11th International Maheshwari Rajasthani Convention (IMRC) in Houston
By Trusha Chandak HOUSTON: The Maheshwari community of Rajasthan came together this Thanksgiving weekend to relive their culture and connect with each other at the 11th International Maheshwari and Rajasthani Convention (IMRC). The well attended event was hosted by the Southwest chapter of MMNA (Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America) and held at the Marriott Marquis […]
BANA Houston Stages a Vibrant Drama: Ugna-Vidyapati
By Vinay Karna HOUSTON: While Houstonians were reeling through thanksgiving dinner amid sprinkling rains, drama performers were rehearsing for a vibrant drama. On November 26, 2022, the performers, under the banner of Bihar Association of North America (BANA), performed a mesmerizing drama Ugna – Vidyapati, a tale of Bhavanipur, at the auditorium of Houston Durgabadi […]
Margaritaville Lake Resort Honors the Cultural Traditions of South Asian Weddings
HOUSTON: Located about an hour north of the Houston area, a lush, tropical oasis on a secluded lakefront awaits – Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston. A destination in itself, the resort offers the perfect setting to carry out the time-honored traditions of South Asian weddings. “Our wide array of venues, amenities, and activities […]
‘Bhediya’: Quite the Rumble in the Jungle
By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Banerjee, Paalin Kabak, Deepak Dobriyal, Kriti Sanon Director: Amar Kaushik Rating: 3 stars Humans turning into werewolves is such a familiar trope that the thought of seeing yet another version wasn’t making me jump: I’m happy to report that much of ‘Bhediya’, in which a principal character turns into an […]
‘Drishyam 2’: Not as Smooth as Last Time
Bollywood isn’t really known for pulling off suspense thrillers, certainly not for sustaining the steam over a sequel. But, like Drishyam in 2015, Drishyam 2 lulls you with its modest settings, simple characters, human cops, and a family caught in events beyond its control, till it lands home its lesson a second time — it’s […]
Intriguing Drama “Blind Justice” Draws Support for Udavum Karangal
By Jawahar Malhotra PEARLAND: As the curtain opened, the first set came into view: an Indian court with the high bench for the judge and dockets for the accused and the witnesses on either side. Two Indian flags and the national tri-lion emblem attached on the wall above the judge completed the scene in all […]
Nepalese Artist Lain Singh Bangdel Paintings on Exhibit at Asia Society
HOUSTON: Asia Society Texas (AST) announces its newest exhibition, Lain Singh Bangdel: Moon Over Kathmandu, featuring the abstract modernist work of polymath, novelist, art historian, preservationist, academician, and painter, Lain Singh Bangdel. Made up of approximately 20 works, the exhibition is the first solo show by a Nepali artist at any Asia Society site, and […]
‘Classically Yours with Jyoti’ in 2nd Year
HOUSTON: Classically Yours with Jyoti’ program celebrated its first year anniversary recently at the studio with wellwishers and patrons. You can catch the program every third Saturday 3 to 4 pm on Masala Radio FM 98.7 as part of Indo-American News Unplugged with Jyoti playing songs based on Classical Indian music with Sudhir Golikeri . […]
‘Uunchai’: A Heartfelt Ode to Friendship
By Shalini Langer This is as far as it gets from a Sooraj Barjatya film. It also avoids the melodrama that movies of this kind tend to lapse into, though it can’t resist the temptation to stretch the length to at least an hour more than it should be. Still, how often do you get to […]
Classical Arts Society Presents the Brilliant Sikkil Gurucharan
By Ranjana Narasiman It is very rare that traditional purists of Carnatic music and seekers of contemporary aesthetics in Carnatic music see eye to eye on the merits of any concert. However the versatile and inimitable Sikkil Gurucharan has indeed succeeded in bridging the gaps between these opposing camps, holding all his listeners captive under […]
Assam Team at Texas India Fest in San Antonio
Diwali celebrations are held all across the globe with great pomp and cheer.In San Antonio, Texas, the Indian community continues to celebrate and bring all diverse groups together to celebrate Diwali. India Association of San Antonio (IASA) is very passionate about the growing Indian community and engages in organizing cultural events to bring everyone together. […]
A Scintillating Deepavali Concert by Sri Sandeep Narayan
By Mrs. Sudha Ravi Mani and Dr. Lakshmi Srivaths Sri Sandeep Narayan’s musical journey is an unusual one. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and like many of our children here, he listened to rock and hip-hop as a young boy. But, coming from a musical family deeply entrenched in Carnatic Music, […]
Town Center becomes a Village Square Full of Garba Revelers
By Jawahar Malhotra SUGAR LAND: Over the past decade, the South Asian community has grown so much in the Greater Houston area and is so spread out that there are dense pockets of desis scattered all across the region. But none rival the community that lives in Ft Bend county, and especially in Sugar Land. […]
Isha Mishra Sings National Anthem in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE: The crowd roared as a 14 year old ordinary Indian American girl from Charlotte, North Carolina nailed her last note in front of a crowd of 8,000 people. Isha Mishra, a student and aspiring theatre performer, beautifully sang the US National Anthem in Charlotte’s Bojangles Coliseum on October 15. The successful performance is the culmination […]
Ram Setu: Lopsided View on Mythology vs. History
By Renuka Vyavahare Synopsis: Is Ram Setu a myth or reality? An archaeologist (Akshay Kumar) must decode the origins of the mythical India-Sri Lanka underwater bridge, believed to be built by Lord Rama. Review: Ram Setu comes across like a toothpaste ad where random actors dressed in white aprons assure you that their toothpaste is dentist recommended. […]
14th Indian Film Festival of Houston: A Rousing Success
HOUSTON: For the past fourteen years, Sutapa Ghosh, Founder and Executive Director of the Indian Film Festival of Houston (IFFH), has watched the annual event mature. What began as an idea to introduce Houstonians to true Indian cinema has grown both in size and in scope, attracting movie-goers not only from our local diverse communities […]
Indo-American Association Hosts ‘While My Sitar Gently Sings’
By Jyoti Kulkarni HOUSTON: On Sept. 24, the Indo-American Association hosted Ustad Shujaat Khan’s “While My Sitar Gently Sings”, accompanied on tabla by Gourisankar and Nitin Mitta at the Stafford Performing Arts Center. Shujaat Husain Khan is one of the greatest North Indian musicians and sitar player of his generation. He belongs to the Imdadkhani […]
Indian Film Festival to Honor Film Director Satyajit Ray
HOUSTON: The Indian Film Festival of Houston (IFFH) has several surprises in store, according to Sutapa Ghosh, Founder and Executive Director of the city’s annual cultural event. Celebrating its fourteenth anniversary, it will highlight the seventy-fifth year of India’s Independence. Called Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the country remembers the long struggle for freedom. On August […]
‘Dhokha’: Enough to Drive You Around the Bend
Cast: R Madhavan, Khushali Kumar, Aparshakti Khurana, Darshan Kumar Director: Kookie Gulati Rating: Half star A ‘Lashkar-trained’ terrorist hiding out in a Mumbai highrise finds himself in alarmingly close quarters with a woman who doesn’t seem to be all there. Is she really delusional, or is it an act? Is her husband as straight-forward as […]
