Gold House unveiled a new fund for South Asian storytelling at its largest Gold Diwali celebration yet, bringing together figures from entertainment, fashion, media and business at The Majestic Downtown in Los Angeles. Actors Ranbir Kapoor and Yash opened the gathering with filmmakers Nitesh Tiwari and Namit Malhotra ahead of the release of “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend.”
The Gold Stack Shorts Fund, established with South Stack Studios, will support proof-of-concept short films and micro-series built around South Asian stories. Applications remain open through Nov. 30. The selected projects are scheduled to be announced on Jan. 10, ahead of Sundance.
The celebration took place before Diwali, which falls on Nov. 8 this year. Gold House, an organization that supports and celebrates the Asian Pacific community, described “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend” as the biggest film ever produced out of India. The adaptation of the ancient epic is set for a worldwide opening on Nov. 5. A DJ set and a dance floor inspired by the film were part of the evening’s entertainment.
Bing Chen, Gold House’s executive chair and CEO, said the gathering was intended to reflect Diwali’s themes of light, community and connection while recognizing culture’s role in shaping identity and opportunity. In remarks later in the evening, he also emphasized the sustained work behind the achievements of creators, founders and builders.
Design featured alongside film at the event. Indian luxury designer Anita Dongre introduced a unique, hand-painted carrom board created with Gold House, presenting the familiar South Asian tabletop game as a contemporary design piece. Guests also viewed the limited-edition Cuyana x Gold House Marigold Charm, which had been released earlier in October.
The co-hosts included Tan France, Freida Pinto, Avantika, Sarayu Blue and Dhar Mann, as well as Blumhouse president Abhijay Prakash and Poshmark chairman Manish Chandra. Kabir Ahuja, McKinsey’s global head of TMT and consumer technology, also co-hosted, alongside Anita Dongre, Yash Dongre and South Stack Studios.
Among those attending were “Avatar: Seven Havens” cast members Saheli Khan, Aishu Devan and Sehaj Sethi. Other guests included Hannah Simone, Janina Gavankar, Manish Dayal, Sanya Malhotra, Richa Moorjani, Nisha Ganatra, Asif Ali, Michelle Khare and Avani Gregg.
Rasoi Catering provided regional South Asian food, while guests could play carrom in a dedicated lounge. Music came from DJ MissNinja and KVS Tabla, whose act combines tabla with electronic music and other styles. Bhindi Jewelers offered a jewelry experience, and Dil Mil sponsored a portrait station produced by The Lounge Booth. BMF Productions produced the event, which also received backing from Smartwater, Glance, McKinsey & Company and Google’s 100 Zeros. The gathering followed the recent release of Gold House’s Diwali Cultural Guide.
