Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2001 5:53 pm
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American Desi
By Taran Adarsh
AMERICAN DESI, written-directed by Piyush Dinker Pandya, is a romantic comedy that focuses on the lives of second generation Indians in America.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Krishnagopal Reddy (Deep Katdare) is the only son of immigrant Indian parents. He has long resisted the Indian traditions and values that his parents have tried to enshrine in their home. Kris (he shortens his birth name) cannot help but feel alienated from his family.
Enrolling into the engineering program at the local State University, Kris eagerly departs for the college with the hope of finally living a normal 'American' life. During a party, he falls for an Indian girl Nina (Purva Bedi).
In his quest for winning her love, Kris is aided by his three roommates. What follows is the story of a young man who learns about the intricacies of friendship.
Made on a shoe-string budget, AMERICAN DESI is interesting in parts. The witty one-liners and the sequences involving the roommates do bring a smile on your face, but the screenplay is not as riveting as one would've expected it to be. Even the climax looks like an absolute compromise – it's a typical Bollywood-style ending with the hero bashing up the villain.
The transformation of the protagonist after he falls in love is well handled. The reference to Bollywood on several occasions will also be enjoyed.
Piyush Dinker Pandya succeeds in extracting decent performances from the main cast, but the film has deficiencies in terms of its wafer-thin storyline. However, the witty dialogues will gel well with the Indian audiences.
Deep Katdare does quite well, delivering the right expressions at most times. Purva Bedi is just about okay. Anil Kumar, who plays the slimy villain, is loud. Amongst roommates, Ronobir Lahiri (as Jagjit Singh) and Rizwan Manji (as Salim) stand out.
On the whole, AMERICAN DESI comes at a time when the popularity of MONSOON WEDDING and BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is at an all-time high. That should ensure a decent viewership for the film, although a long run and a lasting impression is ruled out.
Rating:- *.
http://www.indiafm.com/reviews/02/ameri ... ndex.shtml  
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