South Asian pride was in full effect at the annual South Asians at the Oscars pre-Oscar bash in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
The annual bash was co-hosted by Mindy Kaling, “Evil” actor Aasif Mandvi, Bela Bajaria, Liza Koshy, Nik Dodani, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Pawo Choyning Dorji, Shamina Singh, Shruti Ganguly, and Anita Chatterjee to celebrate the 2025 South Asian Oscar nominees at the Carondelet House.
“This is one of my favorite events every year,” Kaling told the crowd. “I can’t believe just a few years ago this didn’t exist. I’m grateful for my co-hosts who put this together and look really hot! To be effective and hot is everybody’s dream.”
Jokes aside, the Tony and Emmy winner explained how different Hollywood looked when she first arrived in 2004 from the East Coast.
“I feel every year, as I get older, the surge of pride of having so many more people here who are doing so well and tonight it’s about honoring them,” she continued. “Artists that I admire and learn from who have been lifting up other people with them… I’m incredibly grateful to everyone in here who is either seasoned or aspiring, they think of themselves as a mixture of both, this is a beautiful event. I feel incredibly honored to be here.”
The event honored “Anuja” producers Guneet Monga and Suchitra Mattai and director Adam Graves. The film is nominated for best live action short film. Kaling also serves as a producer on the project with Priyanka Chopra Jonas serving as executive producer.
The film focuses on two orphaned sisters working in a sweatshop in Delhi, India. When 9-year-old Anuja earns the chance to go to school, she and her sister’s bond is tested.
“My art practice is rooted in the idea that we need to share the stories and voices of people who haven’t been heard before,” said Muttai who is a multidisciplinary contemporary artist. “Of course, that means many women, young women as well as young children.”
She explained how she often uses those themes in her installations, sculptures and more.
During the pandemic when Graves, who is also her husband, was interested in writing a script about a coming-of-age story, Mattai said she dug into the platform she had already created with her work.
“I Am Ready, Warden” producer and director Smriti Mundhra was also celebrated as the project is nominated for best documentary short film.
Liberty Pictures CEO David Taghioff was also honored for serving as a producer on “Emilia Pérez,” which has received 13 nods, and “I’m Still Here,” which has received three nominations.
Notable guests included Meena Harris, Jay Shetty, Radhi Devlukia-Shetty, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lilly Singh, “Big Bang Theory” star Kunal Nayyar, Deepica Mutyala and more.
The 97th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will be held on March 2 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on ABC at 4 p.m. PST. For the first time, the award show will be streamed on Hulu.
South Asian pride was in full effect at the annual South Asians at the Oscars pre-Oscar bash in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The annual bash was co-hosted by Mindy Kaling, “Evil” actor Aasif Mandvi, Bela Bajaria, Liza Koshy, Nik Dodani, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Pawo Choyning Dorji, Shamina Singh, Shruti Ganguly, and Anita Chatterjee to celebrate the 2025 South […]
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