Synopsis

Illustrated with old photos and peppered with Hindi and Urdu phrases, Homecoming King features a central theme of the immigrant experience in the United States, based on true stories from Minhaj’s life as the California -born son of Indian Muslim immigrant parents. He Discusses His childhood growing up in mostly white Davis, California , Where he Lived Alone With His dad for eight years while His Mother Was finishing medical school in India. He talks about the pressures of being the child of demanding immigrant parents while experiencing racism, bullying and rejection from the outside world. Stories include his mother returning to California with a younger sister he did not know existed, ^{His heartbreaking senior prom night (when he arrived at her parents’ house to find her parents had found her a white boy to take because of “how it would look”), [4]} and disapproval from his parents that he was engaged to a Hindu woman. ^[2]

Production

Homecoming King was filmed January 27, 2017, at the Mondavi Center at Minhaj’s alma mater, University of California, Davis , in his hometown of Davis . ^[5] He first performed the one-man show after being selected by the Sundance Institute’s New Frontier Story Lab in 2014. Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal before his off-Broadway premiere in October 2015 at The Cherry Lane Theater in New York City, where it ran for four weeks. ^[6] [7] He went on to perform the show in more than 40 cities before shooting the special. ^[8]

Minhaj thing the title Homecoming King to reflect his status as the high school underdog who never went to football games or dances, while also conveying a message of redemption as an adult. ^[9]

The art director for the show was Sam Spratt, who created multiple paintings depicting Minhaj’s life in the style of Norman Rockwell for posters and the website. Indian culture. ^{[10] [11] [1]} Minhaj also teamed up with Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson for the musical elements of the show. ^[12]

Reception

Homecoming King has received critical praise, in particular for Minhaj’s ability to engage with both humor and sadness. Dennis Perkins of The AV Club graded it annum, writing: “One of Homecoming King ‘ s chief pleasures is how expertly Minhaj crafts thesis stories-his mother’s return, a prom-night revelation, a family trauma, His Daily Show hearing-his Confident, energetic and not so much disguising the craft as relishing in the telling, and in the effect it has on his audience. ” ^[13] Stav Ziv of Newsweek writes, “In Homecoming King , Minhaj navigates adeptly between humorous and heartfelt, playful and poignant.” ^[14]

Scott Meslow of GQ wrote, “It’s been ages since I’ve seen a comedy special as I have seen a lot of Hasan Minhaj’s Homecoming King … Homecoming King sheds light on a different, more personal side of Minhaj’s talents, [weaving] A funny, heartbreaking, and intimate narrative built around his most personal experiences. ” ^[2]

Lea Palmieri of Decider.com is a film about the life and work of a young woman, who is the author of a book on the life of a young woman. As well as a lot of funny stuff, as well as a lot of fun and excitement. Have to offer. ” ^[15]

References