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In director Frank Lotito's Growing Up Smith, one year is enough to provide a lifetime of memories for a little Indian boy plunked down in the midwest in 1979. The Bhatnagar family, father Bhaskar (Anjul Nigam), mother Nilani (Poorna Jagannathan from The Night Of), daughter Asha (Shoba Narayanan, and the youngest, son Smith (Roni Akurati) have immigrated to America in the late '70s to make their fortune and eventually return to India in style. However, while Bhaskar and Nilani play the roles of breadwinner and homemaker dutifully, they have no intention of leaving behind their way of life, even when the going gets tough as their children desperately try to make the best of their new surroundings. Smith, a name given to the youngest in...

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After winning awards and acclaim at numerous film festivals, the new coming-of-age comedy Growing Up Smith will release theatrically on February 3rd and has just debuted its brand new trailer. The feel-good film stars Anjul Nigam, Jason Lee, Poorna Jagannathan, Samrat Chakrabarti, and introducing Roni Akurati.

Synopsis:

Growing Up Smith is the feel-good, coming-of-age story of Smith, a 10-year-old boy from India growing up in Small Town, America in 1979. As the boy’s family tries to straddle the line between embracing the American Dream and preserving their Indian heritage, Smith sneaks out for a taste of Kentucky Fried Chicken, dons a “Saturday Night Fever” costume, and contends with his parents as they send him to school with a yellow squash instead of a pumpkin to carve for Halloween. And as Smith falls head over heels in love with Amy, the girl next door, he finds in Amy’s father, Butch,...

"I don't want to lose my best friend..." Good Deed Entertainment has revealed a trailer for a charming coming-of-age indie comedy titled Growing Up Smith, about a 10-year-old Indian boy living in America. Newcomer Roni Akurati plays Smith Bhatnagar, a likable youngster growing up in America in the late 70s with his Indian family. He falls for the girl next door, and goes all-in chasing her every way he can. The cast includes Brighton Sharbino as his love interest, plus Jason Lee, Anjul Nigam, Hilarie Burton, Poorna Jagannathan, Shoba Narayanan and Jake Busey. This looks adorable and amusing, but doesn't seem like anything to really write home about. But I'm always up for a good coming-of-age film. Give this a shot. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Frank Lotito's Growing Up Smith, direct from YouTube: When an Indian family moves to America in 1979 with the hope of living the American Dream,...

The New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff) announced the full lineup last night for their 16th year of celebrating independent, art house, alternate, and diaspora films from/about/connected to the Indian subcontinent (May 7 – May 14). Dedicated to bringing these films to a New York audience, the festival will feature 40 screenings (35 narrative, 5 documentary) –all seen for the first time in New York City. In addition, the festival will also feature five programs of short films.

The festival highlights various cinemas of India’s different regions. All the films are subtitled in English and some of the languages this year include Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telegu, Assamese, Haryanavi and Urdu. This year’s festival will feature a couple of sidebars –Nfdc restored first films of filmmakers and a three-generations sidebar, films of Bimal Roy, Basu Bhattacharya and Aditya Bhattacharya.

The festival’s film lineup includes 2016 National Award winners A Far Afternoon,...

Us-based Australian director Frank Lotito will direct The Olive Sisters, a romantic drama adapted from Australian author Amanda Hampson.s 2005 novel, which will star Leslie Mann and Anthony Lapaglia. Lotito takes over from Fred Schepisi, who is still attached to the project as an executive producer. A former stand-up comic, Lotito made his feature directing debut on Good Ol. Boy, a Us comedy which will have its world premiere later this month at the Seattle International Film Festival. Based on a true story, set in 1979 and scripted by Anjul Nigam, Paul Quinn and Gregory Scott Houghton,. Good Ol. Boy centres on a family from India that moves to the Us with hopes of living the American Dream.

While their 10-year-old son Smith falls head-over-heels for the girl next door, his desire to become a .good old boy. propels him further away from his family.s ideals. The cast includes Jason Lee...

Goodman Theatre's world premiere of The Jungle Book opens on July 1 and, with a second extension week just added, now runs through August 11. Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman reimagines Walt Disney's 1967 animated hit into a wholly original new work for the stage, drawing from both the film as well as Rudyard Kipling's 1894 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and featuring original Indian-inspired music and dance. As previously announced, 10-year-old Akash Chopra makes his Chicago debut as young 'man cub' Mowgli, who comes of age with the help of the anthropomorphic singing and dancing jungle animals joining him in the role at select performances is Roni Akurati, who most recently appeared at the Goodman as Tiny Tim in the 2011 production of A Christmas Carol. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production shots below...

Goodman Theatre's world premiere of The Jungle Book begins previews on June 21 opening night is July 1 and, with a second extension week just added, now runs through August 11. Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman reimagines Walt Disney's 1967 animated hit into a wholly original new work for the stage, drawing from both the film as well as Rudyard Kipling's 1894 collection of stories set in the Indian jungle and featuring original Indian-inspired music and dance. As previously announced, 10-year-old Akash Chopra makes his Chicago debut as young man cub Mowgli, who comes of age with the help of the anthropomorphic singing and dancing jungle animals joining him in the role at select performances is Roni Akurati, who most recently appeared at the Goodman as Tiny Tim in the 2011 production of A Christmas Carol.