The Patel Motel Story is a new short documentary co-directed and narrated by Amar Shah, exploring the extraordinary rise of Indian American motel owners in the United States. Premiering at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, the film traces how Indian immigrants—many from Gujarat and sharing the surname Patel—came to own more than 60% of the country’s hotels and motels, despite representing only 1% of the population.
