Rohini Iyer Co-Hosts Gold House's Gold Diwali In Los Angeles

Entrepreneur Rohini Iyer of Rain Reign Group recently embellished her calendar with another international engagement, co-hosting Gold House's Gold Diwali celebration in Los Angeles. The event, held on October 29 at The Majestic Downtown, was the largest Gold Diwali the Asian Pacific cultural institution has staged so far.

Iyer joined a co-host list drawn from entertainment, media, fashion and business. It included Gold House's Bing Chen, Tan France, Freida Pinto, Avantika, Dhar Mann, Priyanka Kedia, Sarayu Blue, Abhijay Prakash, president of Blumhouse, and designers Anita Dongre and Yash Dongre. Rhea Raj and the Raj Family also co-hosted, along with South Stack Studios, among others.

The evening opened with the stars and filmmakers of Ramayana: Rise of a Legend: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Nitesh Tiwari and Namit Malhotra. The film releases worldwide on November 5, ahead of Diwali on November 8, and is described as the biggest India-created film in history. Among the other guests were Sanya Malhotra, Richa Moorjani, Hannah Simone, Asif Ali, Janina Gavankar, Manish Dayal, Nisha Ganatra and Payal Kadakia.

A South Asian Presence In Hollywood

For Iyer, the night was about visibility. "Having India represented on the global Hollywood map is about taking our stories, talent and creative voices to an international audience," she says. She adds that it is "encouraging to see Indian representation becoming an integral part of global conversations."

Her hosting role, she says, carried particular meaning. "Co-hosting Gold Diwali in Los Angeles was particularly meaningful, as it brought together Hollywood and the South Asian diaspora to celebrate our achievements."

Taking Heritage Into The Future

Gold House used the evening to announce new initiatives. The Gold Stack Shorts Fund, created with South Stack Studios, will back proof-of-concept short films and micro-series that bring stories from the South Asian community to life. Applications are open until November 30, and final selections will be announced on January 10, ahead of the Sundance Film Festival.

The organisation also unveiled a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted carrom board designed by Anita Dongre in collaboration with Gold House. It reimagines a fixture of South Asian family rooms as a modern cultural artefact. Also on show was the limited-edition Cuyana x Gold House Marigold Charm, launched earlier in October, designed to give wearers an everyday touch of home and culture.

More Than A Festival Of Lights

Guests were met with traditional Diwali customs and a South Asian menu by Rasoi Catering highlighting regional dishes. There was an interactive Carrom Game Lounge, and music from DJ MissNINJA alongside a live tabla performance by KVS Tabla, who blend the instrument with electronic music and other genres. A dance floor spotlighted Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, and Bhindi Jewelers offered a jewellery experience. Dil Mil, the South Asian dating app, made a custom portrait moment possible, produced by The Lounge Booth. Smartwater, Glance, McKinsey & Company and Google's 100 Zeros also supported the event, which was produced by BMF Productions.

Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO of Gold House, said Diwali is "a celebration of light, community and connection," and that the team wanted to bring that spirit to Gold Diwali while honouring how culture shapes who we are and the possibilities we create. In his remarks on the night, he said Gold Diwali is for the creators, founders and builders who know that overnight success is decades in the making, and that the event exists to shine on everyone present, "because we know what it took—and what was lost—to get here."

The celebration follows the recent launch of Gold House's Diwali Cultural Guide, which sits alongside its wider work bridging culture with mainstream audiences through experiences, entertainment and entrepreneurship. The guide is available at goldhouse.org/diwaliguide.

Iyer was quick to credit the organisers. "Gold House is doing remarkable work, and I cannot be more thankful to them," she says, thanking Chen in particular "for being such a force of nature and for having me as a co-host of such an incredible celebration."