-centric approach, by setting up satellite studios in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago and Toronto, with all information coming in to the New York office (in Long Island City.)  Additionaly programming will include popular live talk shows with beautiful hostesses, like Mandira Bedi (see the cover), and Live Cricket Matches (Sahara sponsors the Indian Cricket Team), feature film presentations and a large number of serials.  

So, in a wildly competitive South Asian media market, dominated by Star, Zee and Sony, a not-so-newcomer is jumping into the fray, with Vaishnav at the helm and bringing Sahara with him.  He understands the affluence of the Indian viewer and feels that those that have not reached a point of affluence, will get their soon enough.  With a recognition that even the illiterate and poor in India are gaining greater access to television, he sees a world that has grown smaller and feels that the potential the win and profit in a congested market is always there.  He believes in quality and professionalism, first, and wants to remind the reader, "Quality always wins in the end."

For more information on Globosat Entertainment Network, see www.globosatent.com

Amir Jamal

Burning In The Belly: Amir Jamal
By Deepmalya Ghosh

You’re a CPA. You’ve landed a great job as a manager with Ernst & Young. Married, with two children, but walking around with a feeling inside that something is missing. It is a, “burning in the belly,” so to speak, because you know that life has more to offer, that you have more to share with the many people who walk on different paths of the constantly shrinking world that we live and die in. What to do? How do you translate that fire? Ask Amir Jamal…He did it!

Amir Jamal, a Pakistani-born accountant working in Saudi Arabia, did it! He, at this point, has burned his voice into millions of minds across the globe. And if you haven’t already, you need only listen to Kaho Na Kaho a few times, if not just once (and preferably with a lover) to have it forever imprinted in your heart.

Now, here is what is really interesting: If you meet Amir Jamal, you can see and feel his mathematics. If you speak with him, you can immediately feel his sequential thought and in fact, you can better understand it when he speaks. Listen to the song, though, and you feel and remember the love & passion of a new partner. Clearly, this is a man who understands the relationship between math & music, and has merged the two. This formula has brought him to a new place in his life. Amir’s fame is growing and he is working on the fuel and strength of his expanding recognition. In October of 2004, Jamal was given the Critics Award for Best Male Playback Singer at the Sangeet Awards, and has been recognized in the US by winning 2 Bollywood Awards, in consecutive years.

When he arrived for the interview, Amir was exhausted and tired from a day that had already included a television interview and business meetings involving efforts to develop a new company called See World, Inc. He, and his business partner, Asif Jamal came to the interview looking a bit weary, but ready to share their thoughts and dreams. Amir first met Asif, in his work on the Bollywood Awards, when Asif brought the singer to the awards. They’ve quickly developed a friendship and instantly started their work on a joint vision of bringing quality entertainment to a global audience. They have tirelessly worked to set up shop in Karachi and Mumbai and are now working on developing their New York base.

Many musicians from India or Pakistan are interesting, and seem more humble. Seriously, in America, if you make a hit single and won accolades and awards for it, you definitely become a celebrity and have your face plastered all over the newsstands and have to tiptoe around a life of groupies and partying. Clearly, you lose your anonymity and privacy. This is not the case for South Asian musicians. In fact, the viewer or listener will more probably associate the song to a movie or to the actor or actress who lip-syncs the song in a movie. Yet, while asking him about that, he did not seem to understand why I felt the question to be so important (and actually, I am now compelled toward his viewpoint). As someone who grew up here, I pretty much thought that these guys might be little more pissed off. But Amir, in his precise and mathematical way, explained that this was something that all artists are prepared for and accept, without thought. He is more proud of knowing that it is his voice and soul behind the acting. We can only hope that this is a lasting quality of Amir Jamal, and one that he is able to maintain as his fame grows. Plans for a concert tour along with the release of his 2nd album, are being finalized for September or October and will include a release party with live broadcast on one of the major South Asian cable channels.

No matter what the outcome of the awards, a new album, a tour or various release parties, I am sure that Jamal will never forget what it was that got him to where he is. As much as he is working on new endeavors and various projects, it was only when I asked who his favorite guitarist was that Amir Jamal’s face lit up. I suppose that is all you really need to ask him to kindle the fire in his belly.

Find out more about Amir Jamal from www.aamirjamal.com
Listen to Amir Jamal on www.raaga.com

Peace!

Doing Time, Doing Vipassana

Doing Time, Doing Vipassana is a documentary being shown at Cinema Village in NYC until 7/21/05. This powerful documentary may be of interest to those of you working on prison reform and it explores the use of Vipassana (a meditation technique) in Indian Prisons.

This is the story of an ancient meditation technique named Vipassana, which shows people how to take control of their lives and channel them toward their own good. It is the story of a strong woman named Kiran Bedi, the former Inspector General of Prisons in New Delhi, who strove to transform the notorious Tihar Prison and turn it into an oasis of peace. But most of all it is the story of prison inmates who underwent profound change, and who realized that incarceration is not the end but possibly a fresh start toward an improved and more positive life.These people have shown that reform can work if it is self-reform. Their success has been so dramatic that recently the Indian Government decided to apply Vipassana in all the country's prisons. Other countries are becoming interested as well. The filmmakers spent about two weeks inside Tihar Central Prison in New Delhi and Baroda Jail in the Indian state of Gujarat. They interviewed inmates and jail officials, and filmed in places rarely accessible to film crews, whether Indian or foreign.

Doing Time, Doing Vipassana
July 8 - July 21
Cinema Village
22 East 12th Street (between University Pl & 5th Ave in Manhattan)
Showtimes are 1:10, 2:40, 7:25, 8:55 every day.
To purchase tickets: 212-924-3363, www.cinemavillage.com film: www.karunafilms.com/Dtdv/Dtdv.htm
vipassana: www.dhamma.org

Mitali Perkins

I saw a great blog today written by Mitali Perkins.
Check out what she writes: http://the-fire-escape.blogspot.com

Hi Mitali.
I am new to your blog. Born in Boston, brought up in NYC...I grew up in the 70's and 80's, living and eating baseball and was always the only brown face in the game. I was the kid that made no sense because Indian kids don't play baseball (at least not in the 70's). As a child, I actually felt pride in knowing that there was a team called the Indians.

I was always the brown kid playing, and I'd say I was pretty good. I can even remember how pissed other kids would get if the curry-eating kid blew a fast ball by them. What made it even worse was that during those days I was a boy suffering from a Namesake mishap...Joy Ghosh. Something happens to Americana when a boy named Joy hits a homerun off you. Some of my summer days were spent being forced to join the Reading Club at a lccal library, where I would assert my independence by learning everything that I could about Hank Aaron, Tom Seaver, Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson. It was my own way of saying F-you to my parents for making me read while the neighbors were in the pool. It reached a point where they requested that I not read.

In the end, my love of the game grew...to the point where I am in my 4th year as a Bleacher Creature in yes, of all places, Right Field at Yankee Stadium. And you know what, I an no poser...I am El Hindu...a no Beantown fan should come near me! BTW...A-Rod didn't suck last night...I am jealous that you were there to see it.

I must add though, that I did not always feel so comfortable...especially not when my father (in his research scientist way) would take my mother (in her sari-wearing way) into the Stadium with me in tow as a youngster...and I often watched in embarrassment as people made fun of us, while we were going to the games.

Funny, when I was growing up, my parents felt great connection to Boston. I suppose it has to do with where you first reside when you come to the USA. But, that translated in their attempting to make me a Red Sox fan. My father went so far as to tell me that I was born a mile away from Fenway Park and that in the year of my birth (1967), the Red Sox made it to the World Series. When we moved to New York, they still bought me Red Sox stuff and my older brother told me that Carl Yastrzemski was the greatest ballplayer that there was.

I'm glad that in all my rebellion, I made it a point to do the research and find out that on the day I was born, the Yankees were in town and that Mickey Mantle hit a homerun in the 9th at Fenway to win the game.

I wait for the first Desi Ballplayer. I wish it had been me.

My Brother Nikhil

There is a special screening of a breakthrough Indian movie called "My Brother Nikhil" at the ImaginAsian Theater (239 East 59th Street Between 1st and 2nd Avenues).
"My Brother Nikhil" is the first mainstream Indian movie that deals with issues of homosexual men and HIV/AIDS, and the screening is a part of our 4th annual New York Asian Film Festival. The screening starts at 8:15 pm on Friday, July 1st.
The director of the movie will be at the theater and there will be a Q & A with the audience, following the movie. The website for "My Brother Nikhil" is http://www.mybrothernikhil.com/

DJ Yash Shah

DJ Yash Shah is the host of "Fulltime Masti" on Asian FM. He guarantees that you'll have a thrilling ride in the world of South Asian entertainment, fun, laughter and music. "It has a very feel-good, chilled out, youth vibe to it," says Yash. In Sanskrit, Yash is defined as "success." He insists that you guys tune in to "Fulltime Masti" to make it a success!
Born in Amchi Mumbai, where he was raised for 13 years, his passions for acting and dance influence this show as he brings out a perfect mix of Indian TAAL and the American BEAT. He aspires to win hearts so don't hesitate to lose yours.