Rooting itself in South Asian American culture unapologetically, this film supports unheard voices with cultural vibrancy & specificity. It allows Indian culture to intersect with both mental health stigmas across generations and conflicts over culinary traditions while speaking to universal truths.

"Food is the elixir of life, and a mother’s cooking is the elixir of comfort."

Synopsis

Aloo Poori follows the story of a mother and daughter during their last day of living together in a small town in Western Pennsylvania. 27-year-old Sejal is on the cusp of leaving her home and mother behind, unsure if she’s scared to go, or scared to stay. Her mother Madhuri is avoiding a recent mental health diagnosis and her daughter's departure by throwing her heart into her cooking.

The two have never had to function without each other, and on the eve of Sejal’s departure, they realize they might not know how to. A comfort food dinner shared by the family, and an argument over the making of 'aloo poori' test what forgiveness and farewell mean to this household. 

ALOO POORI roots itself unapologetically in South Asian culture. Where diversity and representation aren’t buzzwords. And staying true to your language, your traditions, and your food is simply part of who you are.

PIVOT 
 director: Aditi Sridhar | DP: Owen Gambill | writers: Anvita Gattani & Aditi Sridhar

Starting the Conversation

The ALOO POORI team has emulated this type of representation before in the short film PIVOT, following an overworked and passionate dancer recalling her last conversation with her partner in the midst of rehearsing. Themes of burnout & emotional well-being were pertinent in this film, and we wanted to extend the conversation of mental health issues within the South Asian community in our upcoming films. 

The stigma against mental illness is prevalent and alienating within the South Asian community. In the United States, 1 in 5 South Asians experiences a mood or anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Many people never receive or accept a platform to express the pain they endure -- something I’ve witnessed within my own family. The narrative of ALOO POORI addresses the taboo stigmas of mental health through two different generations.

Aloo poori is a dish that my Nani-Ma (grandmother) would make when bidding our family adieu after visiting her home in Aligarh, India. I have fond memories of unwrapping aluminum foil, allowing the scene of the spiced potatoes (aloo) wrapped within this fluffy, deep-fried bread (poori) to take over my senses during nostalgic rides home in cars, trains, and airplanes.

My Nani-Ma, Madhuri Nigam

After my Nani-Ma's passing, my family continued this tradition of preparing the aloo poori as a parting gift. The dish has become a symbolic delicacy for me, and I wanted to showcase how meaningful a tradition can be through a storyline focused on generational stigmas of mental health within the South Asian community, coupled with the discomforts of leaving the people and places we've always called home behind.

- Aditi Sridhar (writer/director)

Johnstown, Pennsylvania is a small city nestled in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania, 57 miles east of Pittsburgh. It boasts the world’s steepest vehicular inclined plane (yes, that’s a thing) and the oldest record store in the United States. Beyond being known for the Great Johnstown Flood of 1889 (and two other floods after), it resembles many of the small towns between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

The World's Steepest Vehicular Incline Plane

“I grew up in Johnstown surrounded by a very small South Asian community, with the closest family only 2,000 miles away. Spending time choreographing Bollywood dances in basements with friends, eating my parents’ amazing North & South Indian culinary delicacies, and taking part in cultural festivities between the few South Asian families in town, I’ve always desired to see South Asian families carving space for themselves on screen. Sometimes, at least for my family, this came with a deep closeness between myself and my parents, which inevitably kept a balance between my Indian and American identities. I poured this relationship and an unapologetic nod to cultural traditions into Madhuri and Sejal’s relationship and farewell.”

- Aditi Sridhar (writer/director)

Location Scouting Photo | Johnstown Station 

We will be shooting at the beginning of April and are eager to involve friends, families, and new communities in the world of ALOO POORI...

and your support would mean the world to us!

Doing justice to bringing a story to screen can't be done alone-- and that's where you come in! There are a multitude of aspects of pre-production, production, and post-production that require funding for this film. After working on high-budget documentaries, feature films, and being immersed in the world of studio filmmaking, we know that your support will only bolster the production value and overall quality of our film. 

Funds will go towards:

• Feeding our talented cast and crew (aunties, help us keep people fed)
• Equipment Rentals
• Location Rentals
• Transportation Fees 
• Art Department (to bring Madhuri's kitchen to life!)
• COVID-19 Precautions
• Music Scoring
• Film Festival Submissions
• + so much more!

Budget Breakdown

Ways to Help!

We truly appreciate any donations towards this film! For those who can’t donate but would still like to help, sharing our story is the best kind of currency. You can…

• Follow this page! This way, you can get updated on our campaign, and we can get more eyes on our page.
• Share and follow our Instagram (@aloopoorifilm) and Facebook! We will be posting throughout production, so it’s a great way to spread our work.
• Reach out to us about donating food or craft services for our cast and crew-- we want to prioritize that everyone is fed and comfortable on our set! 
• Share this page! Email it to a friend, text it to your mom, or scream it from the rooftops :)

Thank you so much for your unconditional support through our endeavors with ALOO POORI. We truly appreciate contributions in any shape or form, and can't wait to bring this film to life!