MVHS’ Indo-American Student Association hosted its annual “Spotlite on India” on Friday, April 3. The show’s lineup consisted of many student-led dance performances such as “Jasmine Jaguars,” “Desi Girls” and a fashion show. The showcase culminated with performances from MVHS’ Raas, Bhangra and Andaaz teams, making for a night full of loud cheers, bedazzled lehengas and lively performances.
Along with the performances, an MC skit centered on a fictional feud between talk show hosts Karan Johar and Kapil Sharma, played by seniors Archana Kakar and Anusha Barve respectively, was scattered throughout the show. MV IASA also included a brief intermission within the two-hour event to sell Indian snacks like samosas and jalebi.
Senior and IASA Co-President Rishi Rathi explains that countless hours went into organizing “Spotlite on India,” as the IASA team started planning at the beginning of semester. Though some parts of the planning were challenges, Rathi notes that he translated the leadership skills he’s acquired over the years into this year’s show to ensure its success.
“Connecting with people and learning how to direct a group of people has really helped me lead this team and everyone on stage,” Rathi said. “Some people weren’t showing up on time for practices, and there were problems with food and promos for the event, but overall it was easy. We kept pushing through and in the end, we made this and I think it worked out.”
Since IASA did not host “Spotlite on India” last year, senior and IASA member Sara Lele was very invested in taking part in the show when it announced its return this year. After singing the Indian national anthem for the event her sophomore year, Lele took the opportunity to perform it again and participate in the fashion show with her friends. As someone who grew up practicing semi-classical singing, she highlights that the event gave her the chance to share her passion for singing while also improving her skills.
“One thing I’ve learned is how to sing in front of a crowd,” Lele said. “In the first show, I closed my eyes and sang the anthem and then I realized that wasn’t really helping me, so I tried it with my eyes open this time and I feel like that really emboldened my voice.”
Similarly, for Kakar, watching “Spotlite on India” her freshman year motivated her to participate in the event in following years. Besides the enjoyment she finds in acting with her friends, Kakar emphasizes that participating in the show has further connected her to the diversity of India’s culture, specifically the talk shows that she and Barave were emulating.
“Before Spotlite this year, I actually didn’t know about ‘Koffee with Karan’ or ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’ and they’re definitely things to check out,” Kakar said. “It shows me how many different aspects of Indian culture there are. A lot of people do different kinds of dancing, there’s so many different languages and it really shows you how diverse India is.”
