PANEL DISCUSSION: LAUGHING AT OURSELVES - SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1:00PM

LAUGHING AT OURSELVES: A Conversation with Actors and Creatives

Presented by SAG-AFTRA National Ethnic Employment Opportunities Committee, EEO & Diversity Department and SAGIndie

Kunal Nayyar (actor, Big Bang Theory), Hannah Simone (actor, New Girl), Sarayu Rao (actor, Monday Mornings), Luvh Rakhe (writer, New Girl), and Sunil Nayar (Executive Producer, Revenge) are some of the top acting and creative names in television today. Moderated by Parvesh Cheena (actor, Outsourced), this lively and honest discussion explores the panelists’ triumphs, heartbreaks, and rise in the industry, where they go from here as well as the choice many of them have made to be multi-hyphenates (i.e. actor-writer-producers) in the business. They’ll reflect upon the growing representation of Indians in television, and the reasons why comedy has been a popular genre for discovering South Asian talent. Join them as they reveal how they draw from their own life experiences – and their ability to laugh at themselves both personally and culturally-- to create characters and tell stories that have led them to on-screen success.

Moderator: Parvesh Cheena, Actor
Parvesh Cheena is best known for playing Gupta on NBC's sitcom Outsourced. He is also the voice of Blades on The Hub Network's Transformers: Rescue Bots. He recently executive produced his first film short, …OR DIE. Cheena made his film debut as 'Samir' in Barbershop, and reprised his role in its sequel. He is a proud Los Angeles Board Member of SAG-AFTRA and board member of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

Sunil Nayar, Producer
Sunil Nayar is an executive producer of Revenge on ABC. His past credits include Body of Proof, CSI: Miami and Oz.

Kunal Nayyar, Actor
Kunal Nayyar is a British Indian actor best known for his role as Rajesh Koothrappali on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, and Gupta in Ice Age: Continental Drift. Nayyar also produced and narrated the documentary BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES, which has its world premiere at IFFLA this year.

Luvh Rakhe, Writer/Producer
Luvh Rakhe is currently a writer/producer on Fox's New Girl. His past credits include It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Life As We Know It, Outsourced, and Worst Week.

Sarayu Rao, Actress
Sarayu Rao is an Indian American actress that can be seen every Monday night on TNT, playing a spitfire heart surgeon in the new David E. Kelley medical drama, Monday Mornings. She has accumulated many TV credits, including recurring roles on the FOX series Sons of Tucson, NBC’s Outsourced and CBS's NCIS: LA. Additionally, she was in the feature film LIONS FOR LAMBS, directed by Robert Redford.

Hannah Simone, Actress
Hannah Simone currently stars on FOX's hit series, New Girl, playing Zooey Deschanel's model best friend, Cece. Simone can also be seen in H+, the second Warner Premiere Digital Web series made in conjunction with Dolphin Entertainment and produced by Bryan Singer. On the big screen, she recently filmed a small part in Spike Lee's Oldboy opposite Josh Brolin and Samuel L. Jackson.

PANEL DISCUSSION: LAUGHING AT OURSELVES - SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1:00PM

LAUGHING AT OURSELVES: A Conversation with Actors and Creatives

Presented by SAG-AFTRA National Ethnic Employment Opportunities Committee, EEO & Diversity Department and SAGIndie

Kunal Nayyar (actor, Big Bang Theory), Hannah Simone (actor, New Girl), Sarayu Rao (actor, Monday Mornings), Luvh Rakhe (writer, New Girl), and Sunil Nayar (Executive Producer, Revenge) are some of the top acting and creative names in television today. Moderated by Parvesh Cheena (actor, Outsourced), this lively and honest discussion explores the panelists’ triumphs, heartbreaks, and rise in the industry, where they go from here as well as the choice many of them have made to be multi-hyphenates (i.e. actor-writer-producers) in the business. They’ll reflect upon the growing representation of Indians in television, and the reasons why comedy has been a popular genre for discovering South Asian talent. Join them as they reveal how they draw from their own life experiences – and their ability to laugh at themselves both personally and culturally-- to create characters and tell stories that have led them to on-screen success.

Moderator: Parvesh Cheena, Actor
Parvesh Cheena is best known for playing Gupta on NBC's sitcom Outsourced. He is also the voice of Blades on The Hub Network's Transformers: Rescue Bots. He recently executive produced his first film short, …OR DIE. Cheena made his film debut as 'Samir' in Barbershop, and reprised his role in its sequel. He is a proud Los Angeles Board Member of SAG-AFTRA and board member of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

Sunil Nayar, Producer
Sunil Nayar is an executive producer of Revenge on ABC. His past credits include Body of Proof, CSI: Miami and Oz.

Kunal Nayyar, Actor
Kunal Nayyar is a British Indian actor best known for his role as Rajesh Koothrappali on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, and Gupta in Ice Age: Continental Drift. Nayyar also produced and narrated the documentary BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES, which has its world premiere at IFFLA this year.

Luvh Rakhe, Writer/Producer
Luvh Rakhe is currently a writer/producer on Fox's New Girl. His past credits include It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Life As We Know It, Outsourced, and Worst Week.

Sarayu Rao, Actress
Sarayu Rao is an Indian American actress that can be seen every Monday night on TNT, playing a spitfire heart surgeon in the new David E. Kelley medical drama, Monday Mornings. She has accumulated many TV credits, including recurring roles on the FOX series Sons of Tucson, NBC’s Outsourced and CBS's NCIS: LA. Additionally, she was in the feature film LIONS FOR LAMBS, directed by Robert Redford.

Hannah Simone, Actress
Hannah Simone currently stars on FOX's hit series, New Girl, playing Zooey Deschanel's model best friend, Cece. Simone can also be seen in H+, the second Warner Premiere Digital Web series made in conjunction with Dolphin Entertainment and produced by Bryan Singer. On the big screen, she recently filmed a small part in Spike Lee's Oldboy opposite Josh Brolin and Samuel L. Jackson.

PANEL DISCUSSION: TODAY'S PIONEER VOICES CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF INDIAN CINEMA - SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2:15 PM

Today's Pioneer Voices Changing the Landscape of Indian Cinema

Join us for a round table discussion with some of the most innovative voices leading the independent movement in Indian cinema today. From the screenplay to the screen, learn how these IFFLA filmmakers managed to not only realize their vision but to also gain recognition at top tier international film festivals, including Cannes, Berlin and Toronto. An intimate and honest look at the feats and challenges that filmmakers face today.

Moderator
Lisa Tsering, Film critic for The Hollywood Reporter and entertainment editor for India-West

Vasan Bala, Director, PEDDLERS
Vasan Bala grew up in a bustling metropolis, describing his childhood to be like a chapter from R.K.Narayan’s Malgudi Days. Always fascinated with the moving image, he discovered his voice while working with mentor, Anurag Kashyap. He started making short films and worked as a writer on the upcoming BOMBAY VELVET directed by Anurag Kashyap. His passion was solidified while working with Michael Winterbottom as Associate Director on TRISHNA. Winterbottom’s relentless free-flowing and organic process of storytelling inspired Bala immensely and led him to fulfill his dream with his debut of PEDDLERS. The film made its world premiere at the 2012 International Critic’s week during Cannes, and has launched Bala in the world cinema spotlight as a filmmaker to watch.

Anand Gandhi, Director, SHIP OF THESEUS
Filmmaker, playwright and artist, Anand Gandhi is deeply interested in philosophy, evolutionary psychology and magic. SHIP OF THESEUS, his directorial feature debut premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival’s City-to-City program. It has gone on to a very successful festival run winning accolades at numerous international film festivals, including Tokyo, Mumbai, Dubai and London. Recently, the Critics' Circle UK celebrating its centenary, voted SHIP OF THESEUS as one of fifteen "life-changing" films. Gandhi is currently engaged in writing, directing and producing films under his banner Recyclewala Films, which was spearheaded with actor Sohum Shah.

Hansal Mehta, Director, SHAHID
Hansal Mehta has directed many films including his early independent features JAYATE, DIL PE MAT LE YAAR, and the cult gangster film CHHAL. For much of the last ten years, Mehta has directed more commercial and mainstream films including YEH KYA HO RAHA HAI, RAAKH, and WOODSTOCK VILLA. After a soul-searching sabbatical to explore social work and rural life, Mehta has returned to his independent sensibilities with SHAHID. The film had its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival's ‘City to City’ program. SHAHID is a deeply personal story that reflects Mehta’s anger and concern towards intolerance and bigotry based on religion, class or race.

Nitin Kakkar, Director, FILMISTAAN
The son of a photographer, Nitin Kakkar grew up on a staple diet of Bollywood in the heart of Mumbai. Working as an assistant in film and television, Nitin eventually found his own voice and went on to make his award winning short, BLACK FREEDOM. His feature debut FILMISTAAN made its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival where it received Special Jury Mention. Since its premiere, FILMISTAAN has gone on to win the hearts of audiences worldwide playing in numerous film festivals including Palm Springs, Mumbai, Kerala and Goteborg Film Festival.