Indian American Fare: Sujata Day’s ‘Definition Please’ and Agam Darshi’s ‘Donkeyhead’ to Stream on Netflix
- The films are distributed by filmmaker Ava DuVernay's Array Now, focused on work by people of color and women.
Sujata Day’s “Definition Please” will stream on Netflix beginning Jan. 21, along with Agam Darshi’s “Donkeyhead.” Both films have been acquired by filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s Array Now, a grassroots distribution, arts and advocacy collective focused on films by people of color and women.
“Definition Please,” also written by and starring Day follows Monica Chowdhary (Day), a National Spelling Bee champ who hasn’t really accomplished much in life as she deals with a sick mom and mentally ill brother. Together they redefine themselves as they walk the line between their American and Indian cultures.
Although it is not autobiographical, Day told American Kahani in an earlier interview that her directorial debut is “loosely based on her relationship with her family and friends, and growing up Indian American in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.”
The film stars Ritesh Rajan, Jake Choi, Anna Khaja, Parvesh Cheena, Sonal Shah, Tim Chiou, Kunal Dudheker, Meera Simhan and Maya Kapoor.
Taking about the title of the film, Day said “‘definition please’ is one of those questions that a speller asks when they want more time to figure out how to spell the word in their brain, along with, others questions like ‘language of origin,’ and, ‘can you repeat the word?’ The second meaning for that is, ‘who or what defines us?’” she said. The other issue, Day said, was the “model minority myth that almost every South Asian American kid grows up with. Perfect grades, perfect SAT scores, perfect GPA, music, dance, sports – the works. And the stress of it all, it manifests in so many ways, and affects people’s mental health. In the film, Monica’s brother Sonny has untreated bipolar disorder symptoms.”
In 2017, Day wrote, produced, directed and starred in “Cowboy and Indian,” which is currently being developed as a television series. She has an impressive acting portfolio as well. She is known for her role as CeCe in Issa Rae’s “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” which was adapted into “Insecure” for HBO.
She was a guest star on Netflix’s “I Think You Should Leave” with Tim Robinson. She also appeared in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Life in Pieces.” She was a narrative features juror for the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles in 2018 and made the 2018 list for NBC Asian America Presents: A to Z.
“Donkeyhead,” a term of endearment used by Punjabi parents towards their children, stars its writer-director Darshi as Mona, a failed writer who carves out a life of isolation while caring for her ailing Sikh father. When he suffers a debilitating stroke, her three successful siblings show up on her doorstep determined to take control of the situation. The film stars Darshi, Kim Coates, Sandy Sidhu, Stephen Lobo, Huse Madhavji, Marvin Ishmael and Balinder Johal.
The England-born, Canada-raised Darshi was cast on Ava Duvernay’s pilot “DMZ” for HBO MAX, as Mia Franklin, working opposite Rosario Dawson. She had a lead role in Deepa Mehta’s 2020 film “Funny Boy,” based on Shyam Selvadurai’s best selling novel.
She has starred in numerous Canadian TV series such as “Played,” “Sanctuary,” and “Dan for Mayor.” She was also a lead in Emmy-winner Jason Katims’ NBC pilot “County. She can be seen recurring on “YouMe Her,” “The Good Doctor,” and “The Gifted.”