Two full days of programming during the first-ever South Asian House (SAH) at South by Southwest® (SXSW®) on March 11 and 12, 2022, will range from panel discussions on women in film, business tech, and climate change to curated sets of live and electronic music to a Reel Deal session, Comedy Hour, Industry Leadership Sessions, Mental Health Corner, Queer/Dalit Visual Art NFTs, and Desi Drag Brunch to a red carpet, awards ceremony on Oscar® Sunday recognizing South Asian Trailblazers in Cinema. For the first time in its 37-year history, SXSW will partner with this innovative initiative to highlight, recognize, and appreciate South Asians from the seven countries – India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives – as well as accomplished members of the diaspora.
Brainchild of veteran producers, curators, and programmers Rohi Mirza Pandya (Box Office Guru Media & Desipina), Monika Samtani (Ms. Media & The Fem Word), Jitin Hingorani (Jingo Media & DFW South Asian Film Festival), and Kirtana Banskota (Banskota Productions & Nepal America Film Society), SAH will convene at Fourth and Co. in the iconic Warehouse District of downtown Austin, six blocks from SXSW® event headquarters.
SAH is excited to welcome community leaders and partners such as Shelly Kapoor Collins, Founder of the Shatter Foundation, a nonprofit to bring entrepreneurship education to girls. As one of the first to come on board, Kapoor Collins adds: “I am thrilled to partner with South Asian House in their endeavor to support not only the community as a whole, but to create a leadership program and space for female founders and entrepreneurs. Shatter Foundation is proud to be a part of this inaugural event at SXSW in 2023.”
SAH is also excited to welcome The Partnership, Inc., a nationally recognized organization supporting the development of professionals of color into authentic leaders and the transformation of corporate cultures into diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplaces. Since 1987, they have worked with more than 600 companies across all industries and provided more than 6,000 professionals with unparalleled leadership development programs and services.
Storylounge Studios, a NYC based artistic collective whose work spans the fields of digital media, film, theater, and music, will present “The Reel Deal,” hosted by Vick Krishna (TikTok, Gotham Comedy Club, NYC) and Samrat Chakrabarti (Mr. Robot, Midnight’s Children), focused on how to make effective Instagram and TikTok reels, as well as a Variety Show with music and comedy featuring special guests.
Other programming partners include Ragoth Bala, one of the co-founders of The Cumin Club, a brand that makes it easier to enjoy authentic Indian meals in just minutes. Their plant-based menu of 30+ regional dishes from all over India is curated by expert chefs and made with all-natural ingredients, zero preservatives, and healthy sides for a complete meal you can feel great about.
To round out the weekend’s eclectic programming, Indo Warehouse, a premium brand across New York’s world class electronic music scene, will feature its founding artists, Kahani and Kunal Merchant, who have played across the globe from Ibiza to Tulum. They will extend the reach of their sound at SAH, as they prepare for global expansion in 2023.
Finally, Pooja Kumar, Award-winning actress states: “I am so excited to be an official mentor for the South Asian House, which is bringing top Indian cinema and talent to Texas through its international curation.” Other mentors include Milan Chakraborty, Head of Film at Marginal Mediaworks and SXSW® veteran, and Falguni Lakhani Adams, Executive Producer at VICEMedia, who will also serve as a panelist on SAH’s “Women in Film” panel.
Additional programming partners include:
Women in Film & Television (WIFT)
Maria Gotay Designs
Guru Tax Pro, Austin
Satwic Mudigulam
