(beeping)
When did a fast food combo become $18?
You know what I mean, like, this shit isn't gourmet.
My parents immigrated over here,
just like every other immigrant,
didn't speak the language,
had to work shitty jobs and long hours
to provide a better life for us just to have us
sitting here eating some bland-ass chicken sandwich
that I can't even afford?
Was this really the dream?
The rich keep getting richer,
and making us buy pointless shit.
then blaming us for being poor
for making us buy said pointless shit.
You got rich and built this country
off of stealing resources and wealth from our ancestors,
which turned us into, like, developing nations,
then we had to emigrate our asses over here
just to be duped again and continue staying broke?
(knocking)
Oh.
The or-- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Um, what'd you get?
Saag paneer, right?
Yup, this is it. Here you go.
Thanks. Have a nice day. Enjoy.
(sighing) Can someone help me go viral
so then I can help myself not be broke anymore?
This shit is so disgusting!
♪
Okay, I'm done my deliveries.
I'm just going to get my backpack
and I'm gonna go downtown.
(speaking Punjabi)
What? No. I'll go grab it after.
Who's car is that outside?
The thing that I have to go to downtown.
The seminar for my work? It's important?
- Seminar? - Yeah.
(speaking Punjabi)
- Five. - Five?
It takes only five minutes. Go.
(man laughing in other room)
Wow. These look so expensive.
(speaking Punjabi)
So, this is like, uh, small potatoes.
Ah, small aloos.
(laughing)
Hey, man. What brings you out here?
My brother, what is good?
Ah, just showing some potential wedding cards.
Isn't it too soon to be looking into all of this?
Well, it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
Say, would you be down to play tabla at the Sangeet?
I mean, I got a ghazal singer and all, world-renowned.
Absolutely amazing.
Only works with his own people, but I insisted you play.
If that's okay with you, of course.
Yeah, why ask?
Well, I am younger.
By a month.
So? Gotta respect my elders.
Uh, yeah, sure. No problem, man.
All right.
But look, dude, I gotta head out.
Good seeing you again. I got this big thing downtown, so--
I could drop you off.
Oh, no, no, no. You're good, man.
You sure? Give you a chance to check out that new, uh, whip.
Mercedes?
Jaspreet: Yeah, yeah, yeah... (continuing in Punjabi)
...why not treat myself?
(chuckling)
(Supinder speaking)
(air horn sounding)
Announcer: Welcome to the stage, Richard Braxton!
(audience cheering, applauding)
New media pioneers.
Podcast renaissancers.
Vlogging visionaries.
I'm Richard Braxton,
head of creator relations at Influenceza,
and I want to welcome you all to our How To Be Viral seminar,
ensuring your path to becoming digital rock stars.
- (rock riff playing) - (cheering)
Take a look around.
These are your friends, collaborators,
but more importantly...
resources to grow your audience.
(phone buzzing)
Imagine a friend who comments on a post...
Hello?
Okay, yeah. Got it.
Now we'll focus on recording.
Be active on all your socials at all times
or fall to the ultimate defeat.
(audience gasping)
Luckily we have plans at three different price points.
We can also help sell merchandise to your fans.
T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, even baby pictures.
Women: Aww.
Create an organic transactional relationship
with your young fans, who have access to abundant
financial resources.
- Man: Smart. - Woman: I'm gonna do that.
Let me tell you about a former seminar attendee.
He has over a billion views.
I'm talking about DylanGotDubz.
Dylan created hit videos like
"Kissing Unsuspecting Girlfriends In the Hood."
Prank 2017.
Or "Telling People I'm the Next Black Panther in the Hood."
Prank 2019.
He's got brand deals with UNICEF's Smiles for the...
Appearances on all the Jimmy hosted Late Shows.
When I asked him about his secret to success,
he told me, and you're going to love this,
"You've got to find your thing."
(laughing)
(phone buzzing)
Dylan's thing was following the trend tabs
and remaking videos he found,
but doing it in the hood.
We are in a war for attention.
...praise the algorithm and it will bestow its riches...
...the algorithm never sleeps.
You need to be posting every second.
Always! ...for attention and clicks.
Every minute... Consume!
Every day.
(Richard overlapping)
Rewatch, refresh, reupload...
(imitating explosion)
Repeat!
Up next, cancer scares.
A fun little way to trick a bored audience
into coming right back.
Blue ones. Definitely better.
Okay.
Hey, I've seen your videos.
Pretty good stuff, man.
Oh, thank you.
Um, which ones have you seen?
See that guy over there?
Re-box therapy. He's a re-boxer.
He does unboxing videos in reverse.
That just sounds like regular boxing.
Look at that.
I mean, this is what I've been saying.
The internet is the new Hollywood.
You've got Oprah, Kevin Hart, the Colonel from KFC.
Phew. All on TikTok.
The Colonel isn't a real person.
Yeah? Tell that to his 28 million subscribers.
28 million?
How does anyone get that much?
You got an agent, right?
An agent? For the internet? (chuckling)
What, does DylanGotDubz have an agent, too?
Actually, he's got one of the best.
You might know him.
Akash Verna?
No, I can't say I've ever heard of him.
Is he Indian? He sounds Indian.
(chuckling)
Is he? Anyway, look.
He's one of the best out there.
He reps the biggest guys.
Trick Shot Twins. Pissy Elliot.
Max Pax Big Ax?
Mukbang McHale?
I could set up an interview with him.
- He owes me a favour. - (phone chiming, buzzing)
Are you gonna get that?
- Nah, I'm cool. - (phone buzzing)
Actually, you know what? Can you just give me one second?
I'm so sorry. Sorry.
- Hello? - Supinder: Jasmeet!
Is everything okay?
Big mistake...
Mom, how's this an emergency?
Supinder: I don't want you to waste money.
It's gonna be, like, a four-cent difference.
Can you stop blowing up my phone? Oh, my God.
Four cent is nothing?!
Hello? Hello. Hello!
Sorry about that, man. I'm just dealing with--
No worries. We've all got wives.
It was actually my mom.
Okay, it's locked in.
You got a meeting tomorrow morning with Akash at 10:30.
- You good? - Uh...
Great. Don't be late.
Announcer: We all know the earth is actually flat, right?
But what if I told you...
(door shutting)
Dude, I swear you're at my house more than you are your own.
Well, yeah, have you tried your mom's food?
Yeah. I've had my mom's food.
Oh, dude. How was the seminar?
I don't know, man.
It was just like, "Hey, take this shitty popular video
and then remake it and put your shitty little spin on it.
- Does that work? - I have no idea.
It's just, like, why even have an audience
if you're not really saying anything?
Money?
Yeah.
Oh, I did land this meeting with some big-time agent
named Akash Verna.
You said "Akash Verna?"
- Yeah. - Akash Verna. The agent.
- Yeah. - Bro!
Way to bury the lead. Congrats.
That's huge.
Yeah, but I don't think he knows who I am.
I don't know who he is, either.
I'm just gassing you up, man.
Why you keep saying his name like you know him?
It's just exciting! He's an agent!
And I think he's a Brown guy.
- Oh, he's a bragent. - Yeah, he's a bragent.
I love that. Brown on Brown, bro.
Yeah, I think he might hook it up.
Brown on Brown crime. Let's get it.
No, there's no crime. We're just...
I just mean, like...
I'm just trying to get signed. I'm not trying to commit crimes.
I'm not saying literally, I'm just saying, like--
Supinder: Neal, you want some more?
Of course I do, Pooji.
Good. Eat as much as you like
and think like this house is also your house.
Okay, Pooji.
And all this food is like your own mom's food,
but like real food.
Not the white food.
O-okay, Pooji.
Think like, I'm like your mom.
Yes, Pooji.
Think I am your mom.
Okay, Pooji.
I am your mom.
Okay, Pooj-- Okay, Mom.
Good. Think like that.
Good boy.
Mm.
Oy!
Oh, shit. I forgot.
I know, I'm sorry. I've just been busy all day.
I'm running around doing so many things.
I got important meetings lined up tomorrow.
Uh-huh.
Never mind.
Anyways.
Don't forget, okay?
- Okay?! - Okay, I heard you.
(scoffing)
Hey, uh, kind of being a dick to your mom.
How am I being the dick?
She's treating me like a slave and not an actual human being.
She's stressed, dude.
Brown people don't know how to express their emotions
in a healthy way.
It's this generational curse passed down
by Imperialist regimes.
Okay, hold the lecture.
You only have one generationally cursed parent all right?
And he's so much more chill compared to his sister.
I'm not trying to lecture you, dude.
I'm just saying, like, she's your mom.
All right, man, whatever.
Like, I don't wanna hear it right now.
Just, I got a big day tomorrow, so I'm just going to crash.
- Now? - Yeah, now.
- Okay. - Yeah.
Word. Cool, dude.
Good luck tomorrow.
Your big day. Bye!
- Yeah. - Love you, man.
Love you, too.
Neal: Mom, can I have some to go?
Supinder: Yes. Why not?
Neal: Thank you, Pooji.
(door closing)
Hey, what's going on, guys?
Today I'm about to do something that I never thought I could do
in a million years, and that is
to buy my dad a brand new
sports car!
(air horn blowing)
Woo! Let's get it!
(clearing throat) Dad?
Yo, Dad, come on out! Big surprise!
(honking)
Whose car is this?
Oh, you mean this brand new Porsche?
Yeah, I just bought it.
He says he just bought it.
Bought what? The car?
Jasmeet: Dad, look! Surprise!
It's yours. I... I bought it for you.
(bell tolling)
How is this a musibata? It's a gift.
People will take we are greedy show-offs.
(Supinder speaking)
I don't see how any of those things are related in any way.
They will think that he doesn't care about your uncle!
(speaking Punjabi)
Maanvi: What the fuck are you wearing?
Cow print? That is literally disgusting.
I've never seen you wear that before.
What is wrong with you?
Yeah, why didn't you get something dad actually likes?
Like a black Mercedes?
Hold on. Where is the Camry?
Jasmeet: Um...
I sold it.
No, my baby!
(echoing)
(alarm ringing)
(panting)
Oh, shit.
Oy, where are you going?
I have a meeting.
I'll take her after. I can't be late.
10:30.
(car horn honking)
(Supinder speaking Punjabi)
(Supinder screaming)
I need to get out of this car.
No, Mom, you take forever. Plus, I'm going to be late.
Okay, just hurry up. Please.
Okay.
(speaking Punjabi) ...always gets stuck.
Oh, my God.
Go, go. Please, go.
- Be quick! - Okay.
Faster, please? Hurry!
Oh, my God. Unreal.
♪
(sighing)
Oh, my God, man.
Where is she?
(phone ringing)
Pick up.
Supinder: Hello. How are you?
- I'm not ava-- - Oh, my God.
(sighing)
Oh, thank God.
Finally.
(speaking indistinctly)
Oh, you gotta be kidding me.
Mom. Mom!
Mom, let's go. I'm going to be late!
(honking) Let's go!
Hi, Jasmeet!
Great. Now she's waving.
(phone chiming)
(sighing) Oh, my God.
Are you serious? Yeah. Okay, yeah.
Put your bag down. Get comfortable.
All right, you know what? Fuck this.
(starting car)
(peeling out)
♪
- (phone ringing) - Hey, sorry.
I'm here.
10:30. That's me. Hi.
Unfortunately, you're late
and we have other clients to get to.
Can I help you reschedule?
Okay, look. Is there any way you can squeeze me in right now?
I just came from a really long way and--
I'm sorry, but no.
Well, I'm only, like, five minutes late.
Yeah, five minutes.
We actually suggest you get here 10 minutes early.
So, you're basically 15 minutes late.
Okay, look. It's not my fault.
I had a crazy morning. My mom, she wanted to go get milk,
but then get got a hundred other things--
There he is!
Right on IST.
It's Indian Standard Time.
Balle, balle! (chuckling)
Come on in.
Don't worry, this won't take long.
Yeah.
Welcome, welcome. You seem out of breath.
Do you want, uh, some water?
Maybe some mints or some gummies?
Uh, no. I'm good, man. Thank you.
(in Indian accent) Yeah, you having some chai coffees?
Huh? Some butter chickens, huh? Gulab jamun.
(laughing) (stopping accent) Sorry.
I'm just messing with you, man.
I got jokes, too, right?
Yeah, hilarious.
So, I got a chance to check out your content.
Really cool stuff.
Cool enough to sign me, maybe?
(laughing)
Look, man, I would love to sign you right here, right now.
Makes me look good to bring diversity
into this roster, right?
But first I got to get to know you a little bit.
Tell me about yourself.
I wanna know why you do what you do.
Why do you make your videos?
Well, I... I guess I'm just like another guy
trying to become a digital rock star.
(clicking tongue)
Honestly, man. I don't know what I'm doing.
It's just, like, people my age, they're making so much money,
buying a house, settling down, having kids,
and I'm just out here, what,
delivering tiffins for my mom's tiffin service?
You know I dropped out of med school?
Wow.
Yeah, man, I just realized one day it wasn't for me, you know?
And it took forever for my parents to accept that,
and I don't even think they fully do accept it.
Yeah, no. That's gotta be tough.
Yeah, man. It's really shitty.
Like, the constant guilt and the constant disappointment,
and all these random people telling me
how much my parents have sacrificed for me,
and I'm like, "I get it."
And so, I guess, like, these videos are just
a place for me to vent.
So, this is your personal therapy
to thousands of random strangers?
Yeah, but the therapy's not just for me, you know?
So many people can relate to what I have to say.
I have an audience now.
This shit is real,
and with your help maybe I can get a bigger audience
and make more money,
and then my folks can just relax and stop worrying.
Look, I'm gonna keep it a buck with you, my guy.
Um, all you do in your videos
is sit around in your room alone and complain
about capitalism and white people.
Nobody wants to watch a grown-ass Brown dude
sit there and whine.
(Indian accent) "Oh, I am interesting
because I am self-deprecating.
I project my lack of self-worth through
subpar internet comedies.
Wow, I am so original. I'm so cool."
(stopping accent) Oh, my God. Kill yourself.
(sighing)
Okay, so, what kind of content should I make?
A couple's vlog channel.
A what?
People love watching regular-ass Millennial couples
do every day things.
You think your girlfriend would be down?
I don't have a girlfriend.
What? Shocker. Listen, don't worry about it.
We got a whole batch of influencers to choose from.
Check this out.
Pair you up with somebody with a decent follower account.
I'm thinking maybe like a five to seven year relationship.
Maybe a, uh, mixed race couple, right?
Asian. Hispanic.
Oh, yes.
(laughing)
A beautiful white woman way out of your league.
Huh? That's, like, every Indian dude's fantasy.
Am I right? Am I right? I'm right.
Not mine. I mean, I'm kind of into Brown girls.
Yeah, no. Me, too.
For sure, but nobody wants to see that.
(voice distorting) I mean, you could propose to her.
You could plan a wedding with her.
You could announce pregnancies, huh?
Mixed babies rake in mad views.
We'll provide a child of course. We're not monsters.
And then you break up. Sad, okay?
But guess what? More views, huh?
(normally) So, what do you think?
You down to make some real change?
I don't know, man. I--
I just feel like this isn't for me.
Oh, this is the only thing for you.
Look, Indians aren't really cool just yet, Jasmeet.
Not yet, anyway.
Okay, well, I think I'm plenty cool,
and I don't have this like, weird, inferiority complex
that you think all Brown guys have.
Plus, what's with all this,
like, "Oh, you Indians" bullshit?
Aren't you Indian?
Like, what are you even?
I'm Indian.
So, why not be a team player and help me out instead of,
like, appealing to your whack-ass higher ups.
Oh, I am being a team player, here, bro.
I'm trying to give you an opportunity
to not just be the Brown guy.
Yeah, but what's wrong with being the Brown guy?
(sighing) All right, you know what?
Thanks for taking this meeting, but you clearly don't get it.
So, I'm just going to do this on my own.
Okay. Best of luck with that.
Shall we?
Oh, listen, I, uh... I almost forgot.
My cousin is, like, a huge fan.
My whole family loves you, actually.
Do you mind giving him, like, a bit of a shout out?
Huh? Can we just do that?
All right, whenever-- whenever you're ready.
- (phone beeps) - Ah. Yeah, go ahead.
Go ahead.
(speaking indistinctly)
I will call you, sure, sure. Whenever.
(conversation continuing in Punjabi)
Oh, my God...
(chuckling)
No.
You don't need to be wasting money driving into the city.
Okay?
Yup.
Okay...
Let's go.
(chuckling)
God, you're foul.
Wow, that's beautiful.
Where did you hear that from?
I used to be a writer, too.
There are a lot of things you don't know about me.
Wow.
Thanks, Mom.
Good.
Jasmeet: What?
- Mom! Oh, my God! - (Supinder laughing)
♪