The Gems of Ruby Hill
Ruby Hill, a wealthy Bay Area neighborhood, is pulling back the curtain on the lives of women who reside within its golden-gated community. Glamorous moms in their fifties display well-manicured lawns and waxed legs in Cpics’ newest reality series, the Gems of Ruby Hill (GORH), which premiered on July 29th.
Set in the San Francisco Bay wine-growing region of Ruby Hill – home to some of the wealthiest Silicon Valley tech tycoons, real estate magnates, and business moguls – the series follows a group of well-heeled South Asian friends. The Ruby Hill residents juggle empire-building alongside careers, family, and social interaction, but each individual has a quirk that creates drama throughout the season.
South Asian streaming service Cpics rang in the first episode of the series with great fanfare at Cine Lounge Fremont, along with cast members, friends, and well-wishers. Nine additional episodes will drop every Friday over the next 9 weeks.
Hollywood glamour, Silicon Valley lives
“I wanted to bring a whiff of Hollywood glamour to our Silicon Valley lives,” said Nila Dugga, the producer of the show. At the premiere, a bevy of Las Vegas showgirls in jeweled tones was matched head to toe by East Bay ladies in dazzling dresses as their sparkling lives played onscreen. Clinking their champagne glasses, moviegoers bit into spicy samosas as bubbles rose up to tickle their noses.
Cindy Reis, Dugga’s childhood friend, came with her mother Mary, to watch the first episode. Cindy and Nila are friends who sit on the Fine Arts Commission together.
“My mom, a friend, and I intend to watch the series together,” said Reis after the show. “Both my mom and I enjoyed the first episode. It kept our attention and had us curious for the next episode.”
Who’s your favorite Gem?
“I liked it! It actually inspires me to consider going back to school, at 58!” said Reis. But it was hard for her to pick a favorite Gem. The cast includes Anoop Judge, Rani Dhillon, Anjali Jhangiani, Sudha Chinta, and Kaleem Ali Qureshi.
“Rani is interesting because I already thought so (we have met a few times, over the years) and I like hearing her opinions.”
“Sudha is a bit elusive, seems reserved, and to herself; makes me curious.”
“Kaleem seems like he will have a fun side that will be revealed.”
“Anoop is intriguing because she’s a writer, has a pep that I think is amusing, and I admire her inventiveness with herself.”
“Anjali has a vibrant energy ~ I want to see more of how her personality comes out.”
Mary remembers when Nila’s brother, Cpics CEO, and founder Kavi Raz, made his debut on his high school stage. “We all loved him,” she said.
At the premiere of The Gems of Ruby Hills (image courtesy: Ritu Marwah) 
Anjali Jhangiani, the Ruby Red Gem hugs an audience member and friend, Anita Gera (image courtesy: Ritu Marwah) 
Posters of the TV series at the premiere of The Gems Of Ruby Hill at Cine Lounge Fremont 7 Cinemas (image courtesy: Ritu Marwah) 
Cindi Reis and her mother Mary, childhood friends of the producer Nila Dhugga (image courtesy: Ritu Marwah)
Gems & their ‘semi-precious’ friends
Audience members, many of whom are friends of the Gems, clapped, hooted, and whistled as the cast appeared onscreen.
“We are the semi-precious gems,” giggled one audience member.
But the Gems of Ruby Hill aren’t just girls who want to have fun. In reality, they are hardworking people who run businesses from wealthy communities in the Bay Area. They have opinions, bank balances, and a flair for dressing.
“We are 3R-Raw Reality That Roars,” said Kaleem, one of the Gems, as he split a treat for his 5-month-old labradoodle, Cuddles.
This season on Gems of Ruby Hill
This season, Rani hears a rumor that puts Kaleem’s sexuality into question, and Anjali is enraged when the other Gems are a “no show” at her big charity event. Anoop shares the exciting news that she’s going back to school but some of the Gems disagree with how she’s going to pay for classes. Sudha’s competitive side comes out at axe-throwing, while one of the Gems almost chops off their toes. Kaleem breaks his silence about his sexuality but leaves the Gems with a lot of questions. All of this concludes and comes to a head with a getaway trip to San Francisco and a Halloween party where the group tries to get answers to their season-long questions. All will be revealed. Or will it?
‘The Gems of Ruby Hill’ was directed by Mayank Tripathi. “Directing The Gems of Ruby Hill was an absolute privilege and an incredibly fun journey,” Tripathi said. “This cast is like nothing you’ve seen before, and I know South Asian families can resonate with their stories. I am genuinely thrilled to share this series with audiences worldwide.”
The Gems of Ruby Hill is streaming on Cpics which is accessible on all smart devices, including personal computers, tablets, smartphones, Smart TVs, and game consoles. The service can be streamed using Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, FireTV, and more. Programming is primarily in English and can be dubbed with subtitles available in various languages. Subscribers can choose a special offer of $5.99/month or $59.99/year.