SMALL FORTUNES IN THE BIG APPLE

Karma Local

A student film presented by the South Asian Students Association and the Documentary Film Group, directed by Darshan Bhagat

Julie Patel

Americans have been making movies about the immigrant experience since the 1900¹s, but only recently are we seeing films about the South Asian-American experience. Although Karma Local is only about one family¹s experience of being South Asian in New York, Director Darshan Bhagat shows us how the South Asian experience diverges from the experiences of immigrants from other countries. Bhagat, as a South Asian himself, is in a unique position to make sense of the stereotypes and struggles of being South Asian in the United States.

The word "Karma" means that present actions will affect you in the future. If you do "good" actions, you will receive good fortune; if you do evil, you will receive ill luck. Karma Local is preachy in the sense that the movie boils down to the moral of the story: Karma. When the movie¹s main character, Bali­also played by Bhagat­does one act of "goodness," it leads to a chain of events, a chain of decisions, and a chain of consequences, which end up in good fortune for Bali because he did what was considered "right." Bali¹s friend Sergei plays the hardened skeptic, questioning Bali¹s faith in Karma.

Despite the dominance of Judeo-Christian ideas in the West, the movie is accessible to non-Hindus because Karma is the only reference to Hinduism in the movie. We see no four-arm deities or bejeweled goddesses in Karma Local. In an American culture that exoticizes Hinduism, it would certainly be refreshing to see Hindus represent their religion. But alas, this movie doesn¹t alienate Americans because it balances the levels of what is foreign and familiar. Bhagat doesn¹t try to feed us religion; rather, he gives us a clear and direct moral to the story.

Bhagat is not very subtle in his use of symbolism to represent Bali¹s luck. A quarter that stands up on its edge signals good luck for Bali. He gets this sign after he has done something "good." So when Bali decides not to keep the change a customer forgot to take, he gets the sign. Bali once again gets the sign after he gives an old man a free cigarette even when he¹s at his lowest, and desperately needs money himself. The old man gives Bali a quarter that stands on its edge, and Bali¹s luck changes for the better.

Beyond the fabalistic tone of Karma Local lies a complex commentary on the lives of South Asian immigrants in the U.S. Like Apu, the Quicky Mart owner in The Simpsons, like Jawalahar from Head of the Class, and like the restaurant owner in Seinfeld, Bali and his uncle are honest but naïve. Like Apu and the Seinfeld character, they also own a small family business, a newsstand. Bhagat uses these characters to explore popular stereotypes of South Asians in America, but interestingly enough, these stereotypes result in positive outcomes. Bali and his family don¹t get screwed over because they¹re honest and naïve, but rather, they succeed. Bhagat flips popular South Asian stereotypes into something constructive.

Despite the pressure to assimilate to American norms, Bali and his family hold on to South Asian values. For example, Bhagat depicts the importance of family and respect for elders in South Asian cultures, and there are moments in the film when these values are seriously questioned. Charlie (Josh Pais)­a small-time mobster whom Bali has accidentally become tangled with­insists that Bali attend his niece¹s birthday party a little bit late. Charlie thinks Bali is crazy when he refuses because he just has to go to the party. Bali doesn¹t budge under Charlie¹s pressure: family is family. Bali also shows much respect for his uncle. Even when Bali questions whether or not his uncle is right, he still obeys him. Although it¹s not always as pleasant or as easy as Bhagat depicts it, the film makes a strong statement about holding on to cultural values.

Bhagat also commends Bali and his family for rejecting American materialism. Bhagat shows us that Bali and his family don¹t have to assimilate to white culture to succeed and further, their standards of success aren¹t the same as popular American standards of success. Sergei advises Bali that his decisions should come down to how much money he has to gain or lose. And Charlie tells Bali, "Isn¹t it always about the money?" Bali and his family, on the other hand, don¹t keep the money they didn¹t earn or that is not rightfully theirs. They weigh what is right or wrong in the decisions they make. Perhaps one of the reasons they can afford not assimilating to American culture is because they own a business; they¹re not working for anyone so they don¹t have to rely on fitting in. Also, perhaps they can afford not being materialistic because they are doing fairly well in life. Sergei, a recent Russian immigrant is working in a factory so he doesn¹t have the luxuries Bali's family has. Bali and his family represent the South Asians who are considered "model minorities" rather than those who are of a lower socio-economic status, like cab drivers and store clerks, among others. Karma Local¹s moral judgments seem to come from an elite perspective. The film¹s moralizing is hefty at times, however, it documents the struggles and stereotypes of South Asian-Americans in a provocative and entertaining way.

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