Ajay Bhutoria, a member of the National Finance Committee for Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, has launched a new digital video titled “I WILL VOTE FOR KAMALA HARRIS-TIM WALZ,” on October 17, 2024, aimed at mobilizing South Asian voters in key swing states.
The video, inspired by Bollywood, is set to the instrumental version of movie Animal based on A.R. Rahman’s iconic song “Dil Hai Chhota Sa, Chhoti Si Asha,” from the movie Roja. This song, originally a celebration of youthful dreams and aspirations, resonates deeply with themes of joy, freedom, and the hope for a better future. The video seeks to connect with South Asian communities in battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina.
In the video, Bhutoria, a well-known leader in the Asian American community, draws attention to how these themes align with Vice President Harris’s message of hope and unity.
“Vice President Harris embodies joy and hope for our community. She’s running to build a future that moves beyond the divisiveness of Donald Trump,” Bhutoria stated. “She represents hope for over 5 million Indian Americans. We are using Bollywood music to engage our community and ensure their voices are heard.”
He stressed the significance of engaging the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community, stating, “This is the moment for us to unite and show our support for Kamala Harris.” Bhutoria also shared plans to release more Bollywood-inspired videos as part of the ongoing initiative to increase voter turnout for Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz.
Reflecting on the success of previous Bollywood-themed videos like “Nacho Nacho,” during the 2020 election, Bhutoria is confident that this latest campaign will have a similar impact.
“The South Asian vote could be the deciding factor in this election, and we are determined to make every vote count.”
The video, which includes a special message from Democratic Party Chairman Jamie Harrison and Bhutoria, aims to engage South Asian voters. Produced by Ritesh Parikh of Awesome TV, the video delivers its message in multiple languages, including Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, and Urdu.
Parikh stated, “Bollywood has always connected people through stories, and Kamala Harris reflects that spirit by bringing people together. She brings joy and hope for all of us.”
With just a few days left before the elections, Bhutoria and his team are intensifying efforts to getting people out to vote.
“The choice is clear between Kamala Harris’s vision for a better future and Trump’s divisiveness,” Bhutoria said. “Thousands of South Asian volunteers are organizing, knocking on doors, and making calls to help win this race.”
