Transcript: A South Asian Bazaar in Canada | Jun 30, 2017
Steve sits in the studio. He's slim, clean-shaven, in his fifties, with short curly brown hair. He's wearing a gray suit, pink shirt, and spotted purple tie.
An animated caption reads "TVO, Canada 150, Ontario 150."
Then, it changes to "A South Asian bazaar in Canada. @spaikin, @theagenda."
Steve says MANY CITIES HAVE A
CHINATOWN OR A LITTLE ITALY.
BUT THE BUSTLING DIVERSITY OF
ONTARIO'S CAPITAL CITY MEANS AN
EVEN RICHER MOSAIC, ONE THAT
INCLUDES NORTH AMERICA'S OUTDOOR
LARGEST SOUTH ASIAN MARKET.
IT'S KNOWN AS THE GERRARD INDIA
BAZAAR, IT'S A VITAL PART OF THE
CITY'S FABRIC, AND THE SUBJECT
OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY, "LITTLE
INDIA: VILLAGE OF DREAMS," THAT
WILL HAVE ITS WORLD BROADCAST
PREMIERE ON TVO ON SATURDAY.
HERE TO TELL US MORE:
NINA BEVERIDGE, PRODUCER AND
DIRECTOR OF THE DOCUMENTARY...
Nina is in her fifties, with chin-length wavy brown hair. She's wearing a dark gray blouse.
Steve continues SUMAIYAH SHAH, HENNA ARTIST AT
FOREVER BEAUTY SALON AND SPA...
Sumaiyah is in her twenties. She's wearing a gray hijab and a pink blouse.
Steve continues GULSHAN ALIBHAI, OWNER OF THE
POPULAR RESTAURANT, LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE...
Gulshan is in her forties, with long wavy chestnut hair. She's wearing a burgundy blouse.
Steve continues CHANDAN SINGH, WHO WORKS WITH
HIS PARENTS AT CHANDAN FASHION...
Chandan is in his twenties, with a prominent black beard and a curly mustache. He's wearing glasses, a black turban, a gray suit, and a spotted green shirt.
Steve continues AND KANWELJIT KHORANA,
PROPRIETOR OF KALA KENDAR, ONE
OF THE OLDEST BUSINESSES IN THE
GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR.
Kanweljit is in his fifties, with a full black beard. He's wearing glasses, a black turban, gray suit, purple shirt, and matching tie.
Steve continues I'M DELIGHTED TO WELCOME THE
FILMMAKER AND ALL OF THE
PROTAGONISTS OF THIS WONDERFUL
DOCUMENTARY WHICH I HAVE SEEN
AND IT'S GREAT, CONGRATULATIONS,
TO OUR TABLE HERE AT TVO.
I WANT TO GIVE OUR AUDIENCE A
CHANCE TO FIND OUT A LITTLE ABOUT YOU.
LET'S GO AROUND THE TABLE AND
START BY TELLING US, CHANDAN,
WHERE DO YOU WORK, HOW LONG YOU
WORKED THERE, WHAT DO YOU DO?
The caption changes to "Chandan Singh. Chandan Fashion."
Chandan says SURE.
I WORK WITH MY FAMILY BUSINESS
AT CHANDAN FASHION.
I STARTED OUT PART-TIME...
ANYONE KNOWS WITH A FAMILY
BUSINESS, YOU SORT OF WORK THERE
AS A KID GROWING UP AND YOU SORT
OF WATCH YOUR PARENTS INTERACT
WITH CUSTOMERS, SEEING WHAT THEY
DO, SALES, ETC., AND THE LAST 5
YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE FULL-TIME
AFTER DOING HONOURS IN MARKETING
AND I TRY TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
Steve says WHAT ARE YOU IN THE
BUSINESS OF DOING?
A picture shows the three-storey shop, located on a corner and painted bright blue and pink.
Chandan says WE OWN A SARI AND BRIDAL
BOUTIQUE.
IF YOU'RE SOUTH ASIAN OR
MARRYING SOMEONE SOUTH ASIA, YOU
COME TO OUR STORE IN LITTLE
INDIA AND WE'D GET YOU DRESSED
UP THE DAY OF.
Steve says YOUR CLOTHING, I
HAVE SO SAY, IS SPECTACULAR.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY GORGEOUS.
Chandan says WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THE
THINGS WE OFFER AND MYSELF, MY
MOM, MY DAD, WE TAKE TURNS AND
GO TO INDIA AND PROCURE THE ITEMS.
NOT VERY MUCH IS AUTO SELECTED.
WE ALL HAVE OUR LITTLE FLAVOUR
OF WHAT WE CARRY INTO OUR ITEMS.
Steve says AND TEN TIMES MORE
SELECTION THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN
THE BUSINESS.
Chandan says I WOULD SAY SO, YES.
Steve says THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID
IN THE DOCUMENTARY.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I WOULD NORMALLY SAY LET'S TALK
AFTERWARDS ABOUT FIXING ME UP IN
SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW.
I'M KIND OF SUIT AND TIE.
Chandan says YOU'D BE SURPRISED AT THE
THINGS AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE LOTS...
Steve says WE'LL TALK.
GULSHAN, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT
YOU DO AND FOR HOW LONG AND
WHERE IT IS?
A picture shows a few dozen people looking at clothes on an open-air market by a large yellow building at night.
The caption changes to "Gulshan Alibhai. Lahore Tikka House."
Gulshan says MY HUSBAND
OPENED UP LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE IN
1986 AND I STARTED OFF AS FIRST
CASHIER, WAITRESS, AND SOMETIMES
HELPING HIM MAKE THE FOOD IN THE
BACK.
AND I WAS ALSO MOONLIGHTING
THERE, AS I ALSO WORK AS A
SOCIAL WORKER AT THE CANADIAN
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION FOR
ABOUT 20 YEARS AND SUDDENLY HE
PASSED AWAY ABOUT THREE AND A
HALF YEARS AGO SO I HAD TO COME
IN FULL-TIME AND PULL UP MY
SLEEVES AND BE THE BOSS.
SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT THREE AND A
HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE
FULL-TIME.
Steve says WHERE IS THE PLACE EXACTLY?
Gulshan says THE PLACE IS AT 1365 GERRARD
STREET EAST.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL ORANGE
BUILDING.
YOU CAN'T MISS IT.
Steve says AND YOU'VE GOT KIDS
WHO ARE MORE OR LESS INTERESTED
IN THE BUSINESS, RIGHT?
Gulshan says I HAVE A 16-YEAR-OLD AND A
12-YEAR-OLD THAT SOMETIMES COME
AND HELP ME AT THE RESTAURANT.
THEY'RE SAYING, MOM, YOU CAN'T
SELL IT BECAUSE ONE DAY WE WANT
TO TAKE IT OVER.
Steve says THEY'RE SAYING THAT NOW.
DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT'S GOING
TO BE THE CASE?
Gulshan says IT REALLY DEPENDS HOW WELL
THEY DO IN UNIVERSITY AND IF
THEY GET A JOB OR NOT.
IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THAT, I
GUESS.
RIGHT NOW ONE OF ADAM'S FRIENDS
CAME TO EAT AT THE RESTAURANT,
BEN, AND HE SAID I THINK YOU
SHOULD FRANCHISE THIS PLACE.
I THINK HE'S GOT SOME IDEAS
HAPPENING NOW.
Steve says GOOD, OKAY.
SUMAIYAH, TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.
A picture shows a small storefront in daytime.
The caption changes to "Sumaiyah Shah. Forever Beauty Salon and Spa."
Sumaiyah says SO I'VE GROWN UP ON GERRARD STREET.
WE LIVED ON GERRARD FOR ALMOST
15 YEARS.
MY MOM HAD A SALON AND SPA, IT'S
CALLED FOREVER YOUNG NOW.
IT USED TO BE CALLED ROSE SALON
AT ONE POINT.
AND I LEARNED AESTHETICS, I
LEARNED HENNA.
I DON'T DO THAT THERE AT THE
LOCATION ANYMORE BECAUSE I GOT
MARRIED AND MOVED TO
MISSISSAUGA, BUT I DO HAVE MY
OWN BUSINESS, MY OWN HENNA
BUSINESS.
BUT I OPERATE MYSELF...
Steve says I'VE SEEN YOU DO IT
IN THE DOC.
YOU'RE REALLY TALENTED.
Sumaiyah says THANK YOU.
Steve says YOU'RE NOT
DEMONSTRATING ANY OF IT TODAY.
Sumaiyah shows her hands and says
MY HANDS ARE ALWAYS STAINED
LIKE THIS.
I WAS JUST DOING A BRIDE THIS
MORNING, ACTUALLY.
I DON'T GET TO SEE MY HANDS
DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS BECAUSE
THERE ARE SO MANY WEDDINGS GOING
ON, SO MANY BRIDAL APPOINTMENTS.
Steve says WHEN YOU DO YOUR
MOST ELABORATE WORK THAT GOES UP
THE ARM, EVERYTHING, HOW LONG
CAN THAT TAKE?
Sumaiyah says IT CAN TAKE UP TO 8 HOURS IF
IT'S REALLY THAT ELABORATE.
THE MOST I'VE DONE, IT WAS 8 HOURS.
Steve says HOW DID YOU LEARN
HOW TO DO IT?
Sumaiyah says IT'S SELF-TAUGHT.
I USED TO JUST DO A LITTLE ON MY
LEG, MY HAND, ON MY BROTHER'S
LEG SOMETIMES.
AND I JUST LEARNED BY DOODLING
AND CREATING STUFF.
Steve says TERRIFIC.
KANWELJIT, ARE YOU READY TO GO?
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, HOW
LONG YOU'VE BEEN THERE, HOW LONG
YOU'VE BEEN THE KING?
A picture shows a storefront with a window featuring mannequins clad in long gowns made of pink and white silk. A sign reads "Kala Kendar."
The caption changes to "Kanweljit Khorana. Kala Kendar."
Kanweljit says I'M CEO
OF KALA KENDAR AND I CAME TO
THIS COUNTRY IN 1976 AFTER
HAVING COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF
FABRIC AND TEXTILES FROM MY
FATHER WHO HAD A COMPANY IN
JAPAN FROM 1946.
SO WHEN I CAME TO GERRARD STREET
TO JOIN MY PARENT COMPANY, WHICH
IS LOCAL SARI, AND KALA KENDAR,
THE SISTER COMPANY, AND I FIND
THAT IT'S GETTING VERY HARD TO
COME TO THE AREA WHICH IS KIND
OF... NOT HANDLED PROPERLY.
SO WE STARTED KALA KENDAR EVERY
DAY, KIND OF GROUP OVER THERE,
TO MAKE IT KALA KENDAR AS WELL
AS THE GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR.
AND FORTUNATELY DUE TO THE HELP
OF THE CITY OF TORONTO AND THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE MADE
GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR ONE OF THE
BEST IN NORTH AMERICA.
Steve says AMEN TO THAT.
KALA KENDAR, DOES THAT TRANSLATE
TO SOMETHING IN ENGLISH?
Kanweljit says YES, "ART CENTRE," ACTUALLY.
Steve says YOU'RE FROM WHERE
ORIGINALLY?
Kanweljit says I WAS BORN IN A DIFFERENT
COUNTRY, INDONESIA.
THEN AFTER EDUCATION IN IF
INDONESIA, I WENT TO JAPAN TO
JOIN MY FATHER IN 1962.
HE HAD A SUCCESSFUL EXPORT
COMPANY.
Steve says AND FAMILY INVOLVED
IN YOUR BUSINESS AS WELL?
Kanweljit says AT THAT TIME THE WHOLE FAMILY
WAS IN JAPAN AND WE EXPORTED ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
SOMETIME IN 1970s... 1976,
JAPAN WAS NOT GETTING BETTER FOR
US SO WE TRIED TO MOVE TO NORTH
AMERICA.
Steve says ARE YOUR FAMILY
MEMBERS INVOLVED NOW?
Kanweljit says YES, YES.
FIRST WE WANTED TO GO TO
AMERICA, BUT SOMEHOW WE SAID IT
WOULD BE BETTER TO GO TO CANADA.
Steve says GOOD CHOICE.
Kanweljit says WE OPENED TWO WHOLESALE
DEPARTMENTS, ONE IN VANCOUVER,
ONE IN TORONTO.
Steve says GOTCHA.
OKAY.
AS PEOPLE LOOK AT A WIDE SHOT OF
THIS SET AND THEY SEE NINA
BEVERIDGE MAKING A MOVIE ABOUT
ALL OF THIS SOUTH ASIAN
WONDROUSNESS, THEY MAY BE
WONDERING, WHAT'S WRONG WITH
THIS PICTURE?
BUT IN FACT YOU'RE BORN IN
INDIA, AREN'T YOU?
Nina says I WAS, YEAH.
Steve says DO YOU THINK THAT
PLANTED THE SEED FOR YOUR
INTEREST IN THIS DOCUMENTARY?
The caption changes to "Nina Beveridge. Filmmaker, 'Little India: Village of dreams.'"
Nina says OH, 100 PERCENT.
I HAVE GREAT AFFECTION FOR THE
CULTURE AND... THOUGH I ONLY
LIVED IN INDIA FOR ABOUT 5
YEARS, I WENT BACK TO DO A BIT
OF HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY
AND TRAVELLING.
MY PARENTS HAD A LONG-TIME
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTRY.
THEY MADE FILMS THERE.
THEY DID EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS
THERE.
AND THERE WERE MANY INDIANS IN
THE HOME, WE HAD INDIAN FOOD AND
DID A LOT OF TRAVELLING BACK AND
FORTH.
SO IT REALLY IS PART OF MY, YOU
KNOW, IN MY HEART.
AND WHEN TVO HAD A TENDER TO DO
SORT OF A CANADA 150 FILM THAT
REFLECTED ON DIVERSITY AND
CANADIAN IDENTITY, I LOOKED AT,
YOU KNOW, THE BIZARRE, WHICH IS
TWO... BAZAAR, WHICH IS TWO
BLOCKS FROM MY HOME, AND SAID I
HAVE TO DO THIS STORY.
Steve says YOU OBVIOUSLY HAD
THE BACKGROUND, YOU WANTED TO
TELL A STORY, BUT THIS IS REALLY
VERY CLOSE TO HOME, ISN'T IT?
Nina says IT'S QUITE SELFISH.
I LOVED IT.
I REALLY LOVED THE PROJECT.
I LOVED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT
OF RECONNECT WITH THE CULTURE,
TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND TO
REALLY DELVE INTO THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD, BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 20
YEARS BRINGING UP KIDS AND YOU
DON'T REALLY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU'RE
WORKING... BRINGING UP YOUR
CHILDREN TO SORT OF GO OUT AND,
YOU KNOW, EXPLORE ALL THE CAFES
AND SHOPS AND STUFF.
SO THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
REALLY DIVE IN AND GET DEEP AND
MEET PEOPLE.
I HAVE TO SAY IT TOOK A LITTLE
BIT OF TIME TO BUILD TRUST, BUT,
YOU KNOW, WE GOT THERE, AND I'VE
MET SOME AMAZING PEOPLE AND
CHARACTERS IN THE FILM AND IT'S
BEEN REALLY GOOD.
Steve says LET ME ASK YOU ONE
FOLLOW-UP ON THAT.
YOU'VE TRIED NOT TO HAVE ALL OF
YOUR PROTAGONISTS BE FROM THE
SAME PLACE IN SOUTH ASIA OR
HAVING THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS
OR BACKGROUNDS OR SAME
BUSINESSES KIND OF THING, YOU'VE
PICKED QUITE A LOT OF DIVERSITY
WITHIN A REGION OF THE WORLD.
HOW AND WHY DID YOU DO THAT?
Nina says WELL, IT WAS JUST... IT WAS
VERY INTENTIONAL.
I HAVE TO SAY I WANTED TO TELL A
STORY ABOUT A MUSLIM WOMAN.
I THINK IN THIS TIME OF KIND OF
ISLAMOPHOBIA, ETC., ETC., IT WAS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL
A REAL STORY, A POSITIVE STORY
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A TYPICAL
CANADIAN MUSLIM WHO IS DOING HER
THING.
AND SUMAIYAH WAS AMAZING.
SHE COMPLETELY GOT IT.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, JUST REPRESENT
YOURSELF.
AND SO I WANTED TO DO THAT.
AND THEN LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE AND
GULSHAN, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE
CHARACTERS HERE, THEY WERE ALL
GIFTS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE IS A SORT OF
FOUNDATION OF THE BAZAAR.
IT'S KNOWN FAR AND WIDE, YOU
KNOW.
PEOPLE SAY THEY GET OFF THE
PLANE FROM LONDON, ENGLAND, OR
NEW YORK OR THEY DRIVE UP FROM
DETROIT AND THE FIRST THING THEY
DO IS THEY GO TO THE RESTAURANT.
SO THAT WAS A PLACE THAT WE SORT
OF... YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO EXPLORE.
The caption changes to "Little India: Village of dreams. Saturday 9 PM. Also streaming on tvo.org/documentaries."
Nina continues AND KANWELJIT KHORANA, I WAS
VERY INTERESTED IN HIM BECAUSE
HE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE
FABRIC OF THE BAZAAR AND HOW IT
EVOLVED AND HE BROUGHT A LOT OF,
I THINK, SORT OF ENLIGHTENED
PRINCIPLE TO HOW THE BIA WAS
FORMED AND HOW A VERY DIVERSE
GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAD A LOT OF
POLITICS FROM BACK HOME CAME
TOGETHER, WORKED HARD.
THEIR FOCUS WAS ON THE FUTURE,
YOU KNOW, AND THEIR NEW HOME.
SO I REALLY WANTED TO INCLUDE
HIS FAMILY.
AND THEN CHANDAN FASHION WITH
THE BLUE AND PINK BUILDING,
CHANDAN, ALL THESE PLACES, YOU
WALK IN THE DOOR AND YOU MEET
THESE PEOPLE, THEY HAVE TO BE IN
THE FILM.
NOW, ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF IT WAS, WE WANTED TO
FOCUS ON THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO THE CHILDREN WHO EITHER CAME
HERE VERY YOUNG OR WERE BORN IN
CANADA, AND SO THEIR PARENTS
CAME AS THE IMMIGRANTS AND SORT
OF BORE THE BURDEN OF, YOU KNOW,
ADAPTING TO THE NEW HOME AND
LAUNCHING THE BUSINESSES.
WE WERE FOCUSING ON THE CHILDREN
AND HOW THEY HAVE TAKEN IT
FORWARD.
Steve says GOTCHA.
I WANT TO ASK YOU A VERY
POLITICALLY INCORRECT QUESTION HERE.
ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?
Gulshan says YES, I AM.
Steve says THE FILM CHRONICLES
A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL
QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR
RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES AND I WANT
TO KNOW WHETHER THERE IS
SOMETHING... DO YOU BELIEVE
THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE SOUTH
ASIAN CULTURE THAT PRODUCES
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OR GREAT
BUSINESS PEOPLE?
Gulshan says WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS
I WAS BORN IN AFRICA, IN UGANDA,
AND WE CAME HERE IN 1972 AS
REFUGEES DURING IDI AMIN'S TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER
THAT.
MY GRANDFATHER CAME FROM A GREAT
JOB AND THEY WERE ENTREPRENEURS.
MY GRANDFATHER HAD THE FIRST
MASTER DEALERSHIP IN UGANDA.
ON MY MOM'S SIDE, A FIRST...
STORE.
I THINK IT IS IN THE BLOOD.
IT'S ALSO ECONOMIC SURVIVAL.
YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO
BUSINESS TO SURVIVE AND THEY
BROUGHT THAT WITH THEM FROM
INDIA TO AFRICA AND THEN THEY
BROUGHT IT TO CANADA.
I KNOW MY HUSBAND, HIS FAMILY
THE SAME.
THEY ALL CAME FROM VERY
ENTREPRENEUR FAMILIES FROM
INDIA, THEN TO AFRICA, AND THEN
TO ENGLAND, AND THEN HE BROUGHT
THAT TO CANADA BECAUSE HE... YOU
KNOW, HE WAS AN ENTREPRENEUR IN
EVERY RIGHT AND I THINK HE
LEARNED IT FROM HIS FOREFATHERS.
Steve says CHANDAN, I THINK YOU
TOLD THE FILMMAKER HERE TO MY
LEFT THAT YOU WERE QUOTE,
UNQUOTE, A PURE ENTREPRENEUR.
Chandan says YEAH.
Steve says IS THERE SOMETHING
TO THE NOTION BEHIND MY QUESTION?
The caption changes to "Chandan Singh, @chandanfashion."
Chandan says FOR SURE.
IT'S ALWAYS UP TO WHAT WERE WE
WERE DISCUSSING, FROM AN EARLY
CHILD, I REMEMBER SEEING MY
PARENTS GRINDING, HUSTLING,
DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO SURVIVE.
AND AS MUCH AS ENTREPRENEURSHIP
IS IN OUR BLOOD, IT'S ALSO FOR A
MOMENT OF TIME IT WAS OUR ONLY
OPTION.
YOU KNOW, COMING TO CANADA
UNEDUCATED IN THE TRADITIONAL
MEANS OF BEING EDUCATED, IT'S
EITHER YOU WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE
OR YOU WORK FOR YOURSELF.
AND THEN BEING THIRD GENERATION
IN THIS BUSINESS, I THINK IT
ALWAYS WAS THE ONLY OPTION FOR
ME TO WORK FOR MYSELF.
SO I REMEMBER AS A KID I WOULD,
YOU KNOW, BUY A BOX OF CHOCOLATE
BARS FROM THE GROCERY STORE ON
GERRARD STREET FROM BJ'S, AND I
WOULD BUY THE BOX FOR 20 BUCKS
AND I WOULD GO TO SCHOOL AT
LUNCHTIME AND SELL THE CHOCOLATE
BARS FOR $2 EACH.
I WOULD COME HOME WITH 20, 30
BUCKS AT THE END OF THE DAY AND
ACCUMULATE DAY AFTER DAY.
I'D MOVED ON TO BRACELETS I'D
GET FROM THE CHINESE STORE DOWN
THE STREET.
WHATEVER I COULD GET MY HANDS
ON, JUST TRY TO FLIP AND SELL.
The caption changes to "Connect with us: @theagenda, TVO.org, Facebook, YouTube, Periscope, Instagram."
Steve says YOUR PARENTS DIDN'T
TEACH YOU HOW TO DO IT...
Chandan says NO IN FACT MY PARENTS WOULD
SAY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
YOU SHOULD BE AT SCHOOL
STUDYING.
IT WAS IN MY DNA.
Steve says YOU ALREADY TOLD US
THAT YOUR FATHER'S GENERATION
WAS INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS.
Kanweljit says MY FOREFATHER, MY GRANDFATHER
STARTED THE BUSINESS.
Steve says SO IT GOES BACK MANY
GENERATIONS WITH YOU AS WELL.
Kanweljit says SO FAR
IT'S THE FOURTH ONE.
Steve says SUMAIYAH, LIKE
CHANDAN, YOU HAVE A GIFT FOR
THIS.
YOU'VE TOLD US ABOUT THAT
ALREADY.
YOUR BUSINESS HISTORY DOWN AT
THE BAZAAR, CAN YOU TELL US A
BIT ABOUT THAT?
Sumaiyah says YEAH.
SO MY MOM OPENED ROSE BEAUTY
SALON 14 YEARS AGO.
SHE GOT CHRONICALLY SICK AND I
WAS IN MY THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR
OF FULL-TIME UNIVERSITY, AND
THAT'S WHEN I HAD TO KIND OF
TAKE OVER COMPLETELY OVER THE
BUSINESS FOR HER.
Steve says HOW OLD WERE YOU AT
THE TIME?
Sumaiyah says I WAS 19.
19 YEARS OLD.
I HAD... I WAS REALLY INSPIRED
BY A SALON IN DOWNTOWN.
I OPENED MY SALON, IT'S I HENNA.
Steve says YOU'RE TAKING OVER
HER BUSINESS AND STARTING YOUR OWN?
Sumaiyah says I RENOVATED, I HAD ALMOST 13
TO 14 EMPLOYEES AT THAT TIME.
I DID A WHOLE GROUPON DEAL AND
WE SOLD LIKE 20,000, 25,000
GROUPONS, AND TO BE QUITE
HONEST, AT THAT TIME, LIKE I
FELT LIKE I BIT MORE THAN I
COULD CHEW.
AND THIS WAS ALL DURING
FULL-TIME STUDIES.
SO THAT TAUGHT ME A LESSON, BIG
LESSON, AND I DID END UP CLOSING
THE BUSINESS DOWN AT THAT TIME
BECAUSE I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH
SERVICE.
THINGS WERE FALLING APART.
AND SO I CLOSED THAT AND THEN MY
MOM REOPENED JUST DOWN THE
STREET, SHE REOPENED ANOTHER
SPOT.
SHE GOT BETTER AND SO SHE OPENED
FOREVER YOUNG WHICH IS ACROSS
THE STREET FROM LAHORE TIKKA
HOUSE.
Steve says AND SHE TOOK YOU
BACK IN.
Sumaiyah says AT THIS POINT I WAS MARRIED,
SO I HAD MOVED AWAY, BUT I DID
HELP HER ESTABLISH IT AGAIN,
START IT OFF AGAIN.
I DO ON AND OFF GO THERE TO HELP
HER OUT.
BUT MOST OF MY HENNA BUSINESS,
ACTUALLY MY BRIDAL BUSINESS,
DOES COME FROM THAT SALON.
Steve says SO YOU'RE A PARENT,
YOU ARE HELPING YOUR MOTHER WITH
HER BUSINESS, AND YOU HAVE
STARTED ANOTHER ONE?
Sumaiyah says YES.
I HAVE A Décor BUSINESS.
WE DO EVENT Décors FOR WEDDINGS MOSTLY.
Steve says ALSO IN THE BAZAAR?
Sumaiyah says NOT IN THE BAZAAR.
THIS IS MISSISSAUGA-BASED.
Steve says THAT'S IN MISSISSAUGA.
Sumaiyah says YES.
Steve says SO WHEN DO YOU SLEEP?
The caption changes to "Sumaiyah Shah, @Sumaiyahshenna."
Sumaiyah says I HAVEN'T SLEPT FOR FOUR YEARS.
[LAUGHTER]
Steve says I GET IT.
OKAY.
LET'S JUST HONE IN ON THE NAME
HERE FOR A SECOND.
THE GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR KIND OF
IMPLIES THAT THERE'S ONE CULTURE
AT PLAY HERE.
BUT IN FACT... LET ME ASK THE
FILMMAKER?
HOW MANY CULTURES WOULD YOU SEE
IF YOU GO DOWN THERE?
The caption changes to "Diversity."
Nina says IT'S
GENERALLY DESCRIBED AS A SOUTH
ASIAN BAZAAR BUT THE INDIAN
MONIKER IS PRESENT, MAYBE
BECAUSE THEY ARRIVED FIRST.
I WOULD SAY INDO-PAKISTANI.
WITHIN INDIA, THERE'S 29 STATES
AND OTHER TERRITORIES.
Steve says SRI LANKA AS WELL?
Nina says SRI LANKA, BANGLADESH, NEPAL,
I THINK THERE'S A TIBETAN
BUSINESS.
SO BASICALLY FROM THAT REGION OF
SOUTH ASIA.
EVEN THE INDIAN STORES ARE ALL
QUITE DIFFERENT, FROM SOUTH TO
NORTH, EAST TO WEST, THERE'S
QUITE A BIT OF DIVERSITY.
Steve says WELL, THIS IS WHAT I
WANT TO GET AT.
CHANDAN, I WANT TO FIND OUT
WHETHER OR NOT THE 60 SHOP AT
THE SIKH OWNED BUSINESSES, THE
SRI LANKANS, ETC., ETC., IS THAT
HOW IT WORKS?
Chandan says NOT AT ALL.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SPEAK FOR
OTHER BUSINESSES BUT ESPECIALLY
FOR OUR OWN.
THE OFFERING THAT WE CARRY, IT'S
SO DIVERSE AMONGST DIFFERENT
CULTURES.
A SARI WE CARRY, SOMEONE FROM A
DIFFERENT CULTURE COULD
DEFINITELY WEAR IT.
BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT MY DAD WAS
DOING AT A TIME... HE WAS
TALKING TO HIS CUSTOMERS AND
SAYING, HEY, WHAT DO YOU USUALLY
WEAR AT YOUR WEDDING?
AND ISMAILI PEOPLE COME AND SAY
WE WEAR WHITE SARIS.
TRADITIONALLY IN PUNJAB YOU
WOULD NOT WEAR WHITE ON YOUR
WEDDING DAY.
HE WOULD CATER TO WHAT THEY WERE
LOOKING FOR AND YOU WOULD SAY
MORE AND MORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
DIVERSE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES COMING IN.
Steve says THAT RAISES ANOTHER
QUESTION FOR ME WHICH IS,
KANWELJIT, THE PART OF THE WORLD
YOU CAME FROM CAN BE A TROUBLED
PART OF THE WORLD FROM TIME TO
TIME, YET IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT
SEEMS LIKE MOST OF THE DIFFERENT
ETHNIC GROUPS THAT INHABIT THE
BAZAAR GET ALONG PRETTY WELL.
IS THAT THE CASE?
Kanweljit says YEAH.
THE BAZAAR STARTED BEFORE THERE
WAS... I KNOW THERE'S ABOUT TEN
MEMBERS ONLY.
IT WAS GETTING HARDER AND
HARDER.
ON ONE SIDE THERE WAS A PROBLEM
OVER THERE AND WE WERE NOT
GETTING ALONG TOGETHER.
BUT WHEN WE HAD SOME PROBLEM, I
SAID, LISTEN, YOU GUYS ARE PART
OF THE ASSOCIATION.
KEEP IT IN MIND, WE ARE IN
BUSINESS.
WE ARE NOT POLITICIANS.
WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME A
POLITICIAN, WRITE IT DOWN, SO
THE CUSTOMER WON'T GO.
THEY AGREE.
WE STARTED WITH THE LOCAL
RESIDENTS.
THERE WERE SO MANY PROBLEMS, THE
PARKING, ESPECIALLY THERE WAS NO
VIDEO SYSTEM, THERE WAS A BIG
RUSH, ALL THE MOVIE GOERS, THEY
PARK WHEREVER THEY WANT, AND THE
LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE CRYING
ABOUT THAT.
SO WE APPROACHED THE CITY... THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SOMEHOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY
DIDN'T HELP US.
THEN WE WENT TO THE CITY OF
TORONTO.
SOMEHOW THEY DIDN'T HELP US.
THEN I SAID, LISTEN, WE GUYS
ARE... I HAD TO SHOW THAT WE ARE
PROUD, WE ARE EDUCATED PEOPLE.
EITHER YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
IT... WE WON'T RAISE A FIST.
WE DON'T LIKE IT THAT WAY.
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS ONE
ASSOCIATION BECAUSE WE WERE
HIGHLY PAKISTANI AND INDIAN.
WE HAD A GOOD CONNECTION WITH
THE CITY OF TORONTO AND POLICE.
WE SAID LET'S MAKE IT BIA.
Steve says BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
Kanweljit says YEAH, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
Steve says LET ME GO TO GULSHAN
WITH A FOLLOW-UP.
IS IT YOUR IMPRESSION THAT THE
PROBLEMS BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE WORLD HAVE OR HAVE NOT
MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE BAZAAR
ON TORONTO.
The caption changes to "Gulshan Alibhai, @LahoreTikkaHous."
Gulshan says IT'S INTERESTING.
OFTEN PEOPLE THINK MUSLIMS
ARE... ALL MUSLIMS IN TERMS OF
HOW THEY BELIEVE.
BUT MUSLIMS ARE VERY, VERY
DIVERSE.
AND ME BEING AN ISMAILI MUSLIM,
WHICH IS A SECT OF MUSLIMS,
OFTEN I HAVE OTHER MUSLIMS
COMING INTO THE RESTAURANT
SAYING, ARE YOU HALAL, RIGHT?
BECAUSE I COME FROM A SECT THAT
IS A LOT MORE LIBERAL.
SO I SEE THAT MORE THAN I DO IN
THE MICROCOSM OF LITTLE INDIA.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, CHANDAN AND I
PROBABLY HAVE MORE IN COMMON
BECAUSE WE'VE BOTH BEEN RAISED
HERE SO WE HAVE OUR VALUES AND
ETHICS SO THAT MIGHT BE MORE IN
COMMON THAN I WOULD WITH
SOMEBODY COMING FROM INDIA AND
PAKISTAN THREE OR FOUR YEARS
AGO.
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I SEE IN
TERMS OF DIFFERENCES, OLD AND
NEW.
Steve says LET ME ASK NINA
THEN, HOW WELL, IN YOUR
IMPRESSION, THE REST OF THE
COMMUNITY HAS EMBRACED THE WHOLE
SOUTH ASIAN PHENOMENON ON
GERRARD STREET?
Nina says IF YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTS AS WELL?
Steve says YEAH.
The caption changes to "Nina Beveridge, @littleindiato."
Nina says I THINK IN GENERAL IT IS A
UNIQUE AREA AND IT HAS BEEN
DOCUMENTED AS SUCH IN SORT OF
ACADEMIC STUDIES, THAT THE
GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR FORMED
BASICALLY IN A KIND OF I'D SAY
CAUCASIAN-EUROPEAN KIND OF
NEIGHBOURHOOD, SO THE SURROUNDS
ARE NOT NECESSARILY SOUTH ASIAN.
THERE'S A FEW, OF COURSE.
AND WHEN EVERYONE MOVED IN, THEY
MOVED IN OVER THEIR STORES.
BUT IT IS A BIT DIFFERENT THAT
WAY.
HOWEVER, THAT SAID, IN GENERAL
TODAY, I'D SAY THE RESIDENTS
LOVE THE BAZAAR.
THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
IF THERE'S NOISE.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES THERE'S, YOU
KNOW, BUMPUPS IN TERMS OF BELIEF
SYSTEMS ABOUT INDEPENDENCE DAY
FOR EITHER INDIA OR PAKISTAN,
TOO MANY PEOPLE HOOTING OR
HOLLERING, BUT THAT'S TYPICAL OF
GRUMPY RESIDENTS AND PROBABLY AN
ASPECT OF BEING NEAR THE BEACH.
THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE RESIDENTS.
Steve says WOULD YOU AGREE WITH
THE OBSERVATION THAT IN THE MAIN
PEOPLE HAVE PUT THEIR OLD WORLD
POLITICS BEHIND THEM AND ARE
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE?
Nina says I WOULD SAY 100 PERCENT, AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
FOUND VERY INSPIRING ABOUT THIS
FILM.
YOU KNOW, IT IS I THINK A VERY
CANADIAN STORY OF ENDEAVOUR,
WHERE PEOPLE CAME HERE FROM ALL
OVER.
THEY SHARED... THEY CAME TO THE
BAZAAR BECAUSE THEY SHARED A
COMMON LANGUAGE, OR A FEW COMMON
LANGUAGES, AND COMMON CULTURE TO
SORT OF BOLSTER THEMSELVES AND
ADAPT TO THIS NEW WORLD, AND IN
GENERAL, THEY'VE COLLECTIVELY
PROSPERED AND DONE VERY WELL.
NOT EVERYONE HAS, OF COURSE.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE ASPECT OF
THE CHANGING BAZAAR TODAY.
Steve says LET'S SHOW A CLIP
FROM YOUR MOVIE, SHALL WE?
Nina says SURE.
Steve says KANWELJIT, YOU'LL
LIKE THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS YOUR
SON MIKI.
THIS IS MIKI ESTABLISHING A
MUSIC DEPARTMENT IN YOUR STORE
ON THE FLOOR WHERE I GUESS YOU
PREVIOUSLY USED TO LIVE.
THAT WAS PART OF THE LIVING
SPACE THERE.
SHELDON, LET'S ROLL THE CLIP AND
WE'LL COME BACK AND CHAT.
A clip plays on screen with the caption "Little India: Village of dreams. Saturday 9 pm and streaming at tvo.org/documentaries."
In the clip, a bearded man in his forties who wears a black turban tunes a string instrument.
(music plays)
Then, he stands behind a counter with several instruments hanging on a wall behind him.
He says I GREW UP IN THE LATE '70s,
EARLY '80s.
SO LET'S JUST SAY INDIANS WERE
NOT AS WELCOMED AS THEY ARE TODAY.
A slate appears on screen that reads "Fear spreading in East Indian neighbourhood. Globe and Mail, May 24, 1980.
East Indian hit. Man, 21, convicted of racial assault. Globe and Mail, March 4, 1977.
East Indians found butt of student prejudice, report says talk of 'Paki-busting' is horrifying. Globe and Mail, January 13, 1977."
Miki continues THERE WASN'T A DAY THAT WENT BY
IN PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT I GOT INTO
A FIGHT OVER MY TURBAN OR MY
HAIR, AND I CAME HOME WITH MY HAIR OPEN.
THAT MADE ME STRONGER.
IN HIGH SCHOOL, SOMEONE CASUALLY
SAID TO ME, YOU'RE OLDER NOW.
WHY DO YOU NEED A TURBAN?
WHY DON'T YOU CUT YOUR HAIR?
THEN IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR
ALL THOSE YEARS THAT I FOUGHT TO
KEEP MY HAIR.
I'M ONLY KEEPING AND CONTINUING
FAITH TO MY RELIGION BECAUSE OF
WHAT I WENT THROUGH AS A CHILD.
The clip ends.
Steve says CHANDAN, LET'S HIT
THIS ON THE HEAD.
HOW COMMON WAS RACISM IN THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD IN YOUR EXPERIENCE?
Chandan says IT WAS THERE.
IT WAS THERE.
I REMEMBER TELLING THE STORY TO
NINA EARLIER ABOUT, SOMETIMES I
WOULD JUST GO PLAY IN THE
PLAYGROUND THAT WAS BEHIND THE
BAZAAR.
THERE WAS A SCHOOL ATTACHED
DIRECTLY BEHIND THE BAZAAR, A
PUBLIC SCHOOL, AND I REMEMBER
GOING THERE WITH TWO OF MY
BUDDIES.
WE WOULD GO DOWN THERE AND HANG
AROUND THE PLAYGROUND.
I REMEMBER THIS ONE TALL, VERY,
VERY TALL... WHEN I WAS THAT
LITTLE... AFRICAN-AMERICAN KID
CAME UP TO ME AND JUST STARTED
PICKING ON ME, SAYING WHY ARE
YOU WEARING THAT TOWEL ON YOUR
HEAD?
AND HE LITERALLY STARTED BEATING
ME UP.
I LOOKED TO MY FRIENDS AND THEY
BOTH DASHED.
THEY RAN.
THEY RAN AS FAST AS THEY COULD.
THESE GUYS LEFT ME OVER HERE TO
GET MY ASS KICKED.
THE NEXT THING I KNOW I SEE A
MOB OF 15 SOUTH ASIANS COMING
RUNNING TO THAT PARK.
IT WAS MY DAD, THE NEIGHBOUR,
THE NEIGHBOUR'S KIDS.
PEOPLE I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE.
AND THEY ALL RAN UP AND THEY ALL
WERE LIKE, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU
DOING?
AND THEY GRABBED THIS KID BY THE
COLLAR AND SAID IF YOU EVER MESS
WITH ONE OF OUR KIDS HERE AGAIN,
YOU WILL NOT HEAR THE END OF IT.
AND THAT SORT OF WAS LIKE THE
NUTSHELL OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE
GROWING UP, YOU KNOW, YOU GET
PICKED ON BUT THEN YOU ALSO GET
SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AS
WELL WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
Steve says WHAT YEAR DID THAT HAPPEN?
Chandan says THAT WAS PROBABLY MID '90s.
Steve says SO AT LEAST 20 YEARS AGO.
Chandan says YEAH.
Steve says TODAY, DIFFERENT?
Chandan says TODAY IS DIFFERENT, YEAH.
TODAY IS DIFFERENT.
I FEEL LIKE THE KIDS NOWADAYS,
THEY HAVE IT SO EASY.
IN THE SENSE WHERE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE TURBANS PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DIFFERENT FAITHS ARE INCLUDED.
THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION AND
KNOWLEDGE SPREAD ABOUT PEOPLE OF
DIFFERENT FAITHS NOWADAYS IN THE
SCHOOLING SYSTEM AND IN
DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS AS WELL.
YOU LOOK AT BRAMPTON AND KIDS
GETTING RAISED UP THERE,
EVERYBODY AROUND THEM LOOKS LIKE
THEM.
WHEN I WAS BEING RAISED, I WAS
THE ONE AND ONLY SIKH TURBAN IN
MY SCHOOL ALL THE WAY FROM
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 12.
IT WAS A GRADE SCHOOL BLEND BUT
STILL I WOULD GET PICKED ON.
PEOPLE WOULD STILL SEE YOU AS
DIFFERENT.
Steve says PROBABLY TAUGHT YOU
SOME RESILIENCE, THOUGH, THAT
TYPE OF THING?
Chandan says OF COURSE.
IT TOUGHENS YOU UP.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT STAY WITH
YOU, EVEN 15, 20 YEARS LATER.
IT GIVES YOU A THICK SKIN.
Steve says GULSHAN, I WANT YOU
TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND,
MAY HE REST IN PEACE, RAN THE
RESTAURANT WITH A LOYAL STAFF.
THEN HE DIES.
NOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT OVER.
AND I WONDER WHAT THAT WAS LIKE
FOR YOU TO TRY AND WALK IN THOSE SHOES?
Gulshan says VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
NOT ONLY WAS I JUST DEALING WITH
THE GRIEF OF HIS LOSS AND ALSO
TRYING TO HELP MY KIDS WITH THE
LOSS OF THEIR FATHER, WHICH IS
VERY DIFFICULT, BUT COMING INTO
A BUSINESS WHERE THEY DIDN'T
WANT ME THERE.
THE STAFF DIDN'T WANT ME THERE.
Steve says WHY NOT?
Gulshan says FOR A LOT OF REASONS: ONE,
BOSS IS BOSS.
BOSSES RUN IT A VERY DIFFERENT
WAY.
THEY CALL ME BOBBI, WHICH MEANS
BOSS' WIFE.
I WAS BROUGHT UP HERE.
IT WAS SYSTEMIC.
IT WAS BLACK AND WHITE.
YES, WE'RE FRIENDS, BUT YOU'RE
ALSO AN EMPLOYER AND THERE ARE
EXPECTATIONS.
SO I RAN IT VERY DIFFERENT FROM
HOW THE BOSS RAN IT.
THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE PIECE THAT
I WAS COMING IN AND ALSO BEING A
WOMAN, I THINK THAT MADE A HUGE
DIFFERENCE.
Steve says I WAS JUST GOING TO
ASK YOU THAT.
A MALE LEADER VERSUS A FEMALE LEADER.
YOU SAW A DIFFERENCE?
Gulshan says HUGE.
I REMEMBER WHEN I USED TO WATCH
UMAR RUN THE RESTAURANT.
HE WOULD SAY STUFF AND EVERYBODY
WOULD LISTEN.
WHEN I CAME IN AND SAID
SOMETHING, IT WASN'T TAKEN THE
SAME. I FELT THEY DIDN'T TAKE ME
SERIOUSLY.
I HAD TO WORK TEN TIMES HARDER
TO GET THE SAME TASKS DONE.
Steve says THERE IS A JOKE
ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW?
FOR WOMEN TO GET AHEAD, THEY
HAVE TO WORK TEN TIMES HARDER,
MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY
THAN MEN.
FORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT THAT HARD
TO DO.
THAT'S THE JOKE.
ANYWAY...
Gulshan says I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
I SAW MY STRENGTHS, DEFINITELY,
THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT ALSO I
FOUND THAT, YES, WE CAN
MULTITASK AND THAT'S ONE THING I
WAS ABLE TO DO, WAS RAISING TWO
BOYS AND RUNNING THE RESTAURANT.
BUT THE GENDER ISSUE WAS
SOMETHING THAT REALLY SHOCKED
ME.
YEAH, I KNOW I'M A SOCIAL
WORKER, I KNOW THERE ARE GENDER
ISSUES.
BUT I ACTUALLY HAD TO FACE IT.
Steve says WHEN DID YOU TAKE
OVER THE RESTAURANT?
Gulshan says I TOOK OVER THE RESTAURANT...
HE PASSED AWAY OCTOBER... SORRY,
NOVEMBER 6TH, 2013, AND I HAD TO
TAKE THE RESTAURANT OVER
NOVEMBER 7TH, 2013.
Steve says SO IT'S ALMOST...
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST FOUR YEARS
LATER.
Gulshan says YES.
Steve says ARE YOU ACCEPTED NOW
AS THE NEW PERSON IN CHARGE?
Gulshan says YEAH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING.
I WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND OF
MINE AND I'M GOING, I WENT
THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS NOT
ONLY WITH MY HUSBAND BUT ALSO
LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE.
I COULDN'T ACCEPT THE FACT... I
HATED BEING THERE.
IT WAS A HUGE STRUGGLE.
I WENT THROUGH EVERY PROCESS OF
THE GRIEVING PROCESS WITH THE
RESTAURANT, AND NOW FINALLY I
THINK I'M AT, OKAY, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
I'M GOING TO ACCEPT IT.
I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE EVERYONE
LOVE THE RESTAURANT OR LOVE THE
FOOD, BUT IT'S OKAY.
AS LONG AS I'M DOING THE BEST
AND GIVING THE BEST.
SO I'M AT THAT ACCEPTANCE STAGE
FINALLY.
Steve says I KNOW YOUR OLDER
SON SAYS WE ARE NOT LETTING THIS
RESTAURANT GO BECAUSE (a)
THAT'S HIS CONNECTION TO HIS DAD
AND MAYBE HIS FUTURE IN BUSINESS
AS WELL, RIGHT?
The caption changes to "The future."
Gulshan says I THINK YOU'RE SO RIGHT.
I THINK ALSO ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS I HAD TO DO WAS I HAD TO
KEEP HIS MEMORY ALIVE AND IT WAS
THE RESTAURANT THAT WAS MY ONLY
VEHICLE TO MAKE MY SONS KNOW
THAT ABBA IS STILL THERE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL THEIR
FATHER.
YOU'RE RIGHT.
THEY FEEL LIKE HIS MEMORY IS
THERE AND HIS LEGACY IS THERE.
Steve says NINA, I THINK IT'S
TIME TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT
ANOTHER CLIP FROM YOUR
DOCUMENTARY.
SHALL WE HERE?
AND THIS ONE'S ON YOU.
LET'S SEE CHANDAN FASHION AT
WORK.
SHELDON, ROLL IT, PLEASE.
Another clip from the documentary plays. In the clip, a bearded man in his fifties who wears a white and pink turban walks in a shop with dozens of saris and gowns on display. Then, he lights an incense stick and places it in a holder.
A male voice says MY FATHER IS AS TRADITIONAL
AS CAN BE AS AN INDIAN MERCHANT.
HE'S LEARNED FROM HIS FATHER
BACK IN INDIA.
I'M ACTUALLY THIRD GENERATION IN
THE INDIAN BRIDAL BUSINESS.
HE'S BASICALLY DONE THINGS THE
WAY HIS DAD DID THINGS BACK HOME
IN INDIA.
IT'S ALL VERY OLD SCHOOL.
The man says IF YOU NEVER LEARN ANYTHING,
I'M NEVER SUCCESSFUL.
HIS FATHER TAUGHT ME.
He points up at a portrait of an elderly man with a turban that hangs high up on a wall.
Then, Chandan walks in the store holding a piece of golden fabric.
He says I AM A FIRST GENERATION
CANADIAN, BORN AND RAISED IN TORONTO.
I DO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF PEOPLE
LOOKING FOR BUSINESS BEING
CONDUCTED A CERTAIN WAY.
He walks among women trying on gowns.
He gestures and says DAD, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WONDERING IF YOU'RE GIVING THE
WOW FACTOR OR NOT.
FOUR THUMBS UP OVER HERE.
The clip ends.
Steve says TWO THINGS: NUMBER
ONE, WAS I RIGHT ABOUT HOW
GORGEOUS THE STUFF IS THERE?
MY GOODNESS.
FANTASTIC.
NUMBER TWO, IS THAT FOR SALE?
Chandan says THAT'S HIS PRIZED POSSESSION.
Steve says FASHION I KNOW
NOTHING ABOUT, BUT THAT LEAF
CLOCK I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
YOU SAY IN THE PIECE, YOU KNOW,
YOUR DAD'S OLD SCHOOL AND YOU'VE
PROBABLY GOT SOME NEW IDEAS.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RESOLVE ALL
OF THAT?
Chandan says WE... I'M ALWAYS PRESENTING
NEW IDEAS AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY
BUTTING HEADS.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES A FAMILY
BUSINESS A FAMILY BUSINESS.
SOMETIMES WE'RE LIKE, DAD, WE'VE
GOT TO DO THIS OR THAT.
I'LL ARGUE WITH HIM FOR THREE
MONTHS UNTIL I CAN FINALLY PROVE
MY POINT.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST "GO FOR IT,
DO IT."
IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
Steve says IS HE GIVING YOU THE
LICENCE TO BRANCH OUT AND DO NEW THINGS?
Chandan says I'M SUPER FORTUNATE TO HAVE
THE SUPPORT OF MY PARENTS.
NO MATTER WHAT, AT THE END OF
THE DAY, THEY'RE SO SUPPORTIVE.
THEY KNOW I'M THE NEW
GENERATION.
THEY KNOW THAT MY GENERATION IS
THE ONE THAT'S SORT OF BUYING
NOW AND NOT HIS ANYMORE.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT.
THEY'RE VERY INTELLECTUAL ABOUT
THAT.
SO THEY DO GIVE ME THE FULL
SUPPORT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME ALSO, YOU
KNOW, GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH
THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, I HIRED A NEW
CASHIER AND HER NAME IS MEGAN,
SHE IS NOT INDIAN, SHE IS
CAUCASIAN.
BUT I WANTED THE BUSINESS TO
SORT OF BE RUN A CERTAIN WAY.
AS SOON AS I HIRED HER, I KNEW
HE WOULDN'T SAY NO BECAUSE OUR
CASH REGISTER IS ALMOST LIKE A
SACRED PLACE.
IT'S WHERE WE DO OUR MORNING
PRAYERS.
IT'S WHERE WE SAY THANKS FOR
EVERYTHING WE GET.
AT NIGHTTIME WE CLOSE UP AND SAY
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, EVEN IF
YOU DIDN'T GET MUCH BUSINESS,
YOU'RE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL.
YOU DO YOUR INNOCENCE, HAVE
PICTURES OF YOUR GOD.
SO WHEN I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO
HAPPEN, I DIDN'T ASK THEM.
I ASKED HER TO COME IN ON MONDAY
AND SHE WAS THERE ON MONDAY AND
MOM AND DAD ARE LOOKING, WHO IS
THIS GIRL?
WHY IS SHE HERE?
LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY, MY MOM
AND DAD BOTH SAT ME DOWN OVER
LUNCH AND THEY GAVE ME AN HOUR
LECTURE ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE
DOING, AND SOMETHING I'VE
LEARNED IS THAT THE MORE
RESISTANCE YOU GET, THE MORE
CLOSER YOU ARE TO SUCCESS.
THE MORE OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE TO
GROW.
SO I'M LISTENING, MAYBE THEY'RE
RIGHT.
MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW,
MESSING WITH THEIR KARMA OR XI,
VIBE OVER HERE.
I KNOW I'M GOING THE RIGHT WAY.
Steve says IS MEGAN STILL THERE?
Chandan says MEGAN IS STILL THERE.
SHE'S BECOME THE UNOFFICIAL NEW
DAUGHTER OF CHANDAN FASHION.
THEY LOVE HER THERE.
ALL THE NEW THINGS WE'RE DOING,
RENOVATING, A GOOD FRIEND HAS
HELPED ME RENOVATE.
WE'VE DONE THE THIRD FLOOR.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE SECOND AND
FIRST.
IT'S THE NEW CULTURE WE'RE
BRINGING IN.
WITHOUT THE NEW DIRECTION, THERE
WOULDN'T BE MUCH ROOM FOR
GROWTH.
Steve says GOTCHA.
SUMAIYAH, I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU
TOLD US ABOUT YOU AND YOUR
MOTHER AND THE BUSINESS
BACKGROUND THERE.
YOU HAVE A YOUNGER SISTER?
Sumaiyah says YES.
Steve says SHE IS NOW BEING
BROUGHT INTO THE BUSINESS?
Sumaiyah says KIND OF.
Steve says HOW IS THAT WORKING
OUT, THREE STRONG-WILLED
PERSONALITIES TRYING TO FIGURE
THIS OUT?
Sumaiyah says SHE IS A BIT OF A REBELLIOUS CHILD.
SHE IS A TOMBOY.
SHE HAS HER OWN THING.
SHE LOVES DANCE.
SHE'S NOT INTO AESTHETICS OR THE
SALON BUSINESS.
SHE WANTS TO BE A POLICE
OFFICER.
YOU'LL SEE HER A LITTLE PART IN
THE DOCUMENTARY WHERE SHE REALLY
OPENS UP ABOUT HER UPBRINGING
AND ABOUT HOW MANY, LIKE,
STRUGGLES SHE FACED BECAUSE SHE
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH JUVENILE
ARTHRITIS.
I GUESS IT KIND OF GAVE HER A
LEEWAY, IN A WAY, BECAUSE MY
PARENTS NEVER PRESSURED HER.
THEY NEVER HAD THE EXPECTATIONS
THAT THEY HAD WITH ME.
I DON'T SEE HER KIND OF, YOU
KNOW, BEING IN THE SAME
FOOTSTEPS AS MY PARENTS.
Steve says LET ME FOLLOW UP
WITH KANWELJIT.
WE HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT TO ASK
YOU THIS QUESTION.
THE BUSINESS STARTED WITH YOUR
GRANDFATHER AND THEN YOUR FATHER
AND NOW YOU AND NOW YOUR SON.
DO YOU WANT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN
INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS?
Kanweljit says YES AND NO.
TO BE VERY FRANK, IT'S A LITTLE
BIT HANKY PANKY AND THAT WILL
NOT BE SO EASY.
WHOSO EVER IS GOING IN THE THIRD
OR FOURTH GENERATION, I WISH
THEM THE FOURTH AND FIFTH
GENERATION.
Steve says NINA, LET ME GIVE
YOU THE LAST WORD.
THERE'S NOT ONLY THE FILM THAT'S
OBVIOUSLY ON TOMORROW NIGHT BUT
YOU'VE GOT A WEBSITE AS WELL.
WHAT WILL PEOPLE FIND AT THE
WEBSITE?
Nina says ON
JULY 1ST, IN TANDEM WITH THE
PREMIERE OF THE FILM.
Steve says SATURDAY NIGHT, I
SHOULD SAY.
Nina says WE'LL BE RELEASING 20 WEB
DOCUMENTARIES WHICH ARE SHORT
PORTRAITS OF OTHER BUSINESSES IN
THE BAZAAR.
I WANTED THIS PROJECT TO BE VERY
INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE IN THE
BAZAAR, AND SO THEY'RE VERY
HEARTWARMING PERSONAL PORTRAITS
THAT EXPLORE SIMILAR ISSUES TO
THE FILM.
The caption changes to "Producer: Sandra Gionas, @sandragionas."
Then, it changes again to "For more information: villageofdreams.ca."
Steve says THAT SOUNDS AWESOME.
CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING IT DONE.
IT'S REALLY A TERRIFIC... ONE OF
THE NICE THINGS ABOUT WORKING
HERE, YOU GET TO SEE THE
DOCUMENTARIES BEFORE THEY
ACTUALLY SHOW UP ON TELEVISION.
I'VE SEEN IT AND IT'S GREAT.
CONGRATULATIONS.
AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR
COMING IN TODAY AND SHARING SOME
OF YOUR STORIES WITH US.
THIS WAS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE
FILM AS WELL AND THE PEOPLE
FEATURED IN IT ON THE FILM'S
WEBSITE, AS JUST INDICATED,
THAT'S VILLAGEOFDREAMS.CA AND
YOU CAN WATCH THE WORLD
BROADCAST PREMIERE OF NINA'S
DOCUMENTARY, "LITTLE INDIA:
VILLAGE OF DREAMS." IT'S ON
SATURDAY NIGHT, 9PM ON TVO AND
STREAMING ON THE WEB AT
TVO.org/DOCUMENTARIES.
A slate appears on screen, with fast clips of the documentary and a text that reads "Saturday on TVO, 9 pm. Little India: Village of Dreams. Also streaming at tvo.org/documentaries."
An animated caption reads "TVO, Canada 150, Ontario 150."
Then, it changes to "A South Asian bazaar in Canada. @spaikin, @theagenda."
Steve says MANY CITIES HAVE A
CHINATOWN OR A LITTLE ITALY.
BUT THE BUSTLING DIVERSITY OF
ONTARIO'S CAPITAL CITY MEANS AN
EVEN RICHER MOSAIC, ONE THAT
INCLUDES NORTH AMERICA'S OUTDOOR
LARGEST SOUTH ASIAN MARKET.
IT'S KNOWN AS THE GERRARD INDIA
BAZAAR, IT'S A VITAL PART OF THE
CITY'S FABRIC, AND THE SUBJECT
OF A NEW DOCUMENTARY, "LITTLE
INDIA: VILLAGE OF DREAMS," THAT
WILL HAVE ITS WORLD BROADCAST
PREMIERE ON TVO ON SATURDAY.
HERE TO TELL US MORE:
NINA BEVERIDGE, PRODUCER AND
DIRECTOR OF THE DOCUMENTARY...
Nina is in her fifties, with chin-length wavy brown hair. She's wearing a dark gray blouse.
Steve continues SUMAIYAH SHAH, HENNA ARTIST AT
FOREVER BEAUTY SALON AND SPA...
Sumaiyah is in her twenties. She's wearing a gray hijab and a pink blouse.
Steve continues GULSHAN ALIBHAI, OWNER OF THE
POPULAR RESTAURANT, LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE...
Gulshan is in her forties, with long wavy chestnut hair. She's wearing a burgundy blouse.
Steve continues CHANDAN SINGH, WHO WORKS WITH
HIS PARENTS AT CHANDAN FASHION...
Chandan is in his twenties, with a prominent black beard and a curly mustache. He's wearing glasses, a black turban, a gray suit, and a spotted green shirt.
Steve continues AND KANWELJIT KHORANA,
PROPRIETOR OF KALA KENDAR, ONE
OF THE OLDEST BUSINESSES IN THE
GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR.
Kanweljit is in his fifties, with a full black beard. He's wearing glasses, a black turban, gray suit, purple shirt, and matching tie.
Steve continues I'M DELIGHTED TO WELCOME THE
FILMMAKER AND ALL OF THE
PROTAGONISTS OF THIS WONDERFUL
DOCUMENTARY WHICH I HAVE SEEN
AND IT'S GREAT, CONGRATULATIONS,
TO OUR TABLE HERE AT TVO.
I WANT TO GIVE OUR AUDIENCE A
CHANCE TO FIND OUT A LITTLE ABOUT YOU.
LET'S GO AROUND THE TABLE AND
START BY TELLING US, CHANDAN,
WHERE DO YOU WORK, HOW LONG YOU
WORKED THERE, WHAT DO YOU DO?
The caption changes to "Chandan Singh. Chandan Fashion."
Chandan says SURE.
I WORK WITH MY FAMILY BUSINESS
AT CHANDAN FASHION.
I STARTED OUT PART-TIME...
ANYONE KNOWS WITH A FAMILY
BUSINESS, YOU SORT OF WORK THERE
AS A KID GROWING UP AND YOU SORT
OF WATCH YOUR PARENTS INTERACT
WITH CUSTOMERS, SEEING WHAT THEY
DO, SALES, ETC., AND THE LAST 5
YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE FULL-TIME
AFTER DOING HONOURS IN MARKETING
AND I TRY TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
Steve says WHAT ARE YOU IN THE
BUSINESS OF DOING?
A picture shows the three-storey shop, located on a corner and painted bright blue and pink.
Chandan says WE OWN A SARI AND BRIDAL
BOUTIQUE.
IF YOU'RE SOUTH ASIAN OR
MARRYING SOMEONE SOUTH ASIA, YOU
COME TO OUR STORE IN LITTLE
INDIA AND WE'D GET YOU DRESSED
UP THE DAY OF.
Steve says YOUR CLOTHING, I
HAVE SO SAY, IS SPECTACULAR.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY GORGEOUS.
Chandan says WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THE
THINGS WE OFFER AND MYSELF, MY
MOM, MY DAD, WE TAKE TURNS AND
GO TO INDIA AND PROCURE THE ITEMS.
NOT VERY MUCH IS AUTO SELECTED.
WE ALL HAVE OUR LITTLE FLAVOUR
OF WHAT WE CARRY INTO OUR ITEMS.
Steve says AND TEN TIMES MORE
SELECTION THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN
THE BUSINESS.
Chandan says I WOULD SAY SO, YES.
Steve says THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID
IN THE DOCUMENTARY.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I WOULD NORMALLY SAY LET'S TALK
AFTERWARDS ABOUT FIXING ME UP IN
SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW.
I'M KIND OF SUIT AND TIE.
Chandan says YOU'D BE SURPRISED AT THE
THINGS AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE LOTS...
Steve says WE'LL TALK.
GULSHAN, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT
YOU DO AND FOR HOW LONG AND
WHERE IT IS?
A picture shows a few dozen people looking at clothes on an open-air market by a large yellow building at night.
The caption changes to "Gulshan Alibhai. Lahore Tikka House."
Gulshan says MY HUSBAND
OPENED UP LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE IN
1986 AND I STARTED OFF AS FIRST
CASHIER, WAITRESS, AND SOMETIMES
HELPING HIM MAKE THE FOOD IN THE
BACK.
AND I WAS ALSO MOONLIGHTING
THERE, AS I ALSO WORK AS A
SOCIAL WORKER AT THE CANADIAN
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION FOR
ABOUT 20 YEARS AND SUDDENLY HE
PASSED AWAY ABOUT THREE AND A
HALF YEARS AGO SO I HAD TO COME
IN FULL-TIME AND PULL UP MY
SLEEVES AND BE THE BOSS.
SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT THREE AND A
HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE
FULL-TIME.
Steve says WHERE IS THE PLACE EXACTLY?
Gulshan says THE PLACE IS AT 1365 GERRARD
STREET EAST.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL ORANGE
BUILDING.
YOU CAN'T MISS IT.
Steve says AND YOU'VE GOT KIDS
WHO ARE MORE OR LESS INTERESTED
IN THE BUSINESS, RIGHT?
Gulshan says I HAVE A 16-YEAR-OLD AND A
12-YEAR-OLD THAT SOMETIMES COME
AND HELP ME AT THE RESTAURANT.
THEY'RE SAYING, MOM, YOU CAN'T
SELL IT BECAUSE ONE DAY WE WANT
TO TAKE IT OVER.
Steve says THEY'RE SAYING THAT NOW.
DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT'S GOING
TO BE THE CASE?
Gulshan says IT REALLY DEPENDS HOW WELL
THEY DO IN UNIVERSITY AND IF
THEY GET A JOB OR NOT.
IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON THAT, I
GUESS.
RIGHT NOW ONE OF ADAM'S FRIENDS
CAME TO EAT AT THE RESTAURANT,
BEN, AND HE SAID I THINK YOU
SHOULD FRANCHISE THIS PLACE.
I THINK HE'S GOT SOME IDEAS
HAPPENING NOW.
Steve says GOOD, OKAY.
SUMAIYAH, TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.
A picture shows a small storefront in daytime.
The caption changes to "Sumaiyah Shah. Forever Beauty Salon and Spa."
Sumaiyah says SO I'VE GROWN UP ON GERRARD STREET.
WE LIVED ON GERRARD FOR ALMOST
15 YEARS.
MY MOM HAD A SALON AND SPA, IT'S
CALLED FOREVER YOUNG NOW.
IT USED TO BE CALLED ROSE SALON
AT ONE POINT.
AND I LEARNED AESTHETICS, I
LEARNED HENNA.
I DON'T DO THAT THERE AT THE
LOCATION ANYMORE BECAUSE I GOT
MARRIED AND MOVED TO
MISSISSAUGA, BUT I DO HAVE MY
OWN BUSINESS, MY OWN HENNA
BUSINESS.
BUT I OPERATE MYSELF...
Steve says I'VE SEEN YOU DO IT
IN THE DOC.
YOU'RE REALLY TALENTED.
Sumaiyah says THANK YOU.
Steve says YOU'RE NOT
DEMONSTRATING ANY OF IT TODAY.
Sumaiyah shows her hands and says
MY HANDS ARE ALWAYS STAINED
LIKE THIS.
I WAS JUST DOING A BRIDE THIS
MORNING, ACTUALLY.
I DON'T GET TO SEE MY HANDS
DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS BECAUSE
THERE ARE SO MANY WEDDINGS GOING
ON, SO MANY BRIDAL APPOINTMENTS.
Steve says WHEN YOU DO YOUR
MOST ELABORATE WORK THAT GOES UP
THE ARM, EVERYTHING, HOW LONG
CAN THAT TAKE?
Sumaiyah says IT CAN TAKE UP TO 8 HOURS IF
IT'S REALLY THAT ELABORATE.
THE MOST I'VE DONE, IT WAS 8 HOURS.
Steve says HOW DID YOU LEARN
HOW TO DO IT?
Sumaiyah says IT'S SELF-TAUGHT.
I USED TO JUST DO A LITTLE ON MY
LEG, MY HAND, ON MY BROTHER'S
LEG SOMETIMES.
AND I JUST LEARNED BY DOODLING
AND CREATING STUFF.
Steve says TERRIFIC.
KANWELJIT, ARE YOU READY TO GO?
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, HOW
LONG YOU'VE BEEN THERE, HOW LONG
YOU'VE BEEN THE KING?
A picture shows a storefront with a window featuring mannequins clad in long gowns made of pink and white silk. A sign reads "Kala Kendar."
The caption changes to "Kanweljit Khorana. Kala Kendar."
Kanweljit says I'M CEO
OF KALA KENDAR AND I CAME TO
THIS COUNTRY IN 1976 AFTER
HAVING COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF
FABRIC AND TEXTILES FROM MY
FATHER WHO HAD A COMPANY IN
JAPAN FROM 1946.
SO WHEN I CAME TO GERRARD STREET
TO JOIN MY PARENT COMPANY, WHICH
IS LOCAL SARI, AND KALA KENDAR,
THE SISTER COMPANY, AND I FIND
THAT IT'S GETTING VERY HARD TO
COME TO THE AREA WHICH IS KIND
OF... NOT HANDLED PROPERLY.
SO WE STARTED KALA KENDAR EVERY
DAY, KIND OF GROUP OVER THERE,
TO MAKE IT KALA KENDAR AS WELL
AS THE GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR.
AND FORTUNATELY DUE TO THE HELP
OF THE CITY OF TORONTO AND THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE MADE
GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR ONE OF THE
BEST IN NORTH AMERICA.
Steve says AMEN TO THAT.
KALA KENDAR, DOES THAT TRANSLATE
TO SOMETHING IN ENGLISH?
Kanweljit says YES, "ART CENTRE," ACTUALLY.
Steve says YOU'RE FROM WHERE
ORIGINALLY?
Kanweljit says I WAS BORN IN A DIFFERENT
COUNTRY, INDONESIA.
THEN AFTER EDUCATION IN IF
INDONESIA, I WENT TO JAPAN TO
JOIN MY FATHER IN 1962.
HE HAD A SUCCESSFUL EXPORT
COMPANY.
Steve says AND FAMILY INVOLVED
IN YOUR BUSINESS AS WELL?
Kanweljit says AT THAT TIME THE WHOLE FAMILY
WAS IN JAPAN AND WE EXPORTED ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
SOMETIME IN 1970s... 1976,
JAPAN WAS NOT GETTING BETTER FOR
US SO WE TRIED TO MOVE TO NORTH
AMERICA.
Steve says ARE YOUR FAMILY
MEMBERS INVOLVED NOW?
Kanweljit says YES, YES.
FIRST WE WANTED TO GO TO
AMERICA, BUT SOMEHOW WE SAID IT
WOULD BE BETTER TO GO TO CANADA.
Steve says GOOD CHOICE.
Kanweljit says WE OPENED TWO WHOLESALE
DEPARTMENTS, ONE IN VANCOUVER,
ONE IN TORONTO.
Steve says GOTCHA.
OKAY.
AS PEOPLE LOOK AT A WIDE SHOT OF
THIS SET AND THEY SEE NINA
BEVERIDGE MAKING A MOVIE ABOUT
ALL OF THIS SOUTH ASIAN
WONDROUSNESS, THEY MAY BE
WONDERING, WHAT'S WRONG WITH
THIS PICTURE?
BUT IN FACT YOU'RE BORN IN
INDIA, AREN'T YOU?
Nina says I WAS, YEAH.
Steve says DO YOU THINK THAT
PLANTED THE SEED FOR YOUR
INTEREST IN THIS DOCUMENTARY?
The caption changes to "Nina Beveridge. Filmmaker, 'Little India: Village of dreams.'"
Nina says OH, 100 PERCENT.
I HAVE GREAT AFFECTION FOR THE
CULTURE AND... THOUGH I ONLY
LIVED IN INDIA FOR ABOUT 5
YEARS, I WENT BACK TO DO A BIT
OF HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY
AND TRAVELLING.
MY PARENTS HAD A LONG-TIME
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTRY.
THEY MADE FILMS THERE.
THEY DID EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS
THERE.
AND THERE WERE MANY INDIANS IN
THE HOME, WE HAD INDIAN FOOD AND
DID A LOT OF TRAVELLING BACK AND
FORTH.
SO IT REALLY IS PART OF MY, YOU
KNOW, IN MY HEART.
AND WHEN TVO HAD A TENDER TO DO
SORT OF A CANADA 150 FILM THAT
REFLECTED ON DIVERSITY AND
CANADIAN IDENTITY, I LOOKED AT,
YOU KNOW, THE BIZARRE, WHICH IS
TWO... BAZAAR, WHICH IS TWO
BLOCKS FROM MY HOME, AND SAID I
HAVE TO DO THIS STORY.
Steve says YOU OBVIOUSLY HAD
THE BACKGROUND, YOU WANTED TO
TELL A STORY, BUT THIS IS REALLY
VERY CLOSE TO HOME, ISN'T IT?
Nina says IT'S QUITE SELFISH.
I LOVED IT.
I REALLY LOVED THE PROJECT.
I LOVED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT
OF RECONNECT WITH THE CULTURE,
TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND TO
REALLY DELVE INTO THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD, BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 20
YEARS BRINGING UP KIDS AND YOU
DON'T REALLY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU'RE
WORKING... BRINGING UP YOUR
CHILDREN TO SORT OF GO OUT AND,
YOU KNOW, EXPLORE ALL THE CAFES
AND SHOPS AND STUFF.
SO THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
REALLY DIVE IN AND GET DEEP AND
MEET PEOPLE.
I HAVE TO SAY IT TOOK A LITTLE
BIT OF TIME TO BUILD TRUST, BUT,
YOU KNOW, WE GOT THERE, AND I'VE
MET SOME AMAZING PEOPLE AND
CHARACTERS IN THE FILM AND IT'S
BEEN REALLY GOOD.
Steve says LET ME ASK YOU ONE
FOLLOW-UP ON THAT.
YOU'VE TRIED NOT TO HAVE ALL OF
YOUR PROTAGONISTS BE FROM THE
SAME PLACE IN SOUTH ASIA OR
HAVING THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS
OR BACKGROUNDS OR SAME
BUSINESSES KIND OF THING, YOU'VE
PICKED QUITE A LOT OF DIVERSITY
WITHIN A REGION OF THE WORLD.
HOW AND WHY DID YOU DO THAT?
Nina says WELL, IT WAS JUST... IT WAS
VERY INTENTIONAL.
I HAVE TO SAY I WANTED TO TELL A
STORY ABOUT A MUSLIM WOMAN.
I THINK IN THIS TIME OF KIND OF
ISLAMOPHOBIA, ETC., ETC., IT WAS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL
A REAL STORY, A POSITIVE STORY
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A TYPICAL
CANADIAN MUSLIM WHO IS DOING HER
THING.
AND SUMAIYAH WAS AMAZING.
SHE COMPLETELY GOT IT.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, JUST REPRESENT
YOURSELF.
AND SO I WANTED TO DO THAT.
AND THEN LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE AND
GULSHAN, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE
CHARACTERS HERE, THEY WERE ALL
GIFTS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE IS A SORT OF
FOUNDATION OF THE BAZAAR.
IT'S KNOWN FAR AND WIDE, YOU
KNOW.
PEOPLE SAY THEY GET OFF THE
PLANE FROM LONDON, ENGLAND, OR
NEW YORK OR THEY DRIVE UP FROM
DETROIT AND THE FIRST THING THEY
DO IS THEY GO TO THE RESTAURANT.
SO THAT WAS A PLACE THAT WE SORT
OF... YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO EXPLORE.
The caption changes to "Little India: Village of dreams. Saturday 9 PM. Also streaming on tvo.org/documentaries."
Nina continues AND KANWELJIT KHORANA, I WAS
VERY INTERESTED IN HIM BECAUSE
HE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE
FABRIC OF THE BAZAAR AND HOW IT
EVOLVED AND HE BROUGHT A LOT OF,
I THINK, SORT OF ENLIGHTENED
PRINCIPLE TO HOW THE BIA WAS
FORMED AND HOW A VERY DIVERSE
GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAD A LOT OF
POLITICS FROM BACK HOME CAME
TOGETHER, WORKED HARD.
THEIR FOCUS WAS ON THE FUTURE,
YOU KNOW, AND THEIR NEW HOME.
SO I REALLY WANTED TO INCLUDE
HIS FAMILY.
AND THEN CHANDAN FASHION WITH
THE BLUE AND PINK BUILDING,
CHANDAN, ALL THESE PLACES, YOU
WALK IN THE DOOR AND YOU MEET
THESE PEOPLE, THEY HAVE TO BE IN
THE FILM.
NOW, ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF IT WAS, WE WANTED TO
FOCUS ON THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO THE CHILDREN WHO EITHER CAME
HERE VERY YOUNG OR WERE BORN IN
CANADA, AND SO THEIR PARENTS
CAME AS THE IMMIGRANTS AND SORT
OF BORE THE BURDEN OF, YOU KNOW,
ADAPTING TO THE NEW HOME AND
LAUNCHING THE BUSINESSES.
WE WERE FOCUSING ON THE CHILDREN
AND HOW THEY HAVE TAKEN IT
FORWARD.
Steve says GOTCHA.
I WANT TO ASK YOU A VERY
POLITICALLY INCORRECT QUESTION HERE.
ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?
Gulshan says YES, I AM.
Steve says THE FILM CHRONICLES
A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL
QUITE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR
RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES AND I WANT
TO KNOW WHETHER THERE IS
SOMETHING... DO YOU BELIEVE
THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE SOUTH
ASIAN CULTURE THAT PRODUCES
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OR GREAT
BUSINESS PEOPLE?
Gulshan says WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS
I WAS BORN IN AFRICA, IN UGANDA,
AND WE CAME HERE IN 1972 AS
REFUGEES DURING IDI AMIN'S TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER
THAT.
MY GRANDFATHER CAME FROM A GREAT
JOB AND THEY WERE ENTREPRENEURS.
MY GRANDFATHER HAD THE FIRST
MASTER DEALERSHIP IN UGANDA.
ON MY MOM'S SIDE, A FIRST...
STORE.
I THINK IT IS IN THE BLOOD.
IT'S ALSO ECONOMIC SURVIVAL.
YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO
BUSINESS TO SURVIVE AND THEY
BROUGHT THAT WITH THEM FROM
INDIA TO AFRICA AND THEN THEY
BROUGHT IT TO CANADA.
I KNOW MY HUSBAND, HIS FAMILY
THE SAME.
THEY ALL CAME FROM VERY
ENTREPRENEUR FAMILIES FROM
INDIA, THEN TO AFRICA, AND THEN
TO ENGLAND, AND THEN HE BROUGHT
THAT TO CANADA BECAUSE HE... YOU
KNOW, HE WAS AN ENTREPRENEUR IN
EVERY RIGHT AND I THINK HE
LEARNED IT FROM HIS FOREFATHERS.
Steve says CHANDAN, I THINK YOU
TOLD THE FILMMAKER HERE TO MY
LEFT THAT YOU WERE QUOTE,
UNQUOTE, A PURE ENTREPRENEUR.
Chandan says YEAH.
Steve says IS THERE SOMETHING
TO THE NOTION BEHIND MY QUESTION?
The caption changes to "Chandan Singh, @chandanfashion."
Chandan says FOR SURE.
IT'S ALWAYS UP TO WHAT WERE WE
WERE DISCUSSING, FROM AN EARLY
CHILD, I REMEMBER SEEING MY
PARENTS GRINDING, HUSTLING,
DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO SURVIVE.
AND AS MUCH AS ENTREPRENEURSHIP
IS IN OUR BLOOD, IT'S ALSO FOR A
MOMENT OF TIME IT WAS OUR ONLY
OPTION.
YOU KNOW, COMING TO CANADA
UNEDUCATED IN THE TRADITIONAL
MEANS OF BEING EDUCATED, IT'S
EITHER YOU WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE
OR YOU WORK FOR YOURSELF.
AND THEN BEING THIRD GENERATION
IN THIS BUSINESS, I THINK IT
ALWAYS WAS THE ONLY OPTION FOR
ME TO WORK FOR MYSELF.
SO I REMEMBER AS A KID I WOULD,
YOU KNOW, BUY A BOX OF CHOCOLATE
BARS FROM THE GROCERY STORE ON
GERRARD STREET FROM BJ'S, AND I
WOULD BUY THE BOX FOR 20 BUCKS
AND I WOULD GO TO SCHOOL AT
LUNCHTIME AND SELL THE CHOCOLATE
BARS FOR $2 EACH.
I WOULD COME HOME WITH 20, 30
BUCKS AT THE END OF THE DAY AND
ACCUMULATE DAY AFTER DAY.
I'D MOVED ON TO BRACELETS I'D
GET FROM THE CHINESE STORE DOWN
THE STREET.
WHATEVER I COULD GET MY HANDS
ON, JUST TRY TO FLIP AND SELL.
The caption changes to "Connect with us: @theagenda, TVO.org, Facebook, YouTube, Periscope, Instagram."
Steve says YOUR PARENTS DIDN'T
TEACH YOU HOW TO DO IT...
Chandan says NO IN FACT MY PARENTS WOULD
SAY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
YOU SHOULD BE AT SCHOOL
STUDYING.
IT WAS IN MY DNA.
Steve says YOU ALREADY TOLD US
THAT YOUR FATHER'S GENERATION
WAS INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS.
Kanweljit says MY FOREFATHER, MY GRANDFATHER
STARTED THE BUSINESS.
Steve says SO IT GOES BACK MANY
GENERATIONS WITH YOU AS WELL.
Kanweljit says SO FAR
IT'S THE FOURTH ONE.
Steve says SUMAIYAH, LIKE
CHANDAN, YOU HAVE A GIFT FOR
THIS.
YOU'VE TOLD US ABOUT THAT
ALREADY.
YOUR BUSINESS HISTORY DOWN AT
THE BAZAAR, CAN YOU TELL US A
BIT ABOUT THAT?
Sumaiyah says YEAH.
SO MY MOM OPENED ROSE BEAUTY
SALON 14 YEARS AGO.
SHE GOT CHRONICALLY SICK AND I
WAS IN MY THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR
OF FULL-TIME UNIVERSITY, AND
THAT'S WHEN I HAD TO KIND OF
TAKE OVER COMPLETELY OVER THE
BUSINESS FOR HER.
Steve says HOW OLD WERE YOU AT
THE TIME?
Sumaiyah says I WAS 19.
19 YEARS OLD.
I HAD... I WAS REALLY INSPIRED
BY A SALON IN DOWNTOWN.
I OPENED MY SALON, IT'S I HENNA.
Steve says YOU'RE TAKING OVER
HER BUSINESS AND STARTING YOUR OWN?
Sumaiyah says I RENOVATED, I HAD ALMOST 13
TO 14 EMPLOYEES AT THAT TIME.
I DID A WHOLE GROUPON DEAL AND
WE SOLD LIKE 20,000, 25,000
GROUPONS, AND TO BE QUITE
HONEST, AT THAT TIME, LIKE I
FELT LIKE I BIT MORE THAN I
COULD CHEW.
AND THIS WAS ALL DURING
FULL-TIME STUDIES.
SO THAT TAUGHT ME A LESSON, BIG
LESSON, AND I DID END UP CLOSING
THE BUSINESS DOWN AT THAT TIME
BECAUSE I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH
SERVICE.
THINGS WERE FALLING APART.
AND SO I CLOSED THAT AND THEN MY
MOM REOPENED JUST DOWN THE
STREET, SHE REOPENED ANOTHER
SPOT.
SHE GOT BETTER AND SO SHE OPENED
FOREVER YOUNG WHICH IS ACROSS
THE STREET FROM LAHORE TIKKA
HOUSE.
Steve says AND SHE TOOK YOU
BACK IN.
Sumaiyah says AT THIS POINT I WAS MARRIED,
SO I HAD MOVED AWAY, BUT I DID
HELP HER ESTABLISH IT AGAIN,
START IT OFF AGAIN.
I DO ON AND OFF GO THERE TO HELP
HER OUT.
BUT MOST OF MY HENNA BUSINESS,
ACTUALLY MY BRIDAL BUSINESS,
DOES COME FROM THAT SALON.
Steve says SO YOU'RE A PARENT,
YOU ARE HELPING YOUR MOTHER WITH
HER BUSINESS, AND YOU HAVE
STARTED ANOTHER ONE?
Sumaiyah says YES.
I HAVE A Décor BUSINESS.
WE DO EVENT Décors FOR WEDDINGS MOSTLY.
Steve says ALSO IN THE BAZAAR?
Sumaiyah says NOT IN THE BAZAAR.
THIS IS MISSISSAUGA-BASED.
Steve says THAT'S IN MISSISSAUGA.
Sumaiyah says YES.
Steve says SO WHEN DO YOU SLEEP?
The caption changes to "Sumaiyah Shah, @Sumaiyahshenna."
Sumaiyah says I HAVEN'T SLEPT FOR FOUR YEARS.
[LAUGHTER]
Steve says I GET IT.
OKAY.
LET'S JUST HONE IN ON THE NAME
HERE FOR A SECOND.
THE GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR KIND OF
IMPLIES THAT THERE'S ONE CULTURE
AT PLAY HERE.
BUT IN FACT... LET ME ASK THE
FILMMAKER?
HOW MANY CULTURES WOULD YOU SEE
IF YOU GO DOWN THERE?
The caption changes to "Diversity."
Nina says IT'S
GENERALLY DESCRIBED AS A SOUTH
ASIAN BAZAAR BUT THE INDIAN
MONIKER IS PRESENT, MAYBE
BECAUSE THEY ARRIVED FIRST.
I WOULD SAY INDO-PAKISTANI.
WITHIN INDIA, THERE'S 29 STATES
AND OTHER TERRITORIES.
Steve says SRI LANKA AS WELL?
Nina says SRI LANKA, BANGLADESH, NEPAL,
I THINK THERE'S A TIBETAN
BUSINESS.
SO BASICALLY FROM THAT REGION OF
SOUTH ASIA.
EVEN THE INDIAN STORES ARE ALL
QUITE DIFFERENT, FROM SOUTH TO
NORTH, EAST TO WEST, THERE'S
QUITE A BIT OF DIVERSITY.
Steve says WELL, THIS IS WHAT I
WANT TO GET AT.
CHANDAN, I WANT TO FIND OUT
WHETHER OR NOT THE 60 SHOP AT
THE SIKH OWNED BUSINESSES, THE
SRI LANKANS, ETC., ETC., IS THAT
HOW IT WORKS?
Chandan says NOT AT ALL.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SPEAK FOR
OTHER BUSINESSES BUT ESPECIALLY
FOR OUR OWN.
THE OFFERING THAT WE CARRY, IT'S
SO DIVERSE AMONGST DIFFERENT
CULTURES.
A SARI WE CARRY, SOMEONE FROM A
DIFFERENT CULTURE COULD
DEFINITELY WEAR IT.
BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT MY DAD WAS
DOING AT A TIME... HE WAS
TALKING TO HIS CUSTOMERS AND
SAYING, HEY, WHAT DO YOU USUALLY
WEAR AT YOUR WEDDING?
AND ISMAILI PEOPLE COME AND SAY
WE WEAR WHITE SARIS.
TRADITIONALLY IN PUNJAB YOU
WOULD NOT WEAR WHITE ON YOUR
WEDDING DAY.
HE WOULD CATER TO WHAT THEY WERE
LOOKING FOR AND YOU WOULD SAY
MORE AND MORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
DIVERSE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES COMING IN.
Steve says THAT RAISES ANOTHER
QUESTION FOR ME WHICH IS,
KANWELJIT, THE PART OF THE WORLD
YOU CAME FROM CAN BE A TROUBLED
PART OF THE WORLD FROM TIME TO
TIME, YET IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT
SEEMS LIKE MOST OF THE DIFFERENT
ETHNIC GROUPS THAT INHABIT THE
BAZAAR GET ALONG PRETTY WELL.
IS THAT THE CASE?
Kanweljit says YEAH.
THE BAZAAR STARTED BEFORE THERE
WAS... I KNOW THERE'S ABOUT TEN
MEMBERS ONLY.
IT WAS GETTING HARDER AND
HARDER.
ON ONE SIDE THERE WAS A PROBLEM
OVER THERE AND WE WERE NOT
GETTING ALONG TOGETHER.
BUT WHEN WE HAD SOME PROBLEM, I
SAID, LISTEN, YOU GUYS ARE PART
OF THE ASSOCIATION.
KEEP IT IN MIND, WE ARE IN
BUSINESS.
WE ARE NOT POLITICIANS.
WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME A
POLITICIAN, WRITE IT DOWN, SO
THE CUSTOMER WON'T GO.
THEY AGREE.
WE STARTED WITH THE LOCAL
RESIDENTS.
THERE WERE SO MANY PROBLEMS, THE
PARKING, ESPECIALLY THERE WAS NO
VIDEO SYSTEM, THERE WAS A BIG
RUSH, ALL THE MOVIE GOERS, THEY
PARK WHEREVER THEY WANT, AND THE
LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE CRYING
ABOUT THAT.
SO WE APPROACHED THE CITY... THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SOMEHOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY
DIDN'T HELP US.
THEN WE WENT TO THE CITY OF
TORONTO.
SOMEHOW THEY DIDN'T HELP US.
THEN I SAID, LISTEN, WE GUYS
ARE... I HAD TO SHOW THAT WE ARE
PROUD, WE ARE EDUCATED PEOPLE.
EITHER YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
IT... WE WON'T RAISE A FIST.
WE DON'T LIKE IT THAT WAY.
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS ONE
ASSOCIATION BECAUSE WE WERE
HIGHLY PAKISTANI AND INDIAN.
WE HAD A GOOD CONNECTION WITH
THE CITY OF TORONTO AND POLICE.
WE SAID LET'S MAKE IT BIA.
Steve says BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
Kanweljit says YEAH, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA.
Steve says LET ME GO TO GULSHAN
WITH A FOLLOW-UP.
IS IT YOUR IMPRESSION THAT THE
PROBLEMS BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE WORLD HAVE OR HAVE NOT
MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE BAZAAR
ON TORONTO.
The caption changes to "Gulshan Alibhai, @LahoreTikkaHous."
Gulshan says IT'S INTERESTING.
OFTEN PEOPLE THINK MUSLIMS
ARE... ALL MUSLIMS IN TERMS OF
HOW THEY BELIEVE.
BUT MUSLIMS ARE VERY, VERY
DIVERSE.
AND ME BEING AN ISMAILI MUSLIM,
WHICH IS A SECT OF MUSLIMS,
OFTEN I HAVE OTHER MUSLIMS
COMING INTO THE RESTAURANT
SAYING, ARE YOU HALAL, RIGHT?
BECAUSE I COME FROM A SECT THAT
IS A LOT MORE LIBERAL.
SO I SEE THAT MORE THAN I DO IN
THE MICROCOSM OF LITTLE INDIA.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, CHANDAN AND I
PROBABLY HAVE MORE IN COMMON
BECAUSE WE'VE BOTH BEEN RAISED
HERE SO WE HAVE OUR VALUES AND
ETHICS SO THAT MIGHT BE MORE IN
COMMON THAN I WOULD WITH
SOMEBODY COMING FROM INDIA AND
PAKISTAN THREE OR FOUR YEARS
AGO.
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I SEE IN
TERMS OF DIFFERENCES, OLD AND
NEW.
Steve says LET ME ASK NINA
THEN, HOW WELL, IN YOUR
IMPRESSION, THE REST OF THE
COMMUNITY HAS EMBRACED THE WHOLE
SOUTH ASIAN PHENOMENON ON
GERRARD STREET?
Nina says IF YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTS AS WELL?
Steve says YEAH.
The caption changes to "Nina Beveridge, @littleindiato."
Nina says I THINK IN GENERAL IT IS A
UNIQUE AREA AND IT HAS BEEN
DOCUMENTED AS SUCH IN SORT OF
ACADEMIC STUDIES, THAT THE
GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR FORMED
BASICALLY IN A KIND OF I'D SAY
CAUCASIAN-EUROPEAN KIND OF
NEIGHBOURHOOD, SO THE SURROUNDS
ARE NOT NECESSARILY SOUTH ASIAN.
THERE'S A FEW, OF COURSE.
AND WHEN EVERYONE MOVED IN, THEY
MOVED IN OVER THEIR STORES.
BUT IT IS A BIT DIFFERENT THAT
WAY.
HOWEVER, THAT SAID, IN GENERAL
TODAY, I'D SAY THE RESIDENTS
LOVE THE BAZAAR.
THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
IF THERE'S NOISE.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES THERE'S, YOU
KNOW, BUMPUPS IN TERMS OF BELIEF
SYSTEMS ABOUT INDEPENDENCE DAY
FOR EITHER INDIA OR PAKISTAN,
TOO MANY PEOPLE HOOTING OR
HOLLERING, BUT THAT'S TYPICAL OF
GRUMPY RESIDENTS AND PROBABLY AN
ASPECT OF BEING NEAR THE BEACH.
THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE RESIDENTS.
Steve says WOULD YOU AGREE WITH
THE OBSERVATION THAT IN THE MAIN
PEOPLE HAVE PUT THEIR OLD WORLD
POLITICS BEHIND THEM AND ARE
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE?
Nina says I WOULD SAY 100 PERCENT, AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
FOUND VERY INSPIRING ABOUT THIS
FILM.
YOU KNOW, IT IS I THINK A VERY
CANADIAN STORY OF ENDEAVOUR,
WHERE PEOPLE CAME HERE FROM ALL
OVER.
THEY SHARED... THEY CAME TO THE
BAZAAR BECAUSE THEY SHARED A
COMMON LANGUAGE, OR A FEW COMMON
LANGUAGES, AND COMMON CULTURE TO
SORT OF BOLSTER THEMSELVES AND
ADAPT TO THIS NEW WORLD, AND IN
GENERAL, THEY'VE COLLECTIVELY
PROSPERED AND DONE VERY WELL.
NOT EVERYONE HAS, OF COURSE.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE ASPECT OF
THE CHANGING BAZAAR TODAY.
Steve says LET'S SHOW A CLIP
FROM YOUR MOVIE, SHALL WE?
Nina says SURE.
Steve says KANWELJIT, YOU'LL
LIKE THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS YOUR
SON MIKI.
THIS IS MIKI ESTABLISHING A
MUSIC DEPARTMENT IN YOUR STORE
ON THE FLOOR WHERE I GUESS YOU
PREVIOUSLY USED TO LIVE.
THAT WAS PART OF THE LIVING
SPACE THERE.
SHELDON, LET'S ROLL THE CLIP AND
WE'LL COME BACK AND CHAT.
A clip plays on screen with the caption "Little India: Village of dreams. Saturday 9 pm and streaming at tvo.org/documentaries."
In the clip, a bearded man in his forties who wears a black turban tunes a string instrument.
(music plays)
Then, he stands behind a counter with several instruments hanging on a wall behind him.
He says I GREW UP IN THE LATE '70s,
EARLY '80s.
SO LET'S JUST SAY INDIANS WERE
NOT AS WELCOMED AS THEY ARE TODAY.
A slate appears on screen that reads "Fear spreading in East Indian neighbourhood. Globe and Mail, May 24, 1980.
East Indian hit. Man, 21, convicted of racial assault. Globe and Mail, March 4, 1977.
East Indians found butt of student prejudice, report says talk of 'Paki-busting' is horrifying. Globe and Mail, January 13, 1977."
Miki continues THERE WASN'T A DAY THAT WENT BY
IN PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT I GOT INTO
A FIGHT OVER MY TURBAN OR MY
HAIR, AND I CAME HOME WITH MY HAIR OPEN.
THAT MADE ME STRONGER.
IN HIGH SCHOOL, SOMEONE CASUALLY
SAID TO ME, YOU'RE OLDER NOW.
WHY DO YOU NEED A TURBAN?
WHY DON'T YOU CUT YOUR HAIR?
THEN IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR
ALL THOSE YEARS THAT I FOUGHT TO
KEEP MY HAIR.
I'M ONLY KEEPING AND CONTINUING
FAITH TO MY RELIGION BECAUSE OF
WHAT I WENT THROUGH AS A CHILD.
The clip ends.
Steve says CHANDAN, LET'S HIT
THIS ON THE HEAD.
HOW COMMON WAS RACISM IN THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD IN YOUR EXPERIENCE?
Chandan says IT WAS THERE.
IT WAS THERE.
I REMEMBER TELLING THE STORY TO
NINA EARLIER ABOUT, SOMETIMES I
WOULD JUST GO PLAY IN THE
PLAYGROUND THAT WAS BEHIND THE
BAZAAR.
THERE WAS A SCHOOL ATTACHED
DIRECTLY BEHIND THE BAZAAR, A
PUBLIC SCHOOL, AND I REMEMBER
GOING THERE WITH TWO OF MY
BUDDIES.
WE WOULD GO DOWN THERE AND HANG
AROUND THE PLAYGROUND.
I REMEMBER THIS ONE TALL, VERY,
VERY TALL... WHEN I WAS THAT
LITTLE... AFRICAN-AMERICAN KID
CAME UP TO ME AND JUST STARTED
PICKING ON ME, SAYING WHY ARE
YOU WEARING THAT TOWEL ON YOUR
HEAD?
AND HE LITERALLY STARTED BEATING
ME UP.
I LOOKED TO MY FRIENDS AND THEY
BOTH DASHED.
THEY RAN.
THEY RAN AS FAST AS THEY COULD.
THESE GUYS LEFT ME OVER HERE TO
GET MY ASS KICKED.
THE NEXT THING I KNOW I SEE A
MOB OF 15 SOUTH ASIANS COMING
RUNNING TO THAT PARK.
IT WAS MY DAD, THE NEIGHBOUR,
THE NEIGHBOUR'S KIDS.
PEOPLE I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE.
AND THEY ALL RAN UP AND THEY ALL
WERE LIKE, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU
DOING?
AND THEY GRABBED THIS KID BY THE
COLLAR AND SAID IF YOU EVER MESS
WITH ONE OF OUR KIDS HERE AGAIN,
YOU WILL NOT HEAR THE END OF IT.
AND THAT SORT OF WAS LIKE THE
NUTSHELL OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE
GROWING UP, YOU KNOW, YOU GET
PICKED ON BUT THEN YOU ALSO GET
SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AS
WELL WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
Steve says WHAT YEAR DID THAT HAPPEN?
Chandan says THAT WAS PROBABLY MID '90s.
Steve says SO AT LEAST 20 YEARS AGO.
Chandan says YEAH.
Steve says TODAY, DIFFERENT?
Chandan says TODAY IS DIFFERENT, YEAH.
TODAY IS DIFFERENT.
I FEEL LIKE THE KIDS NOWADAYS,
THEY HAVE IT SO EASY.
IN THE SENSE WHERE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE TURBANS PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DIFFERENT FAITHS ARE INCLUDED.
THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION AND
KNOWLEDGE SPREAD ABOUT PEOPLE OF
DIFFERENT FAITHS NOWADAYS IN THE
SCHOOLING SYSTEM AND IN
DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS AS WELL.
YOU LOOK AT BRAMPTON AND KIDS
GETTING RAISED UP THERE,
EVERYBODY AROUND THEM LOOKS LIKE
THEM.
WHEN I WAS BEING RAISED, I WAS
THE ONE AND ONLY SIKH TURBAN IN
MY SCHOOL ALL THE WAY FROM
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 12.
IT WAS A GRADE SCHOOL BLEND BUT
STILL I WOULD GET PICKED ON.
PEOPLE WOULD STILL SEE YOU AS
DIFFERENT.
Steve says PROBABLY TAUGHT YOU
SOME RESILIENCE, THOUGH, THAT
TYPE OF THING?
Chandan says OF COURSE.
IT TOUGHENS YOU UP.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT STAY WITH
YOU, EVEN 15, 20 YEARS LATER.
IT GIVES YOU A THICK SKIN.
Steve says GULSHAN, I WANT YOU
TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND,
MAY HE REST IN PEACE, RAN THE
RESTAURANT WITH A LOYAL STAFF.
THEN HE DIES.
NOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT OVER.
AND I WONDER WHAT THAT WAS LIKE
FOR YOU TO TRY AND WALK IN THOSE SHOES?
Gulshan says VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
NOT ONLY WAS I JUST DEALING WITH
THE GRIEF OF HIS LOSS AND ALSO
TRYING TO HELP MY KIDS WITH THE
LOSS OF THEIR FATHER, WHICH IS
VERY DIFFICULT, BUT COMING INTO
A BUSINESS WHERE THEY DIDN'T
WANT ME THERE.
THE STAFF DIDN'T WANT ME THERE.
Steve says WHY NOT?
Gulshan says FOR A LOT OF REASONS: ONE,
BOSS IS BOSS.
BOSSES RUN IT A VERY DIFFERENT
WAY.
THEY CALL ME BOBBI, WHICH MEANS
BOSS' WIFE.
I WAS BROUGHT UP HERE.
IT WAS SYSTEMIC.
IT WAS BLACK AND WHITE.
YES, WE'RE FRIENDS, BUT YOU'RE
ALSO AN EMPLOYER AND THERE ARE
EXPECTATIONS.
SO I RAN IT VERY DIFFERENT FROM
HOW THE BOSS RAN IT.
THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE PIECE THAT
I WAS COMING IN AND ALSO BEING A
WOMAN, I THINK THAT MADE A HUGE
DIFFERENCE.
Steve says I WAS JUST GOING TO
ASK YOU THAT.
A MALE LEADER VERSUS A FEMALE LEADER.
YOU SAW A DIFFERENCE?
Gulshan says HUGE.
I REMEMBER WHEN I USED TO WATCH
UMAR RUN THE RESTAURANT.
HE WOULD SAY STUFF AND EVERYBODY
WOULD LISTEN.
WHEN I CAME IN AND SAID
SOMETHING, IT WASN'T TAKEN THE
SAME. I FELT THEY DIDN'T TAKE ME
SERIOUSLY.
I HAD TO WORK TEN TIMES HARDER
TO GET THE SAME TASKS DONE.
Steve says THERE IS A JOKE
ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW?
FOR WOMEN TO GET AHEAD, THEY
HAVE TO WORK TEN TIMES HARDER,
MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY
THAN MEN.
FORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT THAT HARD
TO DO.
THAT'S THE JOKE.
ANYWAY...
Gulshan says I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
I SAW MY STRENGTHS, DEFINITELY,
THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT ALSO I
FOUND THAT, YES, WE CAN
MULTITASK AND THAT'S ONE THING I
WAS ABLE TO DO, WAS RAISING TWO
BOYS AND RUNNING THE RESTAURANT.
BUT THE GENDER ISSUE WAS
SOMETHING THAT REALLY SHOCKED
ME.
YEAH, I KNOW I'M A SOCIAL
WORKER, I KNOW THERE ARE GENDER
ISSUES.
BUT I ACTUALLY HAD TO FACE IT.
Steve says WHEN DID YOU TAKE
OVER THE RESTAURANT?
Gulshan says I TOOK OVER THE RESTAURANT...
HE PASSED AWAY OCTOBER... SORRY,
NOVEMBER 6TH, 2013, AND I HAD TO
TAKE THE RESTAURANT OVER
NOVEMBER 7TH, 2013.
Steve says SO IT'S ALMOST...
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST FOUR YEARS
LATER.
Gulshan says YES.
Steve says ARE YOU ACCEPTED NOW
AS THE NEW PERSON IN CHARGE?
Gulshan says YEAH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING.
I WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND OF
MINE AND I'M GOING, I WENT
THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS NOT
ONLY WITH MY HUSBAND BUT ALSO
LAHORE TIKKA HOUSE.
I COULDN'T ACCEPT THE FACT... I
HATED BEING THERE.
IT WAS A HUGE STRUGGLE.
I WENT THROUGH EVERY PROCESS OF
THE GRIEVING PROCESS WITH THE
RESTAURANT, AND NOW FINALLY I
THINK I'M AT, OKAY, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
I'M GOING TO ACCEPT IT.
I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE EVERYONE
LOVE THE RESTAURANT OR LOVE THE
FOOD, BUT IT'S OKAY.
AS LONG AS I'M DOING THE BEST
AND GIVING THE BEST.
SO I'M AT THAT ACCEPTANCE STAGE
FINALLY.
Steve says I KNOW YOUR OLDER
SON SAYS WE ARE NOT LETTING THIS
RESTAURANT GO BECAUSE (a)
THAT'S HIS CONNECTION TO HIS DAD
AND MAYBE HIS FUTURE IN BUSINESS
AS WELL, RIGHT?
The caption changes to "The future."
Gulshan says I THINK YOU'RE SO RIGHT.
I THINK ALSO ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS I HAD TO DO WAS I HAD TO
KEEP HIS MEMORY ALIVE AND IT WAS
THE RESTAURANT THAT WAS MY ONLY
VEHICLE TO MAKE MY SONS KNOW
THAT ABBA IS STILL THERE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL THEIR
FATHER.
YOU'RE RIGHT.
THEY FEEL LIKE HIS MEMORY IS
THERE AND HIS LEGACY IS THERE.
Steve says NINA, I THINK IT'S
TIME TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT
ANOTHER CLIP FROM YOUR
DOCUMENTARY.
SHALL WE HERE?
AND THIS ONE'S ON YOU.
LET'S SEE CHANDAN FASHION AT
WORK.
SHELDON, ROLL IT, PLEASE.
Another clip from the documentary plays. In the clip, a bearded man in his fifties who wears a white and pink turban walks in a shop with dozens of saris and gowns on display. Then, he lights an incense stick and places it in a holder.
A male voice says MY FATHER IS AS TRADITIONAL
AS CAN BE AS AN INDIAN MERCHANT.
HE'S LEARNED FROM HIS FATHER
BACK IN INDIA.
I'M ACTUALLY THIRD GENERATION IN
THE INDIAN BRIDAL BUSINESS.
HE'S BASICALLY DONE THINGS THE
WAY HIS DAD DID THINGS BACK HOME
IN INDIA.
IT'S ALL VERY OLD SCHOOL.
The man says IF YOU NEVER LEARN ANYTHING,
I'M NEVER SUCCESSFUL.
HIS FATHER TAUGHT ME.
He points up at a portrait of an elderly man with a turban that hangs high up on a wall.
Then, Chandan walks in the store holding a piece of golden fabric.
He says I AM A FIRST GENERATION
CANADIAN, BORN AND RAISED IN TORONTO.
I DO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF PEOPLE
LOOKING FOR BUSINESS BEING
CONDUCTED A CERTAIN WAY.
He walks among women trying on gowns.
He gestures and says DAD, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WONDERING IF YOU'RE GIVING THE
WOW FACTOR OR NOT.
FOUR THUMBS UP OVER HERE.
The clip ends.
Steve says TWO THINGS: NUMBER
ONE, WAS I RIGHT ABOUT HOW
GORGEOUS THE STUFF IS THERE?
MY GOODNESS.
FANTASTIC.
NUMBER TWO, IS THAT FOR SALE?
Chandan says THAT'S HIS PRIZED POSSESSION.
Steve says FASHION I KNOW
NOTHING ABOUT, BUT THAT LEAF
CLOCK I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
YOU SAY IN THE PIECE, YOU KNOW,
YOUR DAD'S OLD SCHOOL AND YOU'VE
PROBABLY GOT SOME NEW IDEAS.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RESOLVE ALL
OF THAT?
Chandan says WE... I'M ALWAYS PRESENTING
NEW IDEAS AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY
BUTTING HEADS.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES A FAMILY
BUSINESS A FAMILY BUSINESS.
SOMETIMES WE'RE LIKE, DAD, WE'VE
GOT TO DO THIS OR THAT.
I'LL ARGUE WITH HIM FOR THREE
MONTHS UNTIL I CAN FINALLY PROVE
MY POINT.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST "GO FOR IT,
DO IT."
IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
Steve says IS HE GIVING YOU THE
LICENCE TO BRANCH OUT AND DO NEW THINGS?
Chandan says I'M SUPER FORTUNATE TO HAVE
THE SUPPORT OF MY PARENTS.
NO MATTER WHAT, AT THE END OF
THE DAY, THEY'RE SO SUPPORTIVE.
THEY KNOW I'M THE NEW
GENERATION.
THEY KNOW THAT MY GENERATION IS
THE ONE THAT'S SORT OF BUYING
NOW AND NOT HIS ANYMORE.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT.
THEY'RE VERY INTELLECTUAL ABOUT
THAT.
SO THEY DO GIVE ME THE FULL
SUPPORT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME ALSO, YOU
KNOW, GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH
THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, I HIRED A NEW
CASHIER AND HER NAME IS MEGAN,
SHE IS NOT INDIAN, SHE IS
CAUCASIAN.
BUT I WANTED THE BUSINESS TO
SORT OF BE RUN A CERTAIN WAY.
AS SOON AS I HIRED HER, I KNEW
HE WOULDN'T SAY NO BECAUSE OUR
CASH REGISTER IS ALMOST LIKE A
SACRED PLACE.
IT'S WHERE WE DO OUR MORNING
PRAYERS.
IT'S WHERE WE SAY THANKS FOR
EVERYTHING WE GET.
AT NIGHTTIME WE CLOSE UP AND SAY
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, EVEN IF
YOU DIDN'T GET MUCH BUSINESS,
YOU'RE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL.
YOU DO YOUR INNOCENCE, HAVE
PICTURES OF YOUR GOD.
SO WHEN I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO
HAPPEN, I DIDN'T ASK THEM.
I ASKED HER TO COME IN ON MONDAY
AND SHE WAS THERE ON MONDAY AND
MOM AND DAD ARE LOOKING, WHO IS
THIS GIRL?
WHY IS SHE HERE?
LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY, MY MOM
AND DAD BOTH SAT ME DOWN OVER
LUNCH AND THEY GAVE ME AN HOUR
LECTURE ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE
DOING, AND SOMETHING I'VE
LEARNED IS THAT THE MORE
RESISTANCE YOU GET, THE MORE
CLOSER YOU ARE TO SUCCESS.
THE MORE OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE TO
GROW.
SO I'M LISTENING, MAYBE THEY'RE
RIGHT.
MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW,
MESSING WITH THEIR KARMA OR XI,
VIBE OVER HERE.
I KNOW I'M GOING THE RIGHT WAY.
Steve says IS MEGAN STILL THERE?
Chandan says MEGAN IS STILL THERE.
SHE'S BECOME THE UNOFFICIAL NEW
DAUGHTER OF CHANDAN FASHION.
THEY LOVE HER THERE.
ALL THE NEW THINGS WE'RE DOING,
RENOVATING, A GOOD FRIEND HAS
HELPED ME RENOVATE.
WE'VE DONE THE THIRD FLOOR.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE SECOND AND
FIRST.
IT'S THE NEW CULTURE WE'RE
BRINGING IN.
WITHOUT THE NEW DIRECTION, THERE
WOULDN'T BE MUCH ROOM FOR
GROWTH.
Steve says GOTCHA.
SUMAIYAH, I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU
TOLD US ABOUT YOU AND YOUR
MOTHER AND THE BUSINESS
BACKGROUND THERE.
YOU HAVE A YOUNGER SISTER?
Sumaiyah says YES.
Steve says SHE IS NOW BEING
BROUGHT INTO THE BUSINESS?
Sumaiyah says KIND OF.
Steve says HOW IS THAT WORKING
OUT, THREE STRONG-WILLED
PERSONALITIES TRYING TO FIGURE
THIS OUT?
Sumaiyah says SHE IS A BIT OF A REBELLIOUS CHILD.
SHE IS A TOMBOY.
SHE HAS HER OWN THING.
SHE LOVES DANCE.
SHE'S NOT INTO AESTHETICS OR THE
SALON BUSINESS.
SHE WANTS TO BE A POLICE
OFFICER.
YOU'LL SEE HER A LITTLE PART IN
THE DOCUMENTARY WHERE SHE REALLY
OPENS UP ABOUT HER UPBRINGING
AND ABOUT HOW MANY, LIKE,
STRUGGLES SHE FACED BECAUSE SHE
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH JUVENILE
ARTHRITIS.
I GUESS IT KIND OF GAVE HER A
LEEWAY, IN A WAY, BECAUSE MY
PARENTS NEVER PRESSURED HER.
THEY NEVER HAD THE EXPECTATIONS
THAT THEY HAD WITH ME.
I DON'T SEE HER KIND OF, YOU
KNOW, BEING IN THE SAME
FOOTSTEPS AS MY PARENTS.
Steve says LET ME FOLLOW UP
WITH KANWELJIT.
WE HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT TO ASK
YOU THIS QUESTION.
THE BUSINESS STARTED WITH YOUR
GRANDFATHER AND THEN YOUR FATHER
AND NOW YOU AND NOW YOUR SON.
DO YOU WANT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN
INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS?
Kanweljit says YES AND NO.
TO BE VERY FRANK, IT'S A LITTLE
BIT HANKY PANKY AND THAT WILL
NOT BE SO EASY.
WHOSO EVER IS GOING IN THE THIRD
OR FOURTH GENERATION, I WISH
THEM THE FOURTH AND FIFTH
GENERATION.
Steve says NINA, LET ME GIVE
YOU THE LAST WORD.
THERE'S NOT ONLY THE FILM THAT'S
OBVIOUSLY ON TOMORROW NIGHT BUT
YOU'VE GOT A WEBSITE AS WELL.
WHAT WILL PEOPLE FIND AT THE
WEBSITE?
Nina says ON
JULY 1ST, IN TANDEM WITH THE
PREMIERE OF THE FILM.
Steve says SATURDAY NIGHT, I
SHOULD SAY.
Nina says WE'LL BE RELEASING 20 WEB
DOCUMENTARIES WHICH ARE SHORT
PORTRAITS OF OTHER BUSINESSES IN
THE BAZAAR.
I WANTED THIS PROJECT TO BE VERY
INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE IN THE
BAZAAR, AND SO THEY'RE VERY
HEARTWARMING PERSONAL PORTRAITS
THAT EXPLORE SIMILAR ISSUES TO
THE FILM.
The caption changes to "Producer: Sandra Gionas, @sandragionas."
Then, it changes again to "For more information: villageofdreams.ca."
Steve says THAT SOUNDS AWESOME.
CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING IT DONE.
IT'S REALLY A TERRIFIC... ONE OF
THE NICE THINGS ABOUT WORKING
HERE, YOU GET TO SEE THE
DOCUMENTARIES BEFORE THEY
ACTUALLY SHOW UP ON TELEVISION.
I'VE SEEN IT AND IT'S GREAT.
CONGRATULATIONS.
AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR
COMING IN TODAY AND SHARING SOME
OF YOUR STORIES WITH US.
THIS WAS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE
FILM AS WELL AND THE PEOPLE
FEATURED IN IT ON THE FILM'S
WEBSITE, AS JUST INDICATED,
THAT'S VILLAGEOFDREAMS.CA AND
YOU CAN WATCH THE WORLD
BROADCAST PREMIERE OF NINA'S
DOCUMENTARY, "LITTLE INDIA:
VILLAGE OF DREAMS." IT'S ON
SATURDAY NIGHT, 9PM ON TVO AND
STREAMING ON THE WEB AT
TVO.org/DOCUMENTARIES.
A slate appears on screen, with fast clips of the documentary and a text that reads "Saturday on TVO, 9 pm. Little India: Village of Dreams. Also streaming at tvo.org/documentaries."