Previous events

Let's discuss Mira Nair's film about a cross-cultural love story and what 'home' means for different people. Follow this link to register for the free online discussion: https://vidhiism.com/mississippi-masala-film-discussion

In association with Halcyon Arts, I will be hosting an online discussion of the 2014 film, The Hundred Foot Journey, produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, directed by Lasse Hallström, starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, and Charlotte Le Bon. The film is about an Indian emigrant family that moves to a village in the South of France and opens an Indian restaurant, 100 feet across the street from a Michelin-star French restaurant. The clashes that ensue between people of the two cultures forms the crux of the film's plot.

Follow this link to register: https://vidhiism.com/hundred-foot-journey-film-discussion

Spiritual Journeys is an online, monthly discussion on spiritual films offered by the Halcyon Oratory and curated this month by Vidhi Salla. The March film is Ship of Theseus and the discussion is led by Vidhi. Please watch the film in advance of our session on Zoom. You can watch the film for free on YouTube.

Several films in Indian cinema hold a mirror and highlight the nature of faith, an especially difficult endeavor in a country comprising people of multiple religious faiths. This workshop will showcase, with examples, how religion and spirituality offer a glimpse into the culture of a people and the universality of human behaviors around faith. Enjoy the colorful ride through Vidhi's insider lens, watching and discussing clips from famous and obscure films with a question and answer period at the end.

A black-and-white classic from 1955, Shree 420 was the highest grossing film of its year and remains an unparalleled classic to this day. Shree 420, meaning Mister 420 is derived from the Indian Penal Code for fraud. It is the story of an orphan named Raj who comes to Bombay in search of work and get wrapped up in the world of wealthy gamblers and swindlers. The film has a strong socialist theme and makes a searing commentary on the distribution of wealth in human society. It has beautiful songs that punctuate the narrative.

Vidhi Salla presents PK, a satire that takes a dig at organized religion and uses the outsider's perspective to shine a light on the prejudices, dogmas and superstitions of human beings. A stranger in the city asks questions no one has asked before. Known only by his initials, the man's innocent questions and childlike curiosity take him on a journey of love, laughter and letting go. The film won several awards and was the highest grossing film in its year of release. It's a comedy entertainer with dance-worthy songs and is suitable for all ages. Prior to the screening Salla will present a brief introduction to the film and offer a cultural context.

Celebrate India's independence month (August 15th is India's independence day) with Rang De Basanti, a modern-day revisiting of the freedom movement. The film will be screened inside the sanctuary with a pre-screening introduction by journalist and curator Vidhi Salla, host of the popular radio show, Vidhi's Bollywood Jukebox. Indian chai and refreshments will be available before and during the screening.

Rang De Basanti is a 2006 film about six youngsters who are cast to play freedom fighters in a historical drama by a British film student. Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Shivram Rajguru were some of the armed rebels that fought against the British occupation in the early 1900s. In the course of preparing for the film on these freedom fighters, the college youngsters get in touch with the voice of protest within themselves and use it to question the motives of their present-day government. Rang De Basanti won a National Award for Best Popular Film and was India's official entry to the 79th Academy Awards in the 'Best Foreign Film' category. The film features great music by AR Rahman and an ensemble cast with Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan in the lead.