MISTAKEN IDENTITY - Celebrates Cultural Diversity in American TV programming

WLWD 2000 Inc. completed docu-drama MISTAKEN IDENTITY with a period of 9 months, filming throughout the USA. The objective is to inform and educate mainstream America and non-Sikhs around the world to understand Who are Sikhs, What is Sikhism and what Sikh Americans have contributed since 1889 over one hundred years ago.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY is a 56 min docu-drama TV program that goes beyond the shock and common wrath that consumed America in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Terrorism of another sort - racism - took hold of the American character and for a time corrupted the country's morality. In the face of such adversity, the cherished ideals (liberty and freedom of speech and religion, etc) that guard the cornerstone of American society became wounded by victimization and racial profiling of fellow Americans - demonizing those who simply looked like the terrorists - who had perpetrated the heinous crimes during the Attack on America.

It tells the visual story to Americans and global TV viewers in a post September America, through the eyes of 23-year old Amanda Gesine, host and investigative journalist, who coincidentally, discovers her Sikh American neighbors, for the first time. A graduate at George Washington University in DC, she conceived the idea at a candlelight vigilance, as WLWD 2000's producers pitched the programming of an Asian American WTC story.

Instead, she talked with young Sikhs her own age, and learned about the sudden racial profiling, verbal abuses and physical assaults, simply because the men wore turbans and beards. Together, they discussed that this was due to sheer ignorance and fear of fellow Amerians who looked different.

She concuded that it was the demonisation of the turban and the beard that created the huge backlash against Sikh Americans. She learned that it was young Americans - men who rushed around waving baseball bats, nailed hockey sticks and threw beer cans at Sikh taxi drivers and old turbaned men, and at that point, she realised her role was crucial in reaching out for tolerance and understanding among her own young generation.

Therefore, with Amanda's initiation, the TV program spotlights and discusses the experiences of Sikhs in America - one ethnic group that makes up a tiny fragement of the America culturally diversed population.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY charts her personal journal - demystifying the enigma of Sikhs and shares the hopes and desires of Ameicans from all ethnic backgrounds who seek to close ranks against bigotry and hatred and make a united stand against terrorism.

Produced and directed by Vinanti Sarkar, President of WLWD 2000 Inc. (a boutique digital TV production company) headquartered in midtwon New York, she hired Philip Marshall, 4-time Emmy Award winning editor to take over 36-40 hours of colorful content footage and a strong 55-page script, and together they focused on targeting mainstream Americans and non-Sikhs TV viewers.

Negotiations are underway with major U.S. news networks as well as the 347 PBS Channels and STAR-TV to cover Asia, Australia and New Zealand. With schedules to attend several of the major TV and film festivals around the world.