The independent production banner RASA Film Group is broadening its reach, welcoming tech and hospitality veteran Rohit Bhayana as the latest addition to its partnership ranks as the collective sets its sights on expanding its South Asian storytelling ventures.
The New York-based collective, which made its debut in 2024, has already established a track record of backing female-directed short films, with four productions completed in its inaugural year.
At the forefront of RASA’s current slate, the short film “Witness” is preparing for its North American premiere at the 2025 Slamdance Film Festival. The project, helmed by directors Radha Mehta and Saif Jaan, explores the story of an imam facing a moral crossroads between upholding traditional mosque values and protecting a male congregant’s spiritual journey. The film has gained substantial support, securing funding from the Netflix Tasveer Film Fund and the InsideOut 2SLGBTQ+ RE:Focus Fund.
The collective’s lineup also features “Don’t Be Late, Myra,” a Pakistan-U.S. co-production from director Afia Serena Nathaniel that made its world premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival, where it competed for the Oscar-qualifying Mark Braunstein Award. The film, produced by Tryangle Productions’ Nouman Waheed, has continued its festival run with selections at the St. Louis International Film Festival and the “Light in Motion” Competition at Foyle Film Festival.
Writer-director Arti Ishak’s “Half” recently completed production in Chicago in September and is currently seeking festival berths. The comedy short, which serves as a proof-of-concept for a planned series, chronicles the experiences of an Asian-Arab Muslim American confronting the complexities of mixed-race identity.
Completing the current slate is director Dhwani Shah’s psychological horror entry “Seen,” which is set to begin its festival journey at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival in 2025, with plans for feature development in the same year.
“We are so excited to expand our mandate to include more stories from the South Asian diaspora and bring more partners on board that share our vision,” says RASA partner Rohi Mirza Pandya.
The organization’s founding partners include Asad Butt, Sujit Chawla, Pandya, and Atul Prashar. Bhayana, who joins as the newest partner, brings substantial experience as the co-founder of InfoCepts, a data analytics firm, and maintains a connection to the arts through his position on the board of Washington DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company.
