American Chai

This movie was not that bad. However, from the trailors I was expecting more of a comedy like American Desi. American Desi still easily dominates this newly founded genre of Indian-American movies. Paresh Rawal's comedy is of course brilliant. Most of the movie focuses on the lead's relationship as oppose to second generation Indian life in America.

I loved watching this film because, being Indian, i felt that i could really relate to it. It was amazing to see how the main character interacted with his parents, because it was the same way that i did with my own.

Also, i thought that the quality of the acting was brilliant. The actors portrayed their characters effectively, really giving a true idea of Indian teens in college and the challenges that they face when it comes to the divide between the modern day mix of cultures and tradition.

Having seen other movies which didn't quite capture the reality of being a first generation Indian, what a refreshing change. This was a movie I think that people of any ethnicity could relate to, whereas others relied heavily on stereo-types of Indians for cheap laughs. I'm interested in seeing this writer/director release some more work, since this was an excellent first outing, if that is the case.

This is by no means a perfect movie, there are some silly things in the plot and it does start to show a little weakness in the ending. However, the characters were likable and the script had a lot of smart writing, and funny moments. Anyone of Indian heritage should definitely check it out.

I've just seen American Chai and listened to the director and actor discuss their film. I must say the portrayal of Indian American lives was most interesting. The way in which the young college students cope with their heritage, the different American mores and the humor they use to express themselves, make this a wonderful film, not just about coming of age as an Indian American, but coming of age period. The music for the film was also quite moving.

"American Chai" is a good effort by first time director Anurag Mehta. He also wrote the screenplay, which is OK, but not noteworthy in any way. There's nothing new to the story, a boy pursuing his dream of becoming a musician, even though his father wants him to be a doctor. The value of the film lies in the other conflict, between cultures. The American born son, Sureel, is all American, whereas the father still adheres to many Indian traditions. The film provides a tiny glimpse into this American/Indian culture.

Aalok Mehta, Anurag's real life brother, plays Sureel. To put it mildly, I think his acting leaves a lot to be desired. He's not alone in this regard. Aside from Paresh Rawal, who plays the father, most of the performances were merely adequate. This is not surprising, in that, Rawal is an accomplished performer in India.

The music was good, and I think Aalok has a future there, but otherwise, this is just a run-of-mill movie.