Amar Shah’s “Patel Motel Story” In Tribeca Film Festival Lineup
India-West Staff Reporter
NEW YORK, NY – The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival is set to host the premiere of “The Patel Motel Story,” a poignant documentary short directed by Emmy-winning producer Amar Shah and Rahul Rohatgi. This film delves into the fascinating and largely untold history of how South Asian families, predominantly those named Patel, came to own and operate over 60% of America’s motels, a narrative significantly enriched by the lifelong work of writer Mahendra K. Doshi.
“The Patel Motel Story” traces this remarkable entrepreneurial phenomenon from its humble beginnings – specifically, the journey of one undocumented immigrant from India through the Caribbean to the U.S. – to the flourishing community that has fundamentally reshaped the American hospitality industry.
“You’ve heard of Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott,” noted director Amar Shah. “But behind the scenes, over 60% of America’s motels are run by South Asian families—many of them named Patel.” The film, a four-year undertaking, involved extensive travel across the country, intimate interviews in living rooms, sharing home-cooked meals, and attending numerous AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) conventions to capture the authentic spirit of this community.
Shah, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida and a published author with Scholastic, emphasized the film’s dedication, “This is for the uncles and aunties who handed us room keys and life lessons. This is for the next gen writing their own stories. And this is just the beginning.”
Adding a crucial layer of depth to this narrative is Mahendra K. Doshi, from San Jose, California, prominently acknowledged in the film’s credits. Doshi’s decades-long dedication to chronicling the Patel community’s journey culminated in his book on which the film is based, “Surat to San Francisco: How the Patels from Gujarat Established the Hotel Business in California 1942-1960.”
Originally from Vadia, Gujarat, Doshi’s own journey mirrors the immigrant spirit he meticulously researched. Arriving in the United States in 1967 with merely “the proverbial eight dollars in his pocket,” he worked his way to earn a Master’s Degree in History from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Since his retirement in 2013, Doshi has devoted eight years to “Surat to San Francisco,” interviewing over 150 Patels to bring to light “the thus-far untold stories of the founding fathers of the Patel hospitality business.”
Amar Shah himself is an Emmy-winning producer and director, founder of his own production company, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida, and a published author with Scholastic. His extensive career includes experience with major sports media outlets like NFL, NBA, ESPN, and Fox Sports, underscoring his commitment to compelling storytelling across various platforms.
“The Patel Motel Story” is produced by Sanjay Sharma and Milan Chakraborty, with editing by Alexander Wolfe, cinematography by Nathan Weyland, music by John Piscitello and Aalok Mehta, and illustrations by Rhea Sajit.
“The Patel Motel Story” is scheduled to screen at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival on June 9, 14, and 15 in New York City.
