Documentary

Jyoti Nisha Wants to Retell B.R. Ambedkar’s Story

February 12, 2019

Indian filmmaker Jyoti Nisha does not think anyone can claim B.R. Ambedkar’s image or politics. But with her upcoming film, B.R. Ambedkar: Now and Then, Jyoti weaves Ambedkar’s life and history as an opponent of Brahminical hegemony together with the current political climate and anti-caste movement, all from her own Bahujan feminist perspective. Kajal sat … Read More

“Breaking The Bee” Highlights the Dynasty of South Asian Spellers

May 29, 2018

Director Sam Rega sat down with Kajal Magazine to discuss his documentary on South Asian-American success in the Scripps National Spelling Bee The Scripps National Spelling Bee has, for years, showcased some of the America’s top young spellers from across the country. In the last two decades, the uber-competitive world of spelling has seen what … Read More

Movie Night: Wild Wild Country

April 3, 2018

Wild Wild Country is a six-part documentary series directed by brothers Chapman and Maclain Way that premiered on Netflix last month. It chronicles the heady rise and diabolical fall of the guru/cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (later called Osho), his magnetic right hand woman Ma Anand Sheela, and their devoted band of red and maroon … Read More

An Interview With Chuppan Chupai’s Saadat Munir

August 5, 2016

Alisha, a transgender woman, was shot multiple times and fought for her life in the hallways of a hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan in May. As she lay dying, patients and staff teased her distraught friends and delayed treating her. They asked Alisha how much she charged for dancing. Her death and the hospital’s misconduct sparked outrage … Read More