In Ushmey Chakraborty’s comedy short Gay, Asian, Immigrant, the filmmaker plays Ravi, who lands a job at a marketing firm by leaning into a stereotypical version of himself that he knows will impress his white employers. Ravi portrays himself as a poor immigrant cast out by his family for being gay. The lie pays off, and he quickly rises in his job.
Ravi spends a lazy afternoon with his boyfriend, Ben (Dre Matthews), a charming and sincere man who seems genuinely interested in him. However, he’s forced to maintain his false persona outside the office as well. Ravi’s two worlds collide when his boss unexpectedly shows up at his apartment while Ben is there. Ravi pleads with Ben not to leave until he can explain everything, and then goes full FOB (Fresh Off the Boat) act with Cheryl. Not recognizing this version of Ravi, Ben tells him to make a choice: either tell the truth or lose him.
“Ravi portrays himself as a poor immigrant cast out by his family for being gay.”
Writer-director Chakraborty describes Gay, Asian, Immigrant as a story born from his experiences navigating identity in predominantly white spaces. “Using the trope of a situational comedy, I explore a theme that many people of color feel in predominantly white rooms, which is ‘code switching,'” Chakraborty explains. “He isn’t trying to fit in but is exploiting their perception of him to his advantage. But self-degradation comes with a price, no matter what the material gain.” Chakraborty notes that early sitcoms, such as those with “bright, pulpy colours” at the start, symbolize the fake world the protagonist has created for himself, which gradually fades as the truth comes to light. In the end, he says, the story is about one essential decision, “to live in truth or in lies…hopefully we all make the right choice.”
I’ll be honest: comedy shorts are the hardest to pull off because you have to make your audience laugh. Not only does Chakraborty evoke laughter throughout Gay, Asian, Immigrant, but he also adds thoughtful commentary from above. For me, culture often pressures us to play into identities shaped by the forces that make us feel like victims in a non-white world. In the end, we need to get to a place where truth and authenticity are the accepted norm, and the satire on display here calls it out directly.
"…get to a place where truth and authenticity are the accepted norm."
