The Fremont Podcast
The only podcast dedicated to telling the stories of the people and places of Fremont, CA. The diversity and integration of people and cultures of Fremont truly makes it a special place. This podcast explores these stories.
The Fremont Podcast
Episode 113: Jacintha Charles - From Actress to Filmmaker | A Journey Against Stereotypes.
When Jacintha stepped behind the camera, she confronted her deepest fears of cultural ostracism only to be met with an outpouring of support that surprised even her. Her story, rooted in the rich tapestry of Singapore and Indian cinema, is a testament to the transformative power of film in bridging communities and giving voice to the silent struggles within them. This episode unfolds Jacintha's courageous journey from actress to filmmaker, revealing the tenacity it takes to challenge stereotypes and the unexpected embrace of narratives that resonate deeply with women, survivors, and the youth.
The book: No Visible Bruises is by Rachel Louise Snyder
Consider ordering the book from Banter Bookshop if you are interested: 510-565-1004 or contactus@banterbookshop.com
NARIKA is the organization mentioned by our guest in this episode that helps with domestic violence.
https://www.narika.org/
SAVE (Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments) is a Fremont-based organization that also helps with domestic violence.
https://save-dv.org/
The Fremont chapter of Room Redux supports children who have been through abusive situations.
https://bayareacali.roomredux.org/
An article about all the recent independent films that are coming out of Fremont can be read here.
https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/didi-sundance-fremont-movie-18635639.php
The very fun and silly 1996 film Army Daze is available in full on YouTube.
If you would like to contact The Fremont Podcast, please text us here.
Petrocelli Homes has been a key sponsor of The Fremont Podcast from the beginning. If you are looking for a realtor, get in touch with Petrocelli Homes on Niles Blvd in Fremont.
Haller's Pharmacy is here to help. They have been in our community for decades.
Founder: Ricky B.
Intro and outro voice-overs made by Gary Williams.
Editor: Andrew Cavette.
Scheduling and pre-interviews by the amazing virtual assistant that you ought to hire, seriously, she's great: your.virtual.ace
This is a Muggins Media Podcast.
One of the things I was really afraid of was writing this story, filming it and putting it out there and then getting backlash.
Speaker 2:Right right.
Speaker 1:And I don't care if I get backlash from anybody else but the Indian community. I was so afraid that they were going to turn around like how dare you?
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I'm pretty sure maybe some people are questioning, but I can say, like so far, the people who have come up to me the women, the survivors, the young kids coming up to me and thanking me because they never knew, or coming up to me and thank me because I actually said something about it, it was so my heart just burst. Honestly.
Speaker 4:Coming to you straight from Fremont, california. This is the Fremont Podcast, dedicated to telling the stories of the past and present of the people and places of the city of Fremont, one conversation at a time.
Speaker 5:Let me just park my bike here. I saw some guys from the East Bay Regional Park District working on something by the creek. I'm wondering where it is. There's a big hole in the ground.
Speaker 3:Well, we work for East Bay Regional Park District and we're installing a new drinking fountain here. We tore an old one out that was in pretty bad shape and that's our task for the next day or so. We'll be back on Monday and, yeah, pretty nice place to work, though, right here by the river and in the park, so we're pretty stoked.
Speaker 5:What do you have to do in order to take out the old one and put in the new one?
Speaker 3:well, the old one was wood so it was pretty easy to take out. We just tore it down, took it apart, dug up the plumbing. The new one, uh, we're pouring a new nice slab. It's going to be a 88 drinking fountain for for handicapped accessible, and that's one of the reasons we're redoing them to make it more for everybody. And, yeah, we'll pour concrete and it'll dry for a few days and then we'll come back and set the actual drinking fountain.
Speaker 5:What other features does the drinking fountain have? You?
Speaker 3:mentioned the ADA compliancy, but are there any of the other bells and whistles? Yeah, it has ADA side for people like in a wheelchair, and then it has the standard side for regular pedestrians. And then it also has a bottle filler Since COVID. Some people don't want to drink out of the faucet, you know there's that, so people like to fill up their bottles. So it's a kind of a new model that we've been putting in all the parks.
Speaker 5:I think I've seen one over at or something similar over at Lake Elizabeth Not your jurisdiction, but over at Lake Elizabeth similar thing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they're metal, big brown, big column with a couple arms, one high, one low, and then at the top there's usually a place to slide a bottle in and fill it from there.
Speaker 5:Of all the different steps, which one's the toughest Of the job here?
Speaker 3:Yeah, Boy steps which one's the toughest of the job here? Yeah, boy, probably maybe taking out the old one. I mean, this is all new stuff here, so it's pretty easy to you know we're dealing with new wood and new stuff, so, but, uh, yeah, that's pretty much it, yeah awesome.
Speaker 5:Yeah, thank you very much for your time absolutely well, there you go, new water fountain. You are listening to episode 113 of the Fremont Podcast.
Speaker 4:Now here's your host, Ricky B.
Speaker 2:So your name Jacintha.
Speaker 1:Jacintha, yes, correct, Jacintha.
Speaker 2:okay, great, and well, let's get started. Yep, yep, let's do it. Awesome, yeah, so I'm with Jacintha. Well, let's get started. Yep, yep, awesome, yeah, so I'm with Jacinta. She is a actress and a filmmaker. What got you started in the film industry?
Speaker 1:It really was when I was a kid, when I was really young, I used to just I used to watch the Academy Awards a lot. I love watching the Academy Awards and you know I lived in Singapore so I would get up like at 9am, 8.30am, 9am just to watch the Academy.
Speaker 1:Awards and I used to think like, yeah, one day I'm gonna be there and you know, and I'll pretend I'm gonna be in the seats and holding up an award and all that. And then I started thinking, oh, maybe I should like try and you know, try this whole acting thing. But you know, when you're in Singapore it's not like at that time, growing up in the 80s it's 80s, 90s it's not really like the hub of the acting Right. It's acting industry, filmmaking industry. I mean, maybe back in the 60s, 70s there was like a boom, but then even then it was more for Malay and Chinese films, but nothing in English and I can't act in anything except in the English language. So but I started, I think I want to say, when I was 17, 18, I really started to think that, you know, I want to go take classes, I want to try and see if I can get myself out there.
Speaker 2:And you were still in Singapore at the time and I was still in Singapore yeah, and I tried, but it was a very difficult process because I'm an Indian. Okay.
Speaker 1:And living in a country where the majority of the race is actually Chinese.
Speaker 3:Wow.
Speaker 1:So we're talking about 75% Chinese, and then as an. Indian. I think we made up like 7 or 8%.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'm going to ask a little clarifying question. It's just mainly out of curiosity. So you're an Indian living in Singapore but you feel you can only act in English speaking films. So explain how that all ended up.
Speaker 1:Well, because I mean, okay, gosh, this is when I really knew I should have just listened to my parents and take the second language seriously. So the thing is, I never really excelled in my second language, which would have been Malay, and I'm a very, so this is going to be a little bit more confusing.
Speaker 1:So I'm half Malay, half Indian, and so the second language for me would be Malay, because in Singapore what they tried, a lot of things are still. You know, officially things are said in Malay, like our national anthem is sung in Malay okay, um it it really is. It was like a malay fishing village, so you know. And then, so stamford raffles came, and then, boom, we were colonized. But, um, the thing was that I was trying to, um, I was trying very hard with, with my malay, but I, I just couldn't you know, and then, of course, my dad being Indian, I thought, oh, maybe I'll try Tamil, and that failed miserably.
Speaker 1:I mean, my dad was like uh-uh, nope, um. I mean it came to a head when, when my grandmother was still alive, and I would like try and talk to her in Tamil, and she responded in Malay and she said please don't go. Okay, I think that's it.
Speaker 1:That's the end of my Tamil that's awesome but the thing is, you know, I still grew up in a mainly indian household, uh, you know. So the culture, the community and all that that I've been involved in, it's, it's very indian centric, so, um, so what I really had was english okay, you know, and I excelled in english in school and you know I I love taking english classes history lessons, bible, knowledge, everything was in English so that's why, for me, I just thought well, you know, I'll be the Indian girl who's going to you know, tell stories in English or you know act my way in the English language, unfortunately like I said you know, in Singapore.
Speaker 1:my thing is society always pays for what society wants to see, and if 75% of society is Chinese, they don't necessarily want to see an Indian girl, that's right, oh wow. They don't necessarily want to see an Indian girl, maybe even speaking in Chinese, and I don't know any Chinese Mandarin.
Speaker 2:Sorry, Sure sure.
Speaker 1:And so then there's this really really, really, extremely small group of non-Chinese who would be acting, but they'll be acting in either Malay roles or Indian roles, so you don't really get them acting in English roles, and at that time we only had one broadcasting station in Singapore. So at that time I think, you had like variety shows, you had like little comic. When we got into the 90s, you had like little comedy sketches and sitcoms and all that. But you know you, you get stereotyped. We are either the we're always the doctor, I don't know why, coming to the, coming to America, we're still only doctors, for some reason. Doctors, lawyers, we speak very well, which is great, you know. But then, come on, we have lives, right yeah um, so yeah, so it was.
Speaker 1:It was a struggle for me trying to be an actress in singapore and um we actually had.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's interesting. Uh, not exactly along those lines, but it is something. It is a point of interest that I've seen in the second generation, like immigrants who have moved here from other countries, is that oftentimes your first generation are, you know, doctors or tech or whatever doctors or tech or whatever but then you get the second generation that once they're here and they grew up here, they get interested in other things that aren't as like, profitable, I guess, if you will, like the arts or, you know, like trying to find a way to be able to express themselves in some other form of, of of work, a different vocation or whatever. And I think that's interesting because I don't think that that's really what that first generation really expects of the next generation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you know, when you bring them over here, I mean, you know they're exposed to different things already- Right, that's right. The opportunities become different. Yeah, you know if my parents had moved somewhere else and if I had grown up in America, there would have been no way I would have been a doctor or a lawyer or anything.
Speaker 1:I might have been encouraged to do that, but just coming here it's funny. I remember and I moved to San Francisco really late in my life. I got married and I moved when I was 30 years old.
Speaker 2:Wow, so you were living in Singapore until you were 30?
Speaker 1:Yeah, until I was, if you really want to get down to it, it's like 29 and a half. But yeah, I moved when I was 30 years old, you know, and I can tell you like, when I got to San Francisco, I told myself like I'm going to reinvent myself as an actress because now I have these opportunities, because I knew in Singapore, I felt like I had three strikes against me when I was in Singapore A being Indian, b being female and C not holding a college degree, a university degree, which is a huge, huge thing you need in Singapore and I guess all over the world.
Speaker 2:Was it difficult for you, as a female, to get a college degree? I don't know. No, no, it's not that it's difficult. So that wasn't that it wasn't that.
Speaker 1:It was that I really wanted to do media, or not necessarily journalism, but I wanted to do media, or not necessarily journalism, but I wanted to do film. Okay, and I wanted to study film. I wanted to study media, but they made it extremely hard to get into a media program. They expected you at that time. I'm not saying now.
Speaker 2:Right right right.
Speaker 1:At that time they expect you to have an A in maths to get into a media program, and I never understood that, and my maths is atrocious, along with my Malay and my Tamil. So I was like wait, what are we going to be doing? In media with maths.
Speaker 4:Like.
Speaker 1:I don't like I can count up to a million, Sure, sure.
Speaker 2:We'll be right back. You can hear the rest of this conversation in just a moment.
Speaker 5:There's going to be an author event at Banter Bookshop in downtown Fremont on Capitol Avenue. Tuesday, april 16th, 7 pm to 8 pm. The author, rachel J Brown, will be discussing her book For Fork's Sake A Quick Guide to Healing healing yourself and the planet through a plant-based diet. A much more detailed description of what that book is can be found at banterbookshopcom slash events. And again, it will be April 16th, so scroll down until you reach it. The author event is totally free, but you do have to click the buy tickets button because that's just how it works. But it's totally free and obviously the book itself will be available during the event, but you can also pre-order it from banterbookshopcom. The Ohlone College Flea Market is happening every second Saturday of the month from 9 am to 3 pm on Ohlone's Fremont campus. Can I ask you, what are you hoping to find today?
Speaker 6:It's just interesting to see what's out there, and you never know what you'll find.
Speaker 5:Treasures. Hey Van. If people want to contact you, how do they get in touch?
Speaker 6:So our phone number is 510-659-6285. And the email is fleamarket at aloniedu. More information can be found at aloniedu slash flea dash market.
Speaker 5:Fremont Bank has been in business for 60 years. For clarity, fremont Bank is the Fremont Bank that you see on almost every sponsored by banner in town. Fremont Bank really likes helping out the community, do the things that it wants to do and now it is a sponsor of this podcast about community in Fremont. Thank you, fremont Bank.
Speaker 2:And now back to our conversation.
Speaker 1:And I started hustling trying to find acting jobs in. Singapore. But, like I said, you know it was hard and then I decided, like I don't know, when I came to the US. I mean I was really blessed, you know. I think I found the right connections and the right people and I did end up actually landing a pretty big role.
Speaker 2:Okay, in Singapore, in Singapore yeah.
Speaker 1:And it was, for it was actually based off a play, a very, very popular play, called Army Days. Okay, and and you know, in singapore you have to serve the army for boys when you turn 18, um, so it's called army days and it's about these four. I think there were four of them or five, there were four or five of these uh, army recruits and their and their lives of being from going from boys to men in the army.
Speaker 1:So I played like, obviously, the indian girlfriend who's over dramatic run around the trees and looking for her lover, kind of thing can we find this film somewhere? I hope not I, I'm sure you can, but I really hope. No, no listen, I'm proud of it. I'm proud of it. To be honest, I'm proud. At first I was like oh gosh, but now I'm really proud because you know it, it it still got me a start you know, and I don't want to be ashamed of it
Speaker 1:yeah, um, but yeah, you might find a clip of me somewhere running around in a sari. You know, I, I, yeah, I. I got that role and then you know, I thought oh yeah, everyone's gonna come for me now I thought it was like hollywood.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know the phone is gonna start ringing. Like I actually thought literally the phone was gonna start ringing and it didn't ring. And my friends are like, hey, um, they call me jesse, like jesse, so you know what are you gonna do? Like you know, the movie's out and and you were great in it. And then I said, yeah, I'm just waiting for the call. I'm just like what, I know, that's awesome, but the calls didn't come. Well, like no, I'm sorry. One call did come in and it was to act as a maid and I'm like, excuse me, it's like yeah, there's this role we need and you know, you'll be the maid.
Speaker 1:I'm like, oh, okay, so what's the storyline? And yeah, you're going to be this maid and you get killed by the employee. I get killed. Yeah, you get killed by the employee. Okay, with a spanner. A spanner which is. I think you call it a monkey wrench.
Speaker 4:Okay oh my word.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm like what?
Speaker 1:Yeah, you get hit on the head and you fall down the stairs. I'm like what is going?
Speaker 2:on what is happening. It's like all of a sudden I digress into horror films or something. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:But I took it.
Speaker 2:Oh, you did.
Speaker 1:I took it because you know, I was thinking to myself. Well, I you know there's no other acting roles coming for me. So from Army days where I was that lead supporting and making people laugh in theaters and they made so much money, I'm now on TV acting as a maid who hardly got any lines falling down the stairs after being hit with a monkey wrench and literally being zipped up in a body bag after that. So then I was like where's my life coming to as?
Speaker 2:an actress.
Speaker 1:Where am I going? Like, how am I?
Speaker 2:how was it transitioning into, like the opportunities here I'm doing film. I mean, did you do? Was that an easy thing for you? Did you have connections, or was it like a lot of work to be able to start doing some film work here?
Speaker 1:yeah, I had to hustle again moving here because I had no connections whatsoever. I didn't really know what I should be doing or where I should be going to find an agent.
Speaker 2:It seems to me that you kind of have to have those reps of you know, being in something. You have to have experience of some sort before you could even get into kind of a lead role. Oh, absolutely Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Cause you know otherwise. No, no one's going to know you. But more, more importantly, and I think it is probably one of the most important things- in film industry is connections networking. If you don't network, you don't get to know people you don't put yourself out there, who's going to know? You If you don't keep reminding people I'm here. I'm here, I can do stuff.
Speaker 1:I've done stuff, um, if you don't do that, then no one's ever gonna know that's right, then you'll continue just being an extra, you'll continue just doing that you know one small role, or you'll just continue hustling. And so I did whatever I could and, um, so I I ended up, uh, also going to LA. I actually make trips to. La, you know just to try and first of all feel the city out. And then I realized very quickly I didn't like LA. But I'm and I remember thinking, oh my god, if I have to move to this city right right to try and make it or break it.
Speaker 1:It's crazy. I didn't know if I was gonna last um but what happened was I started doing a lot of extra work and then I ended up getting um my sag card because I was an extra on milk oh nice, nice it was really nice. And then, uh, there was one part of the film that my face got featured and then I had friends calling me from singapore like dude I just saw you.
Speaker 4:That's awesome oh really okay, that was sweet and I was in the. I was in the um trailer and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:I saw you, that's awesome, oh, really okay, that was sweet and I was in the, I was in the um trailer and stuff like that. I thought, oh, that's really cool, um, but yeah, I was still doing extra work, uh, in milk. And then I got to know people and I, like I said, I got my SAG card and then, because I got my SAG card also, then, um, I got the attention of je talent, which is, uh, the most prolific and and established agency in uh in san francisco bay area okay okay nice talent agency, that's awesome yeah, I was really, really fortunate.
Speaker 1:Um, I think it was, like I want to say, 12, 13 years ago yeah um, someone was telling me hey, you know, maybe you should the someone being actually my husband. He said, like maybe you should actually start writing your own stuff, because I started getting a little antsy like I wanted to do better roles yeah, yeah and he said, well, then write your own stuff and see what happens.
Speaker 1:I'm like, yeah, maybe, maybe I was writing before that already. I have to say, when I was here I moved in 2004. 2006, I actually started writing like a feature script.
Speaker 2:Do you feel like was that something that came natural to you, writing scripts and stuff?
Speaker 1:Yeah, very natural, because you know, as an actress, you start off as an actress, you read scripts, Right right and you see how the.
Speaker 1:You see how the narrative goes, you see how the story goes, and so, for me, I always, always feel like I have stories in my head. I just never put them down in paper, and I'm always fascinated like I'll be walking around with a story in my head and then my facial expression is like oh not bad way to go, and then I never put it down on paper, right, but you see it in my face, walking around like what is going on with this girl?
Speaker 2:That's great. That's great. I've got a movie going on in my head, exactly exactly.
Speaker 6:And man the ending is so like I could bring myself to tears.
Speaker 1:That was such a great ending and I'm like wiping a tear in the coffee shop.
Speaker 2:I'm like, oh no, it's like the natural version of Apple vision goggles. It's like you can watch a movie while you're walking around.
Speaker 1:I was trying to be like Billy Bob Thornton because he wrote Sling Blade. He actually wrote it by hand and I thought I'm going to be Billy Bob Thornton and I took an A4 size paper and I started writing.
Speaker 2:That's awesome.
Speaker 1:My hand cramped by the third day and I said, okay, I'm just going to start typing on my laptop now, that's right, that's right, so that's it.
Speaker 2:That's awesome.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I actually started, formally, actually started writing my first script in 2006.
Speaker 4:Okay.
Speaker 1:And that was actually, and I thought well, I'm going to write something that I know and what I 2006 okay and that was actually uh, and and I thought, well, I'm gonna write something that I know, and what I know is that, uh, I miss my dad and uh, my dad passed in in 2000, uh, in in 2000, and so, um, there were always so many things I wish I had told my dad before he passed, and so it's a semi autobiographical uh screen.
Speaker 2:That's cool.
Speaker 1:And yeah, and it was really cathartic you know in some ways, but then I put that aside after that, then continued a bit more with acting. Once in a while I'll go back and dabble with it.
Speaker 2:Did you actually produce that film? No, not yet.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's probably going to be one of those films. That's because it's so personal.
Speaker 2:Okay, sorry so personal and so like something that I really take great care of, and if I was going to put something out in a film form, I just want to make sure that you know it's going to be a piece of beautiful history for me to share with people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when you just said that, I was thinking my mom passed away like almost three years ago now and yeah, yeah, she was my hero. I, you know, I really, um, I love I she, you know, she's an amazing part of my life. But, yeah, if I wanted to create something as a memory for my mom, maybe I want to start now, but maybe I don't want to finish or complete it until I have some, you know, some more years of mauling over and you know, and remembering in various ways.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's exactly it, and I think that was probably also one of the reasons, because I found myself going through this motion of I just couldn't write, like I just literally could not write anymore, and I was wondering why.
Speaker 1:and then I realized, oh, I'm having a writer's block yeah and I just really need to shut this down, go somewhere else and come back, or they're just some stuff that I needed to deal with internally because I mean I still miss my dad, right? But like you said, the feelings evolve things. You know it changes. Uh, time changes a lot of things.
Speaker 1:It never goes away right because it's still a death of someone that you love. Yeah, maybe you know now, between then and now, I was just maturing myself as a writer and a filmmaker, because there's so many things I still had to learn right before I reached to this point, even before I ended up doing Madawi, there was just so many things I needed to do, to discover about myself yeah, and to um to learn about the world of screenwriting, to learn about the world of being a director.
Speaker 1:Um, it helps having an acting background for sure yeah yeah, but a lot of good things take time and I'm glad that I gave myself that grace it's time. Initially it was hard, because I'm getting older. I'm getting older. I moved here when I was 30.
Speaker 2:No one's going to pay attention to me. If you need help navigating the local real estate market, contact Petrocelli Homes on Niles Boulevard. With almost two decades of experience, this family-owned brokerage is an expert in the local real estate market. Give Jennifer Petrocelli a call. With her wide-ranging knowledge of the real estate industry and expert negotiation skills, jennifer goes above and beyond for her clients. Jennifer helps her clients make smart real estate decisions that benefit them in the long run. So if you're looking for a realtor who knows what they're doing and who genuinely cares about your needs and wants, reach out to Jennifer today and discover why Petrocelli Homes is the right choice for all of your real estate needs. I want to tell you about Minuteman Press in Irvington. They are your quality printer to go to here in Fremont. I have personally worked with them before and I find their services to be fantastic. Look no further than Minuteman Press in Irvington. You can find them at 44141 Fremont Boulevard in Fremont.
Speaker 5:Steve Martin, the comedian way back when, did this very funny bit where he said I'd like to thank everyone in the audience for coming out tonight, and then he would literally sit there and thank every single person in the audience, pointing at them individually, and the bit would go on and on and on. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I would like to thank everybody who has contributed to buymeacoffeecom, but it would not be funny because it would not last very long. I would have to thank maybe a dozen people. So please make this comedy routine a little funnier by giving me more to do when I start thanking the audience. Buymeacoffeecom slash TheFremontPodcast. Slash membership. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know how it is with you. I'm sure that you've had experiences like this just because you're in the industry. I'm sure that you've had experiences like this just because you're in the industry. But I think that sometimes, when you're a writer or when you are creating something in your mind, you have your internal vision of what you imagine that it's going to be like. But then when you start actually putting it into a physical form, like when it actually becomes like you give it to somebody to read, or you give it, you know, act this out, or whatever it starts taking on like this realistic form as well, um, that maybe is different. It could might be worse than what you imagined, it could be better than what you imagined, um, but then, but then it finally is becoming. It's a tangible form and you kind of have to go with it, you know.
Speaker 1:That's exactly what happened with I call her my muse, my lead actress from my latest short, madhavi. Her name is Nina and when I did my first professional short film called the Dance, I was looking for a South Asian actress. But I was looking for someone who was like 23. And the story calls for her having developed a relationship with her co-worker in a brick factory and he will be an older gentleman like about 45, 50. A brick factory and he will be an older gentleman like about 45 50, um, and so you know, I was just like, so hung up on 23, okay, at the most 30, and it's not because it's just that the story called for that kind of age bracket at that time and everybody came a lot. The women that came in, you know, some were really great and some were like, but but you know, it was just really great to see the Indian actors and actresses out there and they came in.
Speaker 1:And then I get a call from Nina and she sounded so shy on the phone and she's like oh hi, my name is so and so, and you know, are you still auditioning? I said, well, we're going to close in like 10 minutes. But you know, if you're nearby, please come. And she's like oh, just one thing. I know you said you're looking for a 23 year old, but I'm 45. I'm like, oh, it's okay, just come in.
Speaker 1:You know, like I, I'm just happy with the fact that you know you want to try and audition yeah, she was interested yeah, and she came in and you know she very beautiful woman and also very shy, and you know, and she sat in the chair and I thought in my mind, I thought, oh, I think I found my actor already. But you know, she came in and the first words that left her mouth, you know from the dialogue, my jaw dropped.
Speaker 1:And I just looked at her and I looked at my producing partner and he looked at me, and then we continued looking at her and it was everything, exactly what I needed for that role and I was shocked. And that was a learning lesson for me, because I basically sort of closed my mind off to all the other options?
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:And so when she started going, I couldn't believe it, and by the time I got home, after wrapping everything up. We just knew she is the one.
Speaker 3:And I'm so glad that she came in.
Speaker 1:And ever since then I was just working with her and with some of my important films, and, and, and I would and I will continue working with her, that's great and I'm going to give her a shout out. Her name is Nandini Kanheraj. She's a wonderful, wonderful actress. Okay, um and uh. And she she's in Madhavi, my latest short film, and, and it it was. It's great, you know, just knowing that, and but yeah, that was a learning lesson. That you know just knowing that, and but yeah, that was a learning lesson.
Speaker 2:That's cool. Well, let's uh, let's talk about Mata V.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Is that? That's, uh, the one? That's the one that we're here for.
Speaker 2:Yes, I think I think, yeah, so, um, so, so tell me about the, um, the, uh, where did this come from? Where did the story come from? So I I actually did just watch it last night and so it's pretty fresh on my mind. I was very moved by it. Um, so the? The basic storyline from my perspective is uh is a woman who is part of, uh, the, I guess the Indian community, um and uh she. You find out through you, you know the progression of the story that she had. She left her husband because of the abuse that she was going through.
Speaker 6:Madhavi, madhavi.
Speaker 1:Hey, ma, you work here. Yeah, it's been a year now. Has it been that long? It's so good to see you. Are you all okay? Yeah, I'm okay. How are you? Same same Seems. Just like yesterday we were making barfi for Diwali.
Speaker 6:You know what? You should come to my house tomorrow Tomorrow.
Speaker 1:Samosas with Priya and Seema, just like old times, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Where did this come from? What inspired this storyline for you? Where did this come from? What inspired this storyline for you?
Speaker 1:So it really all I want to say that I think it all really started about gosh. This is close to when I was 21, 2021. I was in an abusive relationship, so I went through domestic violence and it wasn't the prettiest thing, obviously, but I always told myself at that time that I guess one day I'll tell this story somehow. But you know, it's such an important topic and also a very sensitive topic and at that time I didn't think I was, I felt, equipped enough to tell the story. Um, but as years went by, you know, I'm, I'm I want to say I'm pretty proud of myself, uh, for how far I've come.
Speaker 1:And then I started thinking about the journey to where I am now and how I got to where I am, and, um, and I told myself at this point in time, or at that point in time when I decided that I wanted to write more stories about social impact on people, and I decided well, you know, I think maybe now is the time for me to start writing about domestic violence, because I've seen a lot of it going on within my own family and friends back in Singapore, because it's not just an Indian thing that happens in America. It happens everywhere, all over the world, every race, every creed, it doesn't matter, it's domestic violence. So I just felt, okay, maybe now's the time for me to write something about it. I'm not gonna push that issue away. And what was more important for me was that I wanted to showcase the survivorship and the resiliency of the woman, or of the survivor and it could be a man or a woman, it's not necessarily just for women.
Speaker 1:But I wanted to show the journey because I know I went through my own journey. I wanted to show the journey of others, maybe, and so that was what was really important for me, because, you know, you see a lot of films out there and usually they have films of domestic violence in the now, currently, what happens. And then the partner leaves, and then great, everything's great again, but you don't see the aftermath, right, you know?
Speaker 1:and it's not easy for a lot of people, uh, who leave, they have a brand new path, but no one's saying that is a bit of roses, that's right, you know they have obstacles to go through, they have to pick themselves up all over again, they have to navigate an unknown world and do it a lot of times alone, with not much resources. Who do they turn to? Because, with this story and within the Indian community, I bring up the subject about shame, because that's what a lot of them go through, because they feel shamed and or they continue to be shamed by their community, and it's really unfortunate.
Speaker 1:But you know, she's going through this life and she's like, well, what do I do? And so she'll work in the supermarket, she'll look after her daughter, she will, you know, whatever it takes to just have a semblance of a life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1:So that was what I felt that I wanted to write about, and it took me a good like, I want to say like about six, seven months before I could really like you know, get this story down. Six, seven months before I could really, like you know, get this story down, because one of the things I was really afraid of was writing this story, filming it and putting it out there and then, and then, you know, getting backlash right right and I don't care if I get backlash from some in anybody else but the indian community I'm.
Speaker 1:I was so afraid that they were gonna turn around like how dare you? Yeah and I'm pretty sure maybe some people are questioning, but I can say like so far, the people who have come up to me, the women, the survivors, the young kids, people who may have never even been in an abusive relationship, coming up to me and thanking me because they never knew or coming up to me and thank me because they never knew, or coming up to me and thank me because I actually said something about it.
Speaker 1:It was so my heart just burst, honestly, Cause you know, I, I it's again it's, it's a lot to deal with and whatever I touched on in this short film, it's just a speck of a much bigger picture.
Speaker 2:Well, I'll tell you, one of the feelings that I had after watching it was I felt just what you said, to the point where it motivated me to think what don't I know?
Speaker 2:Like what am I not aware of, because I think when I watched it, I mean the film was, I think, 13 plus minutes long, so it was a short film, um, but when I got done with it, I was like this is just a um, just a, like you said, a spec into this kind of a scenario, this, this type of situation, and, um, I thought, man, if that's just a small fraction of somebody's life and their experience, I mean, what other things would they be going through, what other things might they feel and experience that you know we completely dismiss or we just ignore, you know, in some way.
Speaker 2:And so I felt like it. For me, I felt like the film raised a lot of curiosity that allowed me to think about you know, what is it that I'm ignoring? Or what am I not paying attention to? And who might I know that might be going through a similar situation that I might need to be more conscious of, or just be aware that it's there? If you grew up in America or in a country where there's not as much of an honor-shame dynamic, it certainly could be.
Speaker 1:We don't understand some of the ways that things happen in certain homes, in certain places, in certain people's lives, and that really is because of culture, you know, because that's not to dismiss domestic violence in America in itself. I was made more aware of a lot of other stories. You know, I picked up this book called no Visible Bruises Gosh, I forgot the author's name now, but she was fantastic and I'm reading a lot about how domestic violence exists within even like not just the South Asian communities, but even like in rural areas of America where, you know, these women don't really have much resources, they don't know who they can reach out to. And when you're dealing with domestic violence within America, suddenly I'm reading about guns and then I'm like, oh my gosh, you know it's, it's, it's really like it's a whole new spectrum, right, and that's why I say that it's, it's a speck that's right of what I'm what, what we are really dealing with and so it um for me it when it came to to writing it about the shame and all that.
Speaker 1:That was just one aspect of the character having to deal with it. I'm hoping to do the feature.
Speaker 1:I've been asked about doing the feature a lot and I'm working on the script now and part of the feature, what I'm gonna, but what I want to talk about is immigration, you know, because a lot of people don't, don't know, like a lot of the women who marry and they, you know, a lot of them are in arranged marriages and they come here right and they may not really have the that visa. They don't really necessarily may have the green card, and I learned this through stories from survivors. They've been lied to. They say that they're going to get a green card, but they've never seen the paperwork.
Speaker 3:Wow.
Speaker 1:The minute you leave an abusive marriage. I think if you leave and you, I think, if you file the papers, you lose your visa and therefore you immediately become an illegal.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:And I didn't know that. I only found out about it while I was doing research for Madawi and I was talking to a lot of immigration. I was talking to an immigration lawyer and advocates who deal with survivors. And they tell me these stories. So these women and they have to. It's a whole new ballgame trying to leave a relationship like that. There's a lot of prep work that comes in.
Speaker 2:That's interesting, yeah.
Speaker 1:A lot and I discovered so much. I couldn't believe what I was actually hearing from them. And yeah, and they say like once you leave, they really leave the life that they had and they really have to start anew. But they also have to know that they'll be illegal.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:The lucky thing for San Francisco and I think it applies to the San Francisco Bay Area is that I think yeah. But we're a sanctuary city.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:So there are resources.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And it can be. I mean, you can get help.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:But you might be in a limbo for like six years being an illegal.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:Because that's how backlogged these cases are that's crazy it is crazy and a lot of times, the abuse. The abusers have won because they have money, they have the house, they can look after the kids and a lot of times the women don't leave. It's because of the kids wow.
Speaker 6:I can buy a computer for that. After that, I will do regular hours. Hello, papa.
Speaker 3:You had dreams too.
Speaker 6:Papa, I have Sonia, I just don't want anything else.
Speaker 1:There was a story where I heard there was this woman who had been in the relationship for 25 years but she refused to leave because of the kids. The kids grew up and they were fine. She left, only to find out four months later she actually had cancer. So to restart her life and then having to go through cancer. It's just like you think these are stories made for the movies.
Speaker 1:You know, you don't think that you know it happens in real life, but it happens in real life, so immigration is one of them like because they are totally lost. They've lost their status, they don't have money, and then, on top of them, they're being shamed by the community, Like what do they do? And yet, throughout all these negative things that has happened to a person and yet they still come out of it at the other side.
Speaker 1:That's amazing so that's why I really wanted to write about the resiliency and the survivorship I thought that was really important because, um for for the survivors out there, what they really need to do is to. It's probably one of the hardest steps that they have to take once they leave, but this step is to believe that you can do it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because there is going to be somebody out there who is going to listen to you.
Speaker 6:Yeah.
Speaker 1:There is always. You can always do an outreach. You can always, you know, there is. You know. I worked with this organization called Narika.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And they help South Asian women who are survivors from domestic violence and they do exceptional work. But they're and they're a great organization, but there are, like so many women out there, who need help right. But there are different organizations. But for NARICA it's more on the South Asian side. But yeah, it's the stories that I hear from them and I reached out to them because we're talking about the culture the.
Speaker 1:Indian culture, and so they tell me a lot of these stories. And I remember going in and I think I told this to an advocate and I said, oh my gosh, these stories, stories that I cannot share publicly. But when I heard them I just could not believe it. I said are you sure? I said, yeah, that's what happened. That was the proof, you know. We went in, we saw this is what we had to do and I said you know what I went through? Compared to what these women went through in terms of domestic violence, I mean, they had it really, really rough really tough.
Speaker 1:I mean we're talking about literal blood, sweat, tears, public shaming, you know, physical, public, physical abuse. It's just like I couldn't believe it and I said, you know, I can't imagine, like you know, because I've never had to go through this.
Speaker 6:I mean I've gone through it but not to that extent, but not to that extent yeah, yeah, this um, I mean, I've gone through it.
Speaker 1:Sure, not to that extent, but not to that extent, yeah, yeah and. But she stepped in and she said um you know, jesse, abuse is still abuse, you know, because the intent of the abuser is always there right right so don't downplay what you went through that's right and I'm like well yeah, okay, I had to actually step back for a moment and realize that and it's not just physical abuse, we're talking about financial abuse, mental, emotional. I've learned all this.
Speaker 1:And the financial abuse. And then I realized like, oh man, yeah, I just realized I went through a whole gamut of the abuses down here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's amazing. Well, thank you for sharing all that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:We found out about you through the Fremont Library.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:So did you? From what I understand, you just did a showing.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Of your film at the Fremont Library. How did that go?
Speaker 1:It went so well.
Speaker 2:I mean, you know, I thought it was only going to be like because you know I I thought it was only going to be like because, you know, set your expectations low and that's what I thought. So I thought your distant cousin will come and that's about it. You know fingers crossed.
Speaker 1:Maybe you know a cast member here or there. You know, I'll speak to 10, 15 people and I'll be happy, I'll be really happy that's right um so, but I found out in a meeting, uh before the event, like, uh, they, they had like the event was for like 50 people, but they had like 43 people signed up so far. I'm like, oh, that's fantastic, and then on that day itself, they were bringing up more chairs because more people were coming to the event. And I was like I, you know it was great.
Speaker 1:That's really cool sit there with with the audience and taking in their questions. You know um asking some really great questions because a lot of people.
Speaker 2:Don't ask about the dancing part yeah, yeah, um. And I was actually gonna. I was gonna ask that because yeah there's obviously imagery or there's something, uh, a metaphor of some sort going on there. That um is to kind of I don't know encapsulate the story itself, but to kind of like be almost like the emotional response as to what's going on there.
Speaker 1:You hit the nail on the head. So, basically, the dancing. First of all, my actress. She's actually a trained classical katak dancer. First of all, my actress. She's actually a trained classical Kathak dancer. So I wanted to infuse what she can bring into the table to the film and so she explained to me with Kathak or even just Indian classical dance, there's a lot of expressions that goes into their eyes and their hands so they express their anger, their love, their joy and all that. So that's why I opened the film pretty strongly with that dance sequence that she comes in with and it basically was her expressing what she felt in that moment in her life.
Speaker 1:And so then halfway through the film there's another dance sequence where she's actually showing her frustration. And you can actually also tell with the change of the music, because when it opens up it's a bit more um, a little bit more joyous. Then it it sort of fades down to something a bit more reflective yeah and then in the middle part there was a bit more of anger. That builds up so it's really also showing the arc of the story. And of course, the music was done. It was actually produced in India by a pretty renowned musician.
Speaker 1:His name is Amit Joshi and he did a really great job working with my actress, who also had to choreograph the whole dance sequence herself.
Speaker 4:That's cool. Yeah, who also?
Speaker 1:had to choreograph the whole dance sequence herself. That's cool, yeah, and that was also one way for me to show or share with the public the culture.
Speaker 2:More of the culture. Yeah, that's really cool, Wow, yeah, so you had the question, the Q&A, you got the showing. What was the initial connection with Fremont then? What is was? I mean, I know that we have a strong Indian community here, but, um, did you film it here in Fremont or what was the? What was the connection to you with the film, with Fremont?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So a couple of things. Firstly, when we were looking for locations to shoot at, um, my one of my friends, uh who also, who also acted in the film he's desmond the, the guy who acts in a supermarket um I was telling him like I really need a house to film in and he said he's got a really good friend. She lives in fremont and she actually lives in niles, and that's how I know about nice that's great well welcome back.
Speaker 4:Thank you, it was.
Speaker 1:It was really nice I was like before coming in here, I'm gonna take this picture there you go um, so she has this house in in niles and um, and he said, like, do you want to go check it out?
Speaker 1:I say yeah, absolutely, and I got to know her and she's so wonderful, and so we actually shot in her house, where the daughter's bedroom is okay, okay um, so we shot there and then we shot it at another house in fremont, which is like the main scene, and this house belonged to one of the other actresses okay, played hama yeah it was actually shot in her house and we're talking about the, the pivotal dining room scene yes so that was shot in fremont as well and, um, you know, of course, one of the best things when that was like the last day of shooting for the whole, the whole cast together and you know, I mean when you're in fremont, you can't go wrong with indian food as well.
Speaker 2:So you know, I had to make sure we catered. Where did you? Oh, did you have it catered in? Oh, yeah, yeah it was great.
Speaker 1:It was one of the best tikka masala wraps I've ever had in my life, probably the best.
Speaker 3:That's great.
Speaker 1:And the whole crew was so damn happy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's awesome, that's really cool.
Speaker 1:So then with Fremont that's the first thing with Fremont and then the library, while I was working with Narika. Narika works closely with the community in Fremont as well, Narika works closely with the community in Fremont as well and they spoke to me about maybe, perhaps we could join forces with the library because they would be interested in showing the film. And I said absolutely. And so they got me connected to Ruth, Sharmila and Amy oh God, Amy's last name Haskin and Hackerson, oh God, Anyway, Amy.
Speaker 2:Amy yes, Amy and Ruth.
Speaker 6:I don't want to butcher last names.
Speaker 1:Right yeah, amy and Ruth from the Fremont Library, and so they connected me with them and they saw the film and they were really excited.
Speaker 4:That's cool and.
Speaker 1:Ruth, also being South Asian herself, she understood the importance of this film and she really wanted it to be an outreach to the community. And that's how we got things going with the Fremont Library.
Speaker 2:Yeah that's very cool, wow. Well, I think it's a neat thing to be able to see the kind of things that come out of Fremont in that way. We had the movie Fremont, which I interviewed the director and he was also the co-writer, as well as the actress and one of the producers for that here. One of the producers for that um here, um. Earlier on, I think a year ago or so, I interviewed a guy um who uh is in film school in New York city. Um, he's producing a film called dream line and it was about uh growing up as a second generation Indian um in Fremont and um and and uh. He is in film school, but he came back here in Fremont to film it at, you know, at various places and in different people's homes. I was able to be there on set for one of those uh scenes being filmed. I don't even know that that film is out yet, but I was able to interview him and um.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm finding all these little. There's one other film that came out recently that got some attention as well. That was filmed here in Fremont.
Speaker 1:Are you talking about Didi? I think so. Yes, yeah, I think he's from Fremont. Yeah, he's from Fremont, sean Wong, or something like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I want to connect with him. I think. I just think it's really cool. There's a lot of cultural attention happening with these films that are coming out of Fremont. I think it's really important for both our city to be able to at least see a person's perspective on their, on the way they view their life, or the types of social or cultural dynamics within the community, and I think that's really important. But I also think that, like, when you're dealing with abuse, it's I mean, it's worldwide. It's not just, it's not just something that's taking place here in Fremont or the Bay area or the United States or wherever it's. I mean, it's all over the world, and so I think that that's definitely something to be to be addressed, and I think you've done a good job of that.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much. I mean, you know, domestic violence it's, it's really an epidemic. People don't really see it as such. They think, yeah, it's a problem, but it's an epidemic and it's and it's very unfortunate and and we have to just keep.
Speaker 1:We have to keep fighting it that's right yeah, but you know it's always going to be there that's the unfortunate thing, yeah it's always going to be there and people also have to be aware that, as much as it's I think it's like 80% it's on women, but I think there's a good chunk of men who go through it- as well, and not just women and men.
Speaker 1:We're talking about the transgender community as well, and that was something that I also learned, because I spoke to one of the caseworkers who was actually a transgender and he said, yeah, he went through it too. And I'm like, oh, whoa, you don't think about stuff like that.
Speaker 4:So, whoa, you know, you don't think about stuff like that you know, so you when you start actually opening up and listening to people, the more you're going to find out and yeah it's just really important to keep our ears open.
Speaker 2:Yeah, one of my first three episodes for the Fremont podcast was with with a friend of mine. She's become a good friend of mine as of late especially, but she founded the local chapter of a nonprofit called Room Redux and they basically support children who've been through abusive situations. They go into their rooms and completely change, because a lot of times the abuse that they suffer is stuff that happens in their rooms, in their bedrooms, and so there's kind of like these connections that they have to the space in which the abuse has taken place. So what room redux is is they go in and they will basically transform the room entirely. So it's kind of like a one-day project. They bring in a crew of people and they'll paint it. They'll bring in all new furniture, they'll bring in everything just to make the space a new and fresh space for them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's pretty cool, but it's specifically for children who've gone through confirmed abuse situations and when I was talking with her I was just blown away with the amount of cases that there are, not just in Fremont but in the Bay Area. And then this is an organization. Like I said, she started the chapter the Bay Area chapter of this particular nonprofit, but it's all over the United States. This organization is all over the United States helping children in abusive situations.
Speaker 1:So how does it work? Does she find out how the girl's wound is?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so they never meet the children. So they find out the situation through, I think, the court system or whatever, and then they make a connection, um, they set, set it up, and then the children and the family are gone, like on the Saturday when they do the transformation, and then they come back and, um, and the children come back and their room has been transformed, um, but because of the privacy and the you know, the need to keep things confidential, they just they don't ever engage with them, but they get the opportunity to make a difference in their lives.
Speaker 2:I mean, they'll get picture, before and after pictures, and you know they'll send pictures with the kids there and stuff like that. But it's something that's very private and very confidential, but it's just an amazing thing that they're doing in the community.
Speaker 1:I've never heard of that. That is actually fantastic. I would love to speak to them, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, her name is Tracy. Tracy's amazing. She's done a lot in our community and, yeah, I could connect you with her. I think that'd be really cool, please, yeah.
Speaker 1:Because you know, like in the story of Madhavi, she also deals with her daughter. That's right. I do want to also like show the impact that it has on the kids, and you know there are various impacts depending on their age, because when you're seven and eight or nine, you think differently when you become a teenager.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:You know so.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1:So you know, it's so dependent on where they are at this point in time, like in the short film, she's a younger girl, but in the feature that I plan to do she's going to be a bit older, so a bit more independent, a bit more wise to what's happening. So yeah, but I would really love to connect with.
Speaker 2:That'd be great. I'll connect you with her. You can also listen to the episode. I think it's episode two or three, I can't remember which one, but it's one of the first three.
Speaker 4:Okay, and I think it'd be great Well, jessie. I'm going to call you Jessie. Yes, please do.
Speaker 1:We started off as Jacintha At the beginning we ended up as Jessie at the end, but it was good to have you here on the. Thank you so much for having me. I had a blast. Good good, Seriously. It's so comfortable.
Speaker 2:People should know this is a very comfortable, safe space. Yeah, that's great. Well, thank you for being here.
Speaker 1:Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:It's been a joy having you and I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future.
Speaker 1:Thank you and I look forward to hearing more of you and your podcast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, this has been great, I really appreciate it.
Speaker 4:Great, that's great.
Speaker 1:Have a great day you too.
Speaker 4:This episode was hosted and produced by Ricky B. I'm Gary Williams, Andrew Kvet is the editor. Scheduling and pre-interviews by Sarah S. Be sure to subscribe wherever it is that you listen so you don't miss an episode. You can find everything we make, the podcast and all of our social media links at thefremontpodcastcom. Join us next week on the Fremont Podcast.
Speaker 1:So I played like, obviously, the Indian girlfriend who's overdramatic run around the trees, you know, looking for her lover, kind of thing.
Speaker 2:Can we find this film somewhere? I?
Speaker 1:hope. Not, I'm sure you can, but really hope, no, no listen, I'm proud of it. I'm proud of it. To be honest, I'm proud. At first I was like, oh gosh. But now I'm really proud because you know it, it, it still got me a start, you know, and I don't want to be ashamed of it, yeah um, but yeah, you might find a clip of me somewhere running around in a sari you know, I, I, yeah love it this is not goodbye, it is merely farewell.
Speaker 1:Oh krishna, my brave, brave sweetheart this is a muggins media podcast.