Emmy®-winning actor Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife, Hijack) has joined the acclaimed live-action short FLIGHT 182 as an executive producer. The film has been nominated for Best Short Film at Sundar Prize Film Festival, awarded Best Short Honorable Mention at International South Asian Film Festival of Canada, and will head to Oscar-qualifying festivals including the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, after being featured at Tasveer.
Written and directed by Rippin Sindher, FLIGHT 182 centers on a pregnant wife, played by Sundeep Morrison, determined to protect her husband from boarding a flight in June of 1985, at the peak of political uprising, that could uproot their family. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the real-life tragedy.
“Rippin Sindher is one of the most electrifying new voices in film today. With FLIGHT 182, she reclaims history with empathy and cinematic precision.” Panjabi continues, “Her ability to strike at the emotional core of an audience has rightfully caught the attention of Sundance, Shondaland and Ryan Murphy TV, among others. She’s not just emerging, she’s arriving with purpose.”
Panjabi is best known for her Emmy®-winning role as Kalinda Sharma in CBS’s The Good Wife. She recently starred opposite Idris Elba in Apple TV+’s Hijack and appears in Hulu’s limited series Under the Bridge, based on the true story of Reena Virk. She gained early recognition for her roles in East Is East and the beloved classic Bend It Like Beckham.
“It is a deep honor to have the support of Archie Panjabi,” says Sindher. “She has always represented what is possible—bringing narratives into the world that inform culture, offer unique perspectives with universal human appeal, and spark truthful, sometimes difficult, conversations. I remember watching her in Bend It Like Beckham when I was young, and later as an adult in Under the Bridge—the pattern I noticed with Archie is that she approaches everything with empathy, intention and love. It is no coincidence that our connection formed through this film.”
Panjabi and Sindher first met at the International South Asian Film Festival (iSAFF), where FLIGHT 182 premiered. Panjabi was honored with the ICON Award for her acclaimed body of work, including her recent performance in Under the Bridge. The two bonded over their shared passion for storytelling that drives social impact.
The cast of FLIGHT 182 features a talented ensemble of South Asian actors, including Sundeep Morrison (Your Love, Radio Silence), Gurinder Sindher (The Cleaning Lady, The Other Two), Rupak Ginn (Royal Pains, Friends with Benefits), Yuvi Grewal (Quantum Leap, Good Trouble, 9-1-1) and Naysa Shokeen (Alma’s Way).
In addition to Panjabi, executive producers include the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), Julia S. Gouw, Academy President Janet Yang, Cindy Huang and David Thies (The Peanut Butter Falcon).
FLIGHT 182 is the recipient of the CAPE Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge grant and the Panavision Film Grant. The feature script was also a finalist for the Cultural Impact Sundance Residency.
Trailer source: Vimeo
