"Together. Always."
Neha and Himanshu are drowning in paperwork. After leaving Mumbai in pursuit of the Canadian dream, Neha's repeated rejections for permanent residency have left the couple suspended in bureaucratic limbo. As forms pile up and questions grow more invasive, their relationship is put under the microscope-not only by immigration officers, but by each other. Flashbacks of their charming courtship collide with the emotional toll of visa purgatory, forcing them to question if love alone can keep them together.
An IMM-Permanent Resident is a hilarious and heartbreaking true story of resilience, partnership, and the universal desire to belong. Told by real-life couple Neha Poduval and Himanshu Sitlani, this candid romantic comedy takes audiences on an irreverent journey through the absurdities of the Canadian immigration system with biting humour, Bollywood flair, and unflinching honesty. A love letter to anyone who's ever chased a dream, this tender portrait proves that true love knows no borders.
• Neha hosts her own YouTube channel called Mustard Tempered Dreams, where she shares her love for food through delicious, easy-to-make vegetarian recipes from around the world that she loves to eat and cook.
• Along with Neha, Himanshu runs Nautanki Bazaar, a South Asian theatre company with a mandate that focuses on South Asian art and artists.
• An IMM-Permanent Resident was first produced by Nautanki Bazaar as part of Why Not Theatre's RISER Project at the Theatre Centre, Toronto, from April 1–10, 2022
Neha and Himanshu are drowning in paperwork. After leaving Mumbai to chase the Canadian dream, Neha's repeated rejections for permanent residency leave the couple suspended in visa purgatory. As bureaucratic absurdities abound and endless forms pile up, their relationship is tested-not just by the government, but by each other. An IMM-Permanent Resident is a hilarious and heartbreaking true story of love, limbo, and the Canadian immigration system. Told by real-life couple Neha Poduval and Himanshu Sitlani, this candid romantic comedy blends biting humour, Bollywood flair, and raw honesty into a celebration of belonging and a love that transcends borders.
A Bollywood-infused romance stuck in the bureaucratic limbo of immigration.
Neha Poduval and Himanshu Sitlani, a husband-and-wife writing and performing team, have achieved the impossible: they've made a story about paperwork fun . . . Poduval and Sitlani have peeled away the layers of the visitor-visa-to-PR-pipeline, and rather than explicitly critiquing it, they've instead highlighted nuggets of humour nestled into an otherwise bleak process. It works. It so works.
If you've ever wondered how difficult it is to cut through the confusing red tape of the Canadian immigration process, An IMM-Permanent Resident will show you-and make you laugh a lot.
