By A celebration with dancing, music, food and the spirit of South Asian culture was hosted in the University Student Union Ballroom on April 15, for ASI Beach Pride Events’ first ever Bollywood Night.
Upon entry, attendees received raffle tickets for a chance to win items like a fanny pack, Bluetooth speaker, Stanley cup, a Coffee Bean gift card and a Beach Shop gift card.
The event attracted about 60 guests together, filling up all the tables and chairs that were available. Students who didn’t have seats stood and enjoyed the event from the back.
Guests quickly lined up to enjoy a spread of South Asian cuisine, from dishes like vegetable samosas, paneer biryani and raita to beverages like mango lassi.
Then, as each attendee dined, they watched live performances from students like third-year computer science major Hitha Sunkara.
Sunkara, who is part of a student collective called the Zindagi Dance Club at Long Beach State, performed a Bollywood dance at the event.
“I have a personal connection to Bollywood [dancing] because I’ve been doing it for so long, I grew to love it so much,” Sunkara said. “I think it’s just a way for me to express my culture.”
In the audience, supporting a friend who was performing in the Bollywood dance was second-year business administration major, Adriana Lopez.
Lopez expressed her excitement about joining other students on the dance floor after the performances, and said she enjoyed the atmosphere and connection with fellow students.
Beyond performances, students also had the opportunity to participate in Bollywood-themed trivia and charades throughout the event.
Audience members in the USU Ballroom on April 15 raise their whiteboards to earn the most points for trivia at Bollywood Night. Photo credit: Daniel Gonzalez
The trivia questions ranged from Bollywood film history to identifying the most-followed Bollywood actor on Instagram. Each time a question was asked, attendees sprang into action, raising their whiteboards and shouting out to claim their points.
Between the friendly competition among the tables, the game ended with the winning table receiving a shark keychain at the end of the night.
Anusha Manchi Satish, a management information systems graduate student, was in charge of putting on the event.
While it may have been the first Bollywood Night at CSULB, Satish feels the event’s success proved its potential to become an annual tradition.
“People really enjoyed every bit, they stayed until the end,” Satish said. “I think this might be the culture going forward.”
