‘Namaslay’ Creators on Family, Identity and Being Told No: ‘Department Heads Took Chances on Us’
Filmmakers Kanish and Rish discuss their debut feature film 'Namaslay,' a horror satire that critiques the cultural appropriation of yoga. The brothers emphasize the importance of family influence and authentic identity in shaping their narrative.
Why it matters
The film contributes to broader cultural conversations regarding the commodification of Eastern traditions in Western society.
‘Namaslay’ Creators on Family, Identity and Being Told No: ‘Department Heads Took Chances on Us’ For brothers Kanish and Rish, family fun means collaborating to write and direct a film based on their culture, creating characters based on their own grandmother and casting their great aunt to play her.
The duo's first feature film "Namaslay" does all of this as a horror satire that ignites conversation about the appropriation of yoga in the West, proving culture is the blood that keeps the past alive. To accomplish this "incisive" commentary about exploitation, the brothers reflected on their newly developed relationship with their own grandmother, who directly inspired Paati (played by Usha Krishnan) and helped them pursue this nuanced story.
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