When South Asian cinema is mentioned, often the first thing to come to mind is Bollywood, the wildly popular genre of Indian movies.

“South Asian cinema always reminds people of actors and actresses running around trees singing love songs,” said senior Shalini Ahmed, co-chair of Sanskriti, Stanford’s South Asian student organization.

Debunking these stereotypes is a goal of the second annual South Asian Awareness Week, the theme of which is “Seeing South Asia: Awareness through Film and Media,” organizers said. Each day of the festival, which is sponsored by Sanskriti, has a different theme and topic. Sanskriti’s Cultural and South Asian Issues Committee Co-Chairs sophomores Natasha Dar and Supriya Misma invited several directors to screen and discuss their works throughout the week.

Last year was the first time Sanskriti held a weeklong event that focused on South Asian culture, including discussions, forums and a lecture by Political Science Prof. Scott Sagan about security issues in South Asia. This year, Ahmed said, Sanskriti tried to broaden its reach by focusing on South Asia, rather than just India.

“We’re directing the events at both the South Asian community as well as the larger Stanford community itself,” she said. “The theme of this year was not an isolated South Asian community, which doesn’t function in the real world and isn’t really healthy. One of our goals this year is to work with other groups.”

Sanskriti is planning an event in February with the Black Student Union.

Ulka Anjaria, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of Modern Thought and Literature, delivered the keynote address on Monday, addressing the themes of identity that were also portrayed in the following days’ films. She also discussed the issue of the South Asian Diaspora, which was a focal point in Wednesday night’s movie “Monsoon Wedding.”

Screenings of the themed movies began on Tuesday, which addressed the theme of queer issues and identity. The lunchtime film was “Flesh and Paper,” a documentary about Indian lesbian poet and writer Suniti Bamjoshi. Later that night, “Chutney Popcorn,” a movie about LGBT identity, motherhood and family ties was screened, followed by a discussion with lead actress and director Nisha Ganatra.

Wednesday’s theme was “Kinship and Marriage,” which covered the stereotype of arranged marriages. The documentary “Some Kind of Arrangement,” screened at lunch, focused on contemporary young professionals contemplating modern arranged marriages. “Monsoon Wedding,” a critically acclaimed film that achieved worldwide success, was shown in the evening followed by a student panel discussion.

“‘Monsoon Wedding’ also addresses the Diaspora, but it’s also about identity,” Ahmed said. “Again, it’s looking beyond the facade; a group of people who have been abroad come together for a wedding in India, but at the end of the day, they’re still South Asian.”

Yesterday’s movies, “Miss India Georgia” and “Pyaasa,” focused on the theme of “Expectations and Struggle.” “Miss India Georgia,” a documentary, trails beauty contestants as they prepare for the annual South Asian beauty pageant, held in Atlanta, Ga. “Pyaasa,” a 1957 movie, will be followed by a discussion with Huma Dar, a researcher from the University of California, Berkeley.

“Many South Asian films really delve into subjects like contemporary issues and identity,” Ahmed said. “We’re trying to feature South Asian movies that focus on issues which don’t often receive as much attention when people mention South Asian cinema.”

The movie “American Desi” will be shown today at 3:30 p.m. in Building 260-113 to correspond with the theme of “Here and Now,” followed by a discussion with writer and director Piyush Pandya.

Tonight, Sanskriti will be holding the Raas for Relief dance in Toyon Lounge at 8:00 p.m. Raas is a traditional Indian folk dance from the Gujarat region performed with twirling sticks, and the annual charity event consists of a workshop and then open dance. Donations are accepted, and all proceeds will go toward relief efforts in South Asia for the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunamis.