I'm Chris Moore, and here's what's coming up next on Horizons.

Horizons takes a look at Pittsburgh's Indian community.

Doctor Godses third film If it ain't broke, Break it is the most ambitious of them all.

Our look at Pittsburgh's Indian community starts with a local film maker directing a scene at the Pittsburg Athletic Association in Oakland.

He not only puts the spotlight on top local talent, but some Hollywood stars as well.

We'll visit one of Pittsburgh' most popular Indian restaurants.

So I used to spend 24 hours on doing the Rangoli.

And we learn about Rangoli from a local artist.

All that and much more on this special episode of Horizons.

I'm Chris Moore and welcome to Horizons.

With Kohlis imports in Oakland, where it looks and smells delicious.

We'll tell you more about Kohlis later, but it's the perfect backdrop for this All India episode of Horizons.

For our first piece on India.

Let's go to special contributor Dave Crawley.

It's a movie.

I want to make a movie.

And so he did.

It all started on a cold, crisp, moonlit night in Pittsburgh.

I was sleeping comfortably in the arms of a person I loved the most.

Ravi Godse is a doctor in his movies and real life.

You want me to find something wrong?

I'm good at that.

To be a doctor and a director, one needs a lot of patience.

His first film, Doctor Ravi and Mr.

Hyde, is a comical reflection on a man at a crossroads.

The physician gets into midlife crisis, and then he wants to do something.

So he gets into movie making, gets into all sorts of trouble, and he ends up saying that, you know, it doesn't matter how well you do something, long as you do something and long as you do something, honestly, there is no shame in it.

I somehow landed a cameo appearance.

That's Dave Crawley.

He'll give you guidance.

And cops.

We wanted cops to block the traffic.

I hear traffic, I go from an over-the-top movie director.

The trial that has held a nation transfixed began today to a pompous news anchor in his second film.

Second movie was a courtroom drama.

It happens entirely in the courtroom, and it looks.

in to immigrant questions, it's again a story about a doctor.

It's a murder mystery.

Three men blocked here and three women block their right.

If it ain't broke, break it.

Doctor.

Godses third film.

If it ain't broke, break it, is the most ambitious of them all.

Directing a scene at the Pittsburg Athletic Association in Oakland.

He not only puts the spotlight on top of local talent, but some Hollywood stars as well.

So we got some big names.

We got Richard Kind from the station agent, the serious man who got nominated for Oscar is a great actor, and everybody knows his face, because I like everything to be just so and precise.

I have to tell you, doctor, every time I come to see you, you're late.

Yeah.

Sharon was saying that I'll be late for my own funeral, but I hope not.

Then we got Steve Guttenberg, three men in a baby police academy cocoon.

Everyone knows Steve.

Steve is a great guy, a good friend now.

Because what is poetry?

Poetry is a truth.

And that in itself is a lie.

So let's all be honest with ourselves.

Why are you taking this class then?

Rondell Sheridan, hes Disney star.

Cory in the House, That's so Raven.

He was great to us.

Just like a true brother, the moment he was on set.

Doc, face it, life is hard.

Look.

How are you doing with the ladies?

I saw your wife come in.

Sandy is my secretary.

And that's played by Sabrina.

Brian, who was on Dancing With the Stars.

In which country you would see?

Eiffel Tower, pyramids and Venetian canals.

Wow.

That's an easy one.

Las Vegas So, you know, it's a Pittsburgh movie with some star power.

Even Steeler great Franco Harris gets an immaculate reception.

Yeah, Franco Harris did it hit the ground?

I'll never tell.

As for Doctor Ravi, once again, he plays the role of Doctor Ravi.

I like to play this good natured, goofy guy who just doesn't get it.

You know, he's nice, but he just doesn't get it, you know?

So I like to play that.

This time, the good doctor gets some bad news from another doctor, but decides to somehow make the best of it.

I have six months to live.

I'm going to find six people and make them happy.

What if they're already happy?

They're happy because they don't know better.

He tries to improve the lif of his friend Fish, Richard Kind by enrolling him in Steve Gutenberg's poetry class.

You know, maybe when I'm writing a will, I could make somebody's life or death poetic.

Secretary Sandy and her beau are offered a trip to Paris.

How about you just give us the money?

Will buy a big screen TV.

It's a trip that does not end well.

Tom, Oui means no right?

As for the doctor's plans to send the on screen owner of the Leaf and Bean coffee shop in the Strip District to medical school.

Well, you can see how that ends up.

They don't even know that he's dying, so they don't know wha what the heck he's doing it for.

So, Dave, you want me to add some Indian spices?

Yeah, sure.

Doctor Ravi shares a comfortable home in Indiana Township with his wife, Madhuri also a doctor, and their family.

Born and raised in India, the couple has come to love the city they adopted 15 years ago.

Whats the capital of Greece?

Athens.

You know what is named after?

Athena.

Athena.

What is?

You remember going there?

Yes.

The busy doctor sets aside an hour or so each night to share stories with a son and daughter who have seen the world, but have never known another home.

But Pittsburgh.

I came to Pittsburgh.

I said, wow, you know, like mountains, rivers, people, you know, snow.

You can take it a little bit.

For I loved it.

So I said, you know, the city has a character of its own.

It's not like a generic U.S.

city.

And I'm very proud to be a Pittsburgher for 15 years.

In his spare time.

What?

There is a bit.

He writes novels.

This is a doctor who never seems to get off the treadmill.

Ravi secret.

He only sleeps four hours a night, but the patient always comes first.

It's a serious business It's extremely serious business.

This is actually life and death.

So, even my liking, I spend like 20, 25 years in medicine.

So I wouldn't want to give it up.

So what are your thoughts, then, on this scene?

The, Chinese zombie scene the,n imagine, you know it's almost near the climax now.

His director's hat is on again.

He and assistant Philip Schirmer are trying to decide which of Ravi's four new scripts to start shooting next.

If it ain't broke, break it was filmed in only ten days, although that's twice as many days as his first film.

If the first take is good, he takes it.

If I get a great take, you know, you can never really recreate the energy of the actors in the second take.

I know being an actor, being an actor, after all, doctors have to get it right the first time.

Take off your socks.

I love medicine, I love movies, I hope to do both.

Why not?

If I can do it, we're going to find somebody that we can improve.

Finding that laughter may indeed be the best medicine.

I'm Dave Crawley, Doctor Ravi continues his medical practice and he continues to make movies right here in Pittsburgh.

We'll be right back.

Would you like to find ou more about the people and places featured on Horizon's episodes?

You can learn more by visitin our website at WQED.org/horizons where you'll find topic links, community calendar bios, information on upcoming shows, and much, much more.

That's wqed.org/horizons.

On a street in North Oakland between Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh, it's Kohlis Imports, a cozy fusion of India and America.

A neighborhood staple for more than 20 years.

Kohli's is run by Sanjeev Kohli, but all his friends call him Sonny.

Did you object to it?

No, I know I love it though.

Tell me about where you were bor and how you got here to America.

Well, I was born in India.

Then, you know, Ive done my, like high school in India also.

Like me, my mom, my dad and my brother.

We all came for in September 1990.

My dad's mother was here, so we live in their house.

As soon as we came here after like one week, my uncle told me, okay, you know, you have to work or, you know, you know, it's not India.

Then I work in McDonald's.

I work at Arby's.

I worked like three jobs in one day.

Same thing with my dad.

He was an engineer, so he was also like pulling carts outside the shop and saved me to my mom.

Work at Arby's.

My brother, you know, he work at, Domino's.

So for the first 4 or 5 years, it was very tough.

The Kohli family sacrifice paid off in the form of this store and another in the South Hills.

And I'm very proud that I'm serving the Indian community in Pittsburgh by giving all those home based Indian stuff.

Well, we will try our best to feel them there, like at hom so they don't feel homesickness.

You know, whatever they need, we'll be able to help to take care of them.

And if all those newcomers are looking for literal taste of home, Kohli's has all the staples, from lentils and basmati rice to fiery pickles and aromatic spices.

These are like all the, you know, spoiled spices and chutneys and paste we have.

These are like the mostly, spice powders.

And this is called coriander.

You have to hav this one to make Indian cooking.

What's the biggest seller?

Biggest seller we have is ready to eat food like this one right here.

In fact, Kohli specializes in combining tradition and convenience.

But for Sonny, it' the traditions that matter most.

My kids, we try to tell them to eat Indian food, but they like Taco Bell, they like McDonald's.

And they we took them to the temple.

Those, people in temple, they try to, you know, learn them about Indian values and about our culture and to teach them about Indian languages also.

I love my dad.

You know, I, I really miss him very much after he passed away.

He gives us the whole family able strength, you know, to get his dream true, to become one of the best Indian grocery stores in Pittsburgh.

See a story on Horizons that you'd like to see again.

Check out our Video on Demand page where you can watch your favorite stories whenever you'd like.

Just go to our website, wqed.org/horizons and choose Video on demand for stories on you, your neighbors, and the region we call home.

Whenever and wherever you'd like to watch.

That's wqed.org/horizons for Horizons on Demand.

Oh, look at all the green now.

You turned it all green.

Yeah.

Recreating an ancient form of art is a popular activity here at the Children's Museum on Pittsburgh's North Side.

Sprinkle it.

Just take a little pinch an you sprinkle it over your paper.

Rachel Shepherd is from the Silk Screen Asian Arts and Culture organization, and Angela Seales works for the museum.

They're teaching children how to make colorful designs called Rangoli.

But in learning about Rangoli, these kids are also exploring another culture in a far off land.

The celebration, called Diwali.

and the Diwali is the Festival of Lights.

It's kind of like our new Year.

Rangoli is one of the most popular art forms in India.

It's made with colorful sand, sometimes rice powder, crushed limestone, or dyes like dried tempera powder.

Some patterns may even be topped with grains, beans, beads, or flowers.

Also known as floor or sidewalk art, chalk is also a favorite material.

And while it might take hours, even days to create Rangoli, these designs, oddly enough, are not meant to withstand the test of time.

In fact, they're meant to disappear in the wind.

I think there's something very special about celebrating the the beauty and somethin that is transient and temporary.

This art needs only the steady hand.

The fac that Rangoli is in permanent art doesn't seem to bother Rashmi Bhalakia in the least.

You say the art is not permanent.

What happens?

That's it.

You wipe off, clean it, and then start all over again for the next event.

Rashmi spends hours creating beautiful Rangoli designs.

This is a little bit at a time.

She's been doing it since she was a child.

Growing up in the city of Mumbai formerly known as Bombay.

Put this yellow Rashmi learned how to make Rangoli from her mother and also from her sister who created large size patterns.

And I learned from her more than my mother.

And after she got married and she moved out of the house and I took over and I felt the same way, let's do the bigger.

It's more fun.

How did people feel when they came to your house and they'd see your Rangoli art that you have made?

They just admired so much.

And my daddy was very cooperative.

People find out from our building because I used to live in apartment in Bombay.

So they always find out from one another and they come to see the Rangoli only on that time.

Today, Rashmi continues the tradition long after her 1969 arrival in the US.

Like most Run Gully, hers are bright and colorful and they vary in subject matter and design.

This one goal is one of her favorites.

It's the story about the baby Lord Krishna.

It's the one of our God.

In the old days, they used to churn the butter and the mother is churning the butter.

And he wanted to eat that butter.

That's why his mother says that you stay behind me.

Let me finish it, and then I'll give it to you.

So the child is just hanging on her shoulder.

Rashmi has become so skilled at making Rangoli, she can draw them freehand.

I can see the petals of the flowers starting to come together.

So every time you have to make a pinch and then take it in your two fingers and then make a design.

She also draws them using a pencil and ruler.

Are there some designs that are easier than others?

Yes, there are some designs for the beginners and some for the middle one, and some for the seniors.

But it depends how much time you want to spend.

After you've done the drawing, what's the next step?

After I did the drawing, the next step was to select the color.

So you put it on the paper on the side that this is the square.

I'm going to put this color and that so you don't mess up because this is you cannot change it.

That's it.

It's a dry powder.

And I did it.

This one on the glue because I can preserve it for a short time.

The glu I cannot pick up the color back.

So you have to be very precise.

Yes, you have to be.

And they should not go out of that line also, because once you go out of the line, the color makes ups and then you cannot pick it up and change it.

But staying inside the line takes a steady hand.

And patience is another necessary virtue.

This Rangoli needs more color before it's complete.

Take a paint in your hand like this, but you have to make sure that when you do, the edges, you dont mix them on the edge.

Yes.

May I try it?

You can try here.

Right in the middle.

Dont mess up.

Don't get in the edges.

So if I just put a little bit there.

Yes.

I think that's been all I better do.

I would hate to mess that up.

When you go to the edges to fill it up, you have to be so careful that you don't mix up.

Making Rangoli and promoting this art form is part of Rashmis mission in life.

She displays it at festivals and events throughout the Pittsburgh region.

Rashmi is also making sure she passes her knowledge and skills of Rangoli down through her own family.

I have three daughters but one.

She is really good in art and she likes to do it.

She does it.

And if Rashmi had her way, everyone in wester Pennsylvania would come to enjoy and to appreciate Rangoli as much as she does.

It gives me the pleasure and satisfaction of doing my art.

I got the chance to do this in this country.

I never thought about it that I'll be able to d in some other country like this.

So it's really something good for me that I use my talent in this country.

It's a God's gift and I thank God for that.

Here at Kohlis, there are all sorts of spices and utensil that are used in Indian cooking.

But for a real taste of how the food is created, let's go to the restaurant called Taj Mahal.

Every day is a long one for Usha Sethi and her husband Subhash.

We generally are here by 9 a.m.

and we stay till 10 p.m.

till the restaurant closes.

We put 13 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, but you'll never hear them complain.

In fact, it's just the opposite.

They live for and love the Taj Mahal on McKnight road, the restaurant and catering busines they've run for nearly 13 years.

You know, it gives me, great pleasure.

When a customer said, you know, the food was very good.

He was satisfied.

So that's my favorite part.

A favorite part.

After major career changes for this husband and wife team, they arrived in the United States from New Delhi in 1985.

At that time in India, we were both practicing law.

I had a law degree from University of Delhi and my husband had a master's in law, but he wanted to pursue his doctorate, so we both came here initially for furthering our education.

Usha went to work at the United Nations while Subhash attended school.

In 1992, Usha enrolled at Duquesne University here in Pittsburgh to work on her master's.

By then, the couple had two young children, and balancing work, school and family life became difficult.

I could not really continue the school because of the family.

I had two children, one boy and one girl, and my husband was still practicing in New York, so we tried keeping it back and forth, going from Pittsburgh to New York.

The minute we decide that we want to be in Pittsburgh and we could not both find a job of our choice.

So I thought that I would start the business of the restaurant.

So when your wife decided maybe we should open a restaurant, what was your first reaction?

It, looked fascinating to me.

And, my wife had a flair for cooking.

Our main cuisine here is from North India.

But I always wanted to see this restaurant as a place where all the regions of India could find the food of their choice.

So how many different dishes do you make a day?

My menu has 205 dishes.

205.

But to make it very simple, I would say at least 20 dishes a day.

We make.

If you've never had Indian food, Usha says the lunch buffet is a good place to start.

Everything in her restaurant is made from scratch every day.

It's very healthy cuisine.

For the reason.

Number one, it's all fresh food.

This is a food which is a very, very balanced food.

It has the our main staple food is rice and bread.

The restaurant makes 24 different kinds of bread.

We cook all the fresh vegetables.

And of course we cook all non-vegetarian as well.

We cook chicken, lamb, shrimp, fish.

Many of those items are cooke in a clay oven called a tandoor.

The hot charcoal fire gives a unique flavor, as of course, do many spices.

One spice found in just about every dish is turmeric, a plant of the ginger family.

It has value way beyond flavor.

A lot of ingredients that we use in Indian cooking have medicinal value.

Also, sit back in home.

If somebody gets hurt, you get a wound.

They just make a paste of tumeric and put it on it.

And then it's gone the next day.

But taste is the real reason you go to any restaurant.

So Usha tells us abou some of her most popular dishes.

They include tandoori chicken, which is chicken marinated in yogurt and mild spices, and cooked in the tandoor.

There's chicken tikka masala, which is chicken cooked in the tandoor and served in a tomato cream sauce.

But it's vegetarians who may have the most to smile about.

With more than 30 vegetarian dishes on the menu.

My favorite dish is the spinach in the cottage cheese.

We call it Palak Paneer.

And the way it is made, it has such good ingredients.

We combine four different types of greens to make that dish.

Do you have a favorite and all of this?

This is one.

Perhaps the real story of the Taj Mahal is not the food, but the folks it brings together.

And the relationships Usha and Subhash have built over the years.

Usha is the premier Indian caterer, not just in Pittsburgh, but in the tri state region, doing weddings and parties up to a thousand people.

But it's her relationship with her customers inside the restaurant that she's happiest about from day one, our 90% claims that Americans we do get new customers every day.

But at the same time, I don't think I have ever lost any repeat customer.

There are countless regulars here, like Kerry Kearney from Independence Township, Beaver County.

She comes here 2 to 3 times a week.

Well, I've traveled in India and I am a total fan of Indian food.

And as among the places in the Pittsburgh area, or even in the whole of Pennsylvania that serves Indian food, this is by far the best.

It's hard to believe, but Laura Webster and James Shearing of Allison Park have Carrie beat.

And so now, how often do you come here?

We come eight times a week.

Seven days.

Twice on Sunday.

Eight times a week?

Yes.

Seriously?

Seriously?

How did you get to this point?

We had no choice.

It's wonderful food.

We're vegetarian, so there's.

There's such a huge menu for us to choose from.

And we just we love the food, and we just we love the people here.

They're so nice.

And they're became part of our family.

And we just, you know, I mean, this is like, what we look forward to.

Laurel says Usha's warmth keeps lots of people coming back.

She is like the mother to everyone.

She she's there.

She she knows what your needs are.

She's open, she's kind.

She's always happy.

And you just feel good.

It's like you're just going to eat in your mom's kitchen.

Usha and Subhash wouldn't have it any other way.

Is it harder or easier than practicing law?

You just keep going.

Keep going.

I think we never get.

You know, so far, I don't know, maybe the age might bring me to a level where I want.

Stop thinking I need rest.

But so far, we never even missed it.

We do enjoy.

This is Chris Moore thanking you for joining us for this very special episode.

For all of us here at Horizons.

Have a great week.

Bye.