Drew’s South Asian Student Association hosted a movie night in Mead Hall’s Founders Room last Friday, Sept. 20, screening the movie “Fast X” (the tenth movie of the famous “Fast & Furious” series.)
The movie portrays the story of the character Dominic “Dom” Toretto, played by American actor Vin Diesel, who is suddenly confronted by an old nemesis from his past that wishes to kill him and every member of his family as an act of revenge—“the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced,” according to its Rotten Tomatoes summary.
Sign-in for the event started at 6 p.m., and the movie started around 6:15. Snacks were provided at a table in the main entrance to Mead Hall. South Asian music was playing through speakers placed in the entrance and the main room, and welcome posters decorated the foyer. The event itself was engaging — participants generally stayed for the length of the event, and whispered amongst themselves as they reacted to the twists and turns of the film’s plot, and more also filtered in as the film began. The event lasted until around 9 p.m.
Club member Sandra Faragalla (‘26) enthusiastically promoted the group’s cultural significance and used the slogan “don’t think NASA; think SASA!”
Events Coordinator and grad student Nihal Shah (G’25) highlighted SASA’s aim to “build diversity” and enshrine a sense of community by reaching out to different communities to create a balance of different experiences. Shah also mentioned another upcoming event being hosted by SASA on Oct. 25 to celebrate Tihar, the Nepali festival of lights.
Co-President Vedant Maheshwari (‘27) emphasized how the event helped students bond within the Drew community, creating a sense of family and togetherness within the club and between students of South Asian origin and other heritages.
Co-President Arya Patel (‘27) highlighted the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights celebrated by many in India and other countries around the globe, on the same day as the Tihar event mentioned by Shah.
Patel referred to Drew’s Path system for more information, on which the listing for the event includes facts about the cultural significance of the celebrations: “In the very old Indian language, Sanskrit, Diwali (or Deepavali) means ‘row of lamps’. People light lamps at Diwali to show that light is more powerful than darkness, and good is more powerful than evil. Diwali also celebrates new beginnings…Like with Diwali, Tihar is marked by lighting diya [candles] inside and outside the home but unlike the Indian festival, the five days of Tihar include celebration and worship of the four creatures associated with the Hindu god of death Yama, with the final day reserved for people themselves.”
The Path listing also promotes “different activities such as making clay lamps, painting clay lamps, [and] traditional card games,” as well as “a dance floor and food.” The event hosting both celebrations will be on Friday, Oct. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sabr Keres-Siddiqui is a sophomore majoring in sociology and minoring in journalism
