Tushar Singh was raised in Huntsville, Alabama with a strict Indian upbringing, a contradiction that set him up for years of awkwardness and an arsenal of stand-up comedy material. As a chubby kid and the only Indian in his grade in elementary school, Tushar recalls sticking out “like a big brown thumb.” Still, he tried hard to fit in and eventually made friends with both rednecks and other “Desis” in his community.
Around his white peers he adopted a relaxed Southern personality, while at home he adhered to a traditional Indian family life and dealt with a strict intellectual father. He spoke Hindi with family, attended Indian conventions, and sat through his father’s astrological readings on a weekly basis.
Around his white peers he adopted a relaxed Southern personality, while at home he adhered to a traditional Indian family life and dealt with a strict intellectual father. He spoke Hindi with family, attended Indian conventions, and sat through his father’s astrological readings on a weekly basis.
Tushar faces the challenge of Tackling Hot Button issues while still managing to accomplish every comedian’s goal: making their audience laugh.
It wasn’t until Tushar went to college at Georgia Tech that he began to question some of the contradictions he’d been raised with. Aspects of Indian culture like the caste system, arranged marriage, sexism, and corruption didn’t bode well with the progressive American ideology he’d come to embrace. These conflicts, as well as the death of his father, led Tushar to stand-up comedy in Atlanta, which he uses to explore these issues on stage in a format he’s always been comfortable with: making people laugh.
American Hasi begins in Los Angeles, Tushar’s current home. His life in LA is comfortable: cushy job, solid group of friends, and a weekly hosting gig at a local comedy bar, but still Tushar finds himself not growing to his full comedic potential.
Ultimately, Tushar decides that the only way he’s ever going to sort out his identity, resolve his internal conflicts, and actually use his culture to his comedic advantage, is to face his relationship with India head on. American Hasi follows Tushar and his number one fan—his mom—on a five-week comedy tour starting in Mumbai and ending in New Delhi. In his dark, self-deprecating, storytelling approach to stand-up, Tushar hits Indian stages with material that causes a stir while still making audiences laugh… or so he hopes.
Between interviewing influential comedians like Russell Peters, Bill Burr, and Vir Das; interacting with foreign audiences; and growing closer with his mother; Tushar attempts to piece together various components of his own identity and learn to appreciate his father’s sacrifices. Part verité road trip, part character study, American Hasi is equal measure comedy, awkward moments, and self-discovery.
American Hasi begins in Los Angeles, Tushar’s current home. His life in LA is comfortable: cushy job, solid group of friends, and a weekly hosting gig at a local comedy bar, but still Tushar finds himself not growing to his full comedic potential.
Ultimately, Tushar decides that the only way he’s ever going to sort out his identity, resolve his internal conflicts, and actually use his culture to his comedic advantage, is to face his relationship with India head on. American Hasi follows Tushar and his number one fan—his mom—on a five-week comedy tour starting in Mumbai and ending in New Delhi. In his dark, self-deprecating, storytelling approach to stand-up, Tushar hits Indian stages with material that causes a stir while still making audiences laugh… or so he hopes.
Between interviewing influential comedians like Russell Peters, Bill Burr, and Vir Das; interacting with foreign audiences; and growing closer with his mother; Tushar attempts to piece together various components of his own identity and learn to appreciate his father’s sacrifices. Part verité road trip, part character study, American Hasi is equal measure comedy, awkward moments, and self-discovery.