Welcome back! The weekends are getting warmer, and our stories are helping bring the heat. PopShift Music Festival is almost here — get your tickets now. 

To satiate your entertainment needs until then, catch “Polite Society” on the big screen. Then we take a look back into some AAPI history and read about the rebellious roots of everyone’s favorite biscuit – Parle-G. Finally, we’re looking into one of cricket’s most historic moments – the inaugural season of the Women’s IPL.

– Rosh

Come See Jay Sean on May 20 in New York City!

14 Days Left till Jay Sean is back in New York City for the year's biggest music event. Get your tickets before the $$ goes up. PopShift South Asian Music Festival will also feature Talwiinder, PDNY + HYDR, Rhea Raj, Sanjoy, Zeemuffin, and a Surprise Guest Act!

Why You Need To Watch “Polite Society” On The Big Screen

“Polite Society” is the movie no one can stop talking about and for good reason too. It’s been years since we last saw feverish films with South Asian leads in the mainstream box office. Cult classics like “Bend It Like Beckham” or “Bride and Prejudice” defined many millennial childhoods and are still referenced in pop culture today, a testament to how treasured they were by an otherwise neglected audience. Can “Polite Society” be that, and perhaps more, for a new generation of movie-goers?

Written and directed by Nida Manzoor, and starring Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya as the leading Khan sisters, the film is a blend of genres. Martial arts action scenes with Western style build-ups are just as common as the points of comedic relief and feel-good moments.

@focusfeatures

No manners. No mercy. 💥 POLITE SOCIETY premieres at this year's Sundance Film Festival, from director Nida Manzoor and starring Priya Kans... See more

The movie is groundbreaking with its nontraditional characters and their feminist expression. “Polite Society” shows the world what so many Pakistani women keep to themselves – their own justified rage. When you don’t want to be a doctor, when you don’t want to get married, when you want to abandon the education system entirely, but the world refuses to let you make these controversial but independent choices happily – it’s valid to react.

The most refreshing part of “Polite Society” is how it doesn’t sugarcoat South Asian culture. The film is littered with cultural nods, like when the protagonist is tortured with leg waxing and restrained with dupattas instead of rope. There are no exhausting pauses to explain these references. Instead, we’re treated to 1hr 43min of uninterrupted entertainment that we just get. And if you don’t get it yet, trust that the film will allow you to find out.

Parle-G: A Symbol of Rebellion and Resilience

Did you know that Parle-G cookies were born out of rebellion? We all recognize, and even treasure, the little girl on the bright yellow packaging that defined many of our childhood snacktimes, but how many of us know the political roots of the chai-time biscuit?

Parle Products was founded upon the ideals of the Swadeshi movement, a pro-India independence boycott campaign from 1905 that promoted Indian-made goods over imported British goods as a form of civil disobedience.

Mohanlal Chauhan was a Gujurati villager who moved to Mumbai and learned to tailor. When that endeavor proved unprofitable, he moved to confections and founded Parle Products. In 1939, we saw the first Parle-G biscuit. The beloved confection was a delicious, affordable alternative to the exclusive, expensive British biscuits Indians had relied on. It didn’t take long for Parle-G to compete with and overtake its foreign counterparts, especially as rising political sentiments continued to inspire consumers.

Soon after India’s independence, Parle-G launched to a larger consumer market. Their first ads were part of their “Freedom from British Campaign,” a political alignment that successfully earned the cookie icon status. As the Indian economy grew, so did the success of the biscuit next to it, as Parle-G soon expanded into supermarkets across continents.

From humble beginnings to a cultural symbol, the biscuit has journeyed through the decades. While the future is never certain, this is: Parle-G has a sweet legacy to be proud of.

Women’s Cricket Is Taking Over India

The chokris are bringing the chakkas. The Indian Premier League recently made the historic announcement that they would start the Women’s Premier League, for which the inaugural season is already underway. With India’s richest industrialists funding the project, the WPL has the potential to be a force not just in the broader sports entertainment industry, but as a feminist pursuit for Indian women.

The Facts

• The Women’s Premier League began its inaugural season in March 2023.

• The five teams sold for $570M, making it the world’s second most-valuable women’s sports association after the WNBA.

• Investors include India’s richest families, the Ambanis and Adanis.

• The WPL season has at least 57 Indian and 30 foreign women cricketers participating

Why This Matters
Especially in South Asian countries, cricket has long been a predominantly men’s sport. Now, with access to local franchises for girls in villages and cities across India, cricket has become another way for women and girls to challenge the rigid gender roles of the past. Practices and championships have allowed for girls to focus on fulfilling their dreams of athleticism and community, rather than follow a traditional domestic life out of necessity.

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History Make In India🙌💙1st Women's IPL Trophy Unveiled🏆Apki Fvrt Konsi Ciricketer Ha??😇 Pakistan Ma B Girls League Honi Chahya Ya Nhi Btay... See more

Offering women the same choices and opportunities as their male counterparts ensures that we’re building towards a future that is equitable socially, financially, and politically across genders.

There are still challenges to address. For example, local franchises still need to be established. Some parents hesitate to send their children to practice for long hours and sometimes even away from home. The infrastructure required to set up tournaments in both rural and urban districts has been lacking.

What We Can Expect
With mentoring and a strong foundation, more girls from local cricket teams can proceed to participate in matches through city and state-held competitions. The exposure on stages at these levels has helped girls get recruited for teams, including the newly formed Women’s IPL.

Positive public perception of the Women’s League will take time and continued investment, but as evident by the enthusiastic reception and value it has received so far, success is on its way. Women’s cricket has already evolved from being a second-string of the “gentleman’s game” to a money and entertainment-churning machine that has captured the spirit, interest, and above all, hope of girls across India.

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Other Notable News

• Shreea Kaul released a new track “Burn It to the Ground.”

• Jaz Dhami released a new track “Nobody Compares.”

• DJ Shaan released a new track “Giants.”

• Shilpa released a new track “Aries Season.”

• Zeemuffin and Bianca Maieli released a new track “Ajnabi Mercy.”

Listen to the PopShift Playlist on Spotify.

Writers: Roshni Lalchandani, Nikita Satapathy

Editors: Raghu Alla, Roshni Lalchandani