Join us for the Red Carpet Opening Night of the 2025 Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival! Sumita Batra will host the evening, and welcome this year’s audience. Bal Choda will introduce the Sikhlens film Crafting Legacy, which will screen throughout the weekend after Friday night’s premiere event.  Also premiering will be Project Pakistan film Mitti and Project S film A Life Story. , after which Sikhlens is proud to present this year’s Opening Night Feature film, Maa jaye.

Dress Code: Indian formal Maharaja and Maharani Attire; Western Formal; Dress to impress.

Content, selections, and schedule subject to change without notice.

RED CARPET NIGHT HOST: SUMITA BATRA

Born in England to Sikh parents from Iran, Sumita Batra spent her youth migrating between India, England, and Iran. At 16, her family settled in the United States, working tirelessly to establish stability in their new home. When Batra’s mother opened Ziba Beauty in 1987, she became the company’s spokesperson, producing events and tradeshows that fueled growth.

Under Batra’s leadership, Ziba Beauty blossomed into chic studios in major California malls, sparking a global henna trend. As a renowned henna artist, she adorned A-List celebrities for magazine shoots and music videos. In 1998, Batra became Ziba’s CEO, partnering to distribute branded kits globally.

A prolific author and entrepreneur, Batra penned “The Art of Mehndi” in 1999 and launched Sumita Cosmetics, expanding to 22 countries before selling to her partners in 2017. Undeterred by COVID-19, Batra recently co-founded The Pro Safety Group, producing a 2021 Virtual Summit on beauty industry safety. She also works with a COVID Consortium providing testing kits worldwide, illustrating her tireless ingenuity.

OPENING NIGHT SHORT FILM SELECTION

A Life Story
A short documentary featuring Dr. Jogishwar Singh, who shares the details of his Sikh life in a predominately non-Sikh community in Switzerland.

Crafting Legacy
The inspiring story of Bal Chola, a boy from Southall who discovered a love for drawing at a young age. What began as a simple hobby soon grew into a lifelong passion. Through years of dedication and creativity, Bal turned his childhood interest into a successful and award-winning career in engineering. His journey is a celebration of hard work, imagination, and staying true to one’s passion. The film proudly highlights his achievements, including receiving the prestigious King’s Award, showing how a boy with a pencil and a dream became a respected figure in his field.

Mitti
A heartwarming story about Jasleen and her family as they journey back to their ancestral village in Pakistan. Through old memories, emotional reunions, and heartfelt conversations, the film captures their experience of reconnecting with their roots and the land their forefathers once called home.

OPENING NIGHT FEATURE FILM

Maa Jaye is a sweeping emotional drama about Amar, an Indian-American doctor who returns to his homeland in 2001. As Amar reconnects with his disabled brother and confronts the ghosts of a divided past, director Navaniat Singh’s film explores themes of identity, brotherhood, and the healing power of family across generations.

Starring: Jimmy Shergill / Manav Vij / Yograj Singh