Pagg

Rupinder Gill, aka Rupi, has been working at a gas station in a small town dominated by American culture and a predominantly white population. This cultural difference creates tension between Rupinder and his fellow co-workers and customers. Despite being an American, his identity as a Sikh is a constant subject of ridicule and mockery, often resulting in verbal confrontations. Rupinder struggles to come to terms with this hostility, which frequently makes him feel like an outsider in his own home. The situation escalates on a fateful Independence Day when a customer walks into the station and starts taunting Rupinder with racial slurs and stereotypes about Sikh men, labeling them as terrorists. The customer, whose true intentions are far from genuine, attempts to incite a fight with Rupinder. However, the calm and collected demeanor of Rupinder, which he has honed as a coping mechanism to deal with the daily humiliation, prevents the situation from escalating into a violent confrontation. The customer eventually leaves, but not before Rupinder's manager reiterates his company's lack of support for him and the broader community. The hate crime leaves Rupinder feeling dejected and anxious about his safety. After several days of turmoil, the tension finally boils over as Rupinder receives news of an upcoming 4th of July parade in his neighborhood. The idea of a group of people celebrating freedom while denying him his own basic human rights sparks intense anger and helplessness within Rupinder. When Rupinder sees his family gathered around the television set, anxiously watching a broadcast of the 4th of July parade, the culmination of his feelings takes shape as a tragic decision. The parade, filled with marching bands, military personnel, and festive crowds, represents everything that he feels he has been denied by both his community and society at large. Fueled by anger and desperation, Rupinder decides to take drastic action. He arms himself and starts walking toward the parade. Rupinder is aware that his actions could result in his own death, which may seem like a strange and illogical outcome to some, but to him, it represents an act of resistance and defiance in the face of extreme hostility. As Rupinder walks down the street toward the parade, the sounds of children laughing, families cheering, and the music of the marching bands create an eerie silence in his head. At the moment of truth, Rupinder hesitates and is met with an unknown fate that changes the course of the story. Rupinders' tragic decision, whether to live or die, is what the film is all about. It explores the complexities and the depths of a situation and raises more questions than answers, leaving an indelible mark on the viewer's mind long after the film has ended.