In Search of Bengali Harlem

Actor Alaudin Ullah, who grew up in Harlem’s Washington Carver Projects and intentionally neglected his Bengali Muslim roots, travels to Bangladesh to uncover the secret history of his South Asian parents and learns to look beyond the stereotypes of his immigrant ancestry in a post-9/11 world. —M.G.

Character actor and stand-up comedian Alaudin Ullah was raised in Harlem by Bengali Muslim immigrant parents, but he rebelled against his culture and identity while they were alive. When his career becomes plagued by being forced to perform stereotypes, he begins to reexamine his relationship to his parents and all he never knew about them. As Ullah gathers stories from the families his parents were connected to and journeys to Bangladesh, the interior lives of his parents (and their experience of coming to the United States) finally come into focus. More than a personal portrait, IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM becomes a celebratory reflection on community and reclaiming one’s heritage. —C.F.

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