Animated short American Sikh inspired by the life of Vishavjit Singh — the ‘Sikh Captain America’ — has qualified to be considered for a 2024 Academy Award.
The film, which had its world premiere at the Oscar-qualifying Tribeca Film Festival in June, was created to bring more Sikh representation to screens and challenge perceptions of what makes an American (and a superhero).
Vishavjit Singh is publicly known for his Captain America persona — a Sikh man equipped with his turban and beard — fighting against bigotry, intolerance, and perceptions of what an American should look like. But Singh, the only member of his family born in the U.S., didn’t always feel he could embrace his identity this way.
Not only was this incredible film featured on Good Morning America but in just over a month it won four top film awards including Best Short Animation at Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama, Best Animation at San Diego International Film Festival, Grand Jury Award for Best Short Documentary at Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle and the Audience Choice Award at Tasveer Film Festival.
American Sikh also received a special mention at the Chicago International Film Festival in Best Short Documentary and an Honorable Mention at the Tallgrass Film Festival in Documentary Short Film.
The film was created in partnership with Singh as the director/producer and Los Angeles-based director Ryan Westra.
It was animated by Studio Showoff, a Melbourne-based production house founded by Ivan Dixon and Sean Zwan that has produced work for Childish Gambino, HBO, and Cartoon Network.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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