Friends help in times of trouble as well as happiness

Rohan migrated to Australia from New Delhi in June 2011. Being in a new country miles from home, he had to accustom himself to the very different culture of his new homeland. Setting up his home was going to be a huge task. Unlike back in Delhi, he didn’t have the electrician or carpenter who were just a call away then. And of course he didn’t have family around. However, he soon found an extended family welcoming him in his new innings – his fellow community members.

From choosing the appropriate home to rent, to identifying the best school for his kids, Rohan leaned on the experience and genuine advice that his friends gave him. Microwave meals soon gave way to pot-luck dinners with neighbourhood buddies and lazy weekends became frenetic cricket league days. Today, Rohan actively helps new migrants coming to Australia by recommending the best shops, eateries, suburbs, schools, holiday spots, the list goes on.

Businesses too realise how important people like Rohan are in making sure their own positive experience are passed on to fellow community members, and how it is important to encourage such positive influencers.

There are several people like Rohan who use a service recommended by their peer group and then refer it on to others. And it makes it even better when they are rewarded for their suggestions. Brands

Asked to pick his favourite movie from all the Indian movies he has reviewed so far, his choice is Mumbai Police, a thriller in Malayalam. Quite familiar with the actors and actresses from these movies, he picks Prithviraj, a Malayalam actor, as his favourite. On a lighter note, it takes Corrie a lot to even try and pronounce his name; but he has no trouble endorsing his acting.

But his reviews aren’t just full of high praise. “I do have very strong opinions about what happens in India in reference to the movies that are made there,” he says. Corrie’s recent review on Padmaavat is a great example. He does not shy away from stating that the movie lacks soul, and as he does it, touches upon some pertinent social issues. It is interesting that someone who has never been to India, and hasn’t had first-hand experience of its culture, has formed an idea about the country’s way of life and society just by watching many of our movies. And that includes some grim realisations as well.

Yet another relevant issue that he addressed recently was the plagiarism in Indian movies. In his video titled India, We Need To Talk About Plagiarism, he rips apart some plagiarised Indian movies. “This inadvisable trend of plagiarisingeuphemistically referred to as ‘inspired by’ - will undermine the value of the great movies that are made in India. I will continue reproaching this trend unless it is discontinued,” he says in the video.

Corrie may well be the only Australian who reviews South Indian movies in English, and these reviews have been viewed between 10,000 and 56,000 times.

For good regional films, this could serve as a launch pad to the English-speaking audience in Australia, and thanks to the power of the internet, to the wider world.

Emie Roy

like Remit2India recognise how close-knit our community is, and have an active referral program. Refer a friend online or on the App and as referrer you get an assured A$50 for every new friend that joins. A small reward for a good deed. So as our community continues to grow, every new migrant moving to Australia will continue to look up to people like Rohan as the guiding light that helps them settle in. In years to come, they pay it forward by becoming a Rohan to someone else!