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American Desi-An Enigma
Hi Folks,
In 1997, a new kind of concept hit the screens in America. It was not from the studios and it was from the generation that grew up in the US….oh, and that generation were for the most part, from the sub continent. A lot, if not most of them, had never faced the camera or even behind it professionally, a lot of them had met at Rutgers in NJ. The film was shot largely on a college campus in New Jersey. A team of three had put together the entire concept. One was a computer programmer, his brother a budding film statistician and the third an Investment banker with Credit Lyonaise, who had topped MIT, but decided acting or atleast part time acting was his calling. The programmer would be the director, the statistician the producer and the marketeer and the i banker the lead actor.
While the team was new, they were damn sure they wanted to do this right and to the best of their ability. So auditions were held. Second generations South Asian Actors showed up. It was a dream come true for them, cause while Bollywood would look at them with disdain, Hollwyood still had not opened up to them, so this was a good “in between.” The one common theme with this entire set was tremedous passio and a hunger.
The hunger stemmed internally from being the first in their household who were attempting a film. It also came from their coming of age. Many of them grew up in either ultra conservative homes or neighborhoods where they were probably the only “desis.” The fire to rebel was there, it was also, in the words of the intelligent director, “we can take away indianness from our persona, but the seeds are after all indian, that doesn’t go away, it comes back strongly.” Funnily none of the BIG 3, grew up being Bollywood fans, far from it, Comedy Central was close to the directors heart. That coupled with his desire to “say serious things lightly” and “not take yourself too seriously” resulted in a movie, which was in effect their own story told in a light hearted manner. When asked did they feel any roadblocks, their response was “we had no standard or yardstick to compare against…a new genre or product was being tried, we could not compare ourselves with Bollywood, nor with Hollywood, Mira’s Missippi Masala came close but not so…this was about South Asians born here, not transplanted to the US.” But the confidence was there “that we would make the film was never a doubt in our practical minds (these were not idealistic folks).”
In 1997 AMERICAN DESI hit the theaters (credit goes to Eros for investing in this dream) and IT STAYED IN THE THEATERS….and IT CONTINUED TO STAY IN THE THEATERS….FOR A WHILE
The first of it’s kind was also commercially the most successful of that genre till date. Globally it made a couple of million dollars….not that much by box office standards, but quite a lot compared to how much it was made for and how uncharted this product was and it has made instant heroes of the BIG 3, but also launched with it a whole set of films, careers, thoughts and beliefs.
PIYUSH PANDYA (the director) : became a clebrity overnight. It couldn’t have happened to a more intelligent person. Piyush is a perfectionist. He has not made any film since then, cause when you meet him you realize he does not do things because it is “to be done” more because “I feel the need to do it.” Piyush also pioneered the stand up south asian comedy through his Gurus of Comedy tour, that included folks such as Russell Peters. If there is one thing Piyush does have…it is an eye for talent. Oh and just by the way he can also be seen in the offices of Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch…don’t panic he is not a financial advisor, but he is a topnotch IT guru, probably one of the best in Manhattan.
GITESH PANDYA (the producer and marketing guru): allegedly the brains behind the marketing, probably not allegedly, his BOXOFFICEGURU comes out with some solid stats, he is often seen in mainstream television talking about box office results of mainstream movies and the studios of LA depend a lot on him for South Asian Outreach.
DEEP KATDARE (the I banker and the hero of the film): In fact when I meet Deep I joke (probably not a joke anymore) that South Asian cinema would have come of age if we can have Hrithik and Deep play long lost brothers in a Bollywood film. Deep, one of the nicest people on this planet and a thorough gentleman, is now back to doing STRUCTURED FINANCE (brains has never been an issue with him) with an I bank in NYC. Along the way he dabbles in acting and can often be seen on Law & Order. Oh and for all his “Americanness,” don’t say anything bad about him in Marathi, his command over that language will put most Pune and Nagpur folks (of course I am not including Mumbai since the quality of Marathi is better in the heartland of Maharashtra) to shame. Evident when he visits his grandmom in Jogeshwari.
KALPEN MODI: Although we could hardly understand Kal Penn’s afro in AD, he is now heard loud and clear. I did say Piyush had an eye for talent!! Don’t need to say anymore about Kal.
THE OTHERS: Aasif Manji, Ronobir Lahiri, Purva Bedi all make a carrier in acting
THE BELIEF: AD probably made a lot of these actors and other South Asian Americans believe that “yes we can make a livelihood in this,” “yes we will fight till Hollywood gives us an opportunity,” “yes we will give up more lucrative lives to hang around India Sweet and Spices in Venice, living in our studio digs until we break in, casue AD has convinced us that we can and will break in some day,” and
as the late Parveen Babi once said in the movie SHAAN- Unko hamare salaam, kabhie rukte nahin…. jeeta hain shaan se….marte hain shaan se….(to you my salute, you are living your dream and even if you don’t make it you will have the sportsman’s conviction and our belief, that you have it all you had and then walked away with no regrets). Being a tennis player I know you can win PLAYING YOUR GAME or you can loose PLAYING AND GIVING IT ALL YOU HAVE and while there is a tinge of sorrow in the latter, it is overcome by the belief that “at that moment, in that time, I did not just talk about it, I gave it my 101%”
AND THE STORY CONTINUES: AD was an aberration, what followed were a string of copies and poor second cousins, that failed miserably, both at the box office and also with the audience. There were exceptions, Nisha Ganatra’s Cosmopoliton and Chutney Popcorn won critical acclaim. FLAVORS came close,a lthough that was made by FOB’s not the ABCD’s (and I say both in a non derogatory manner). People and audiences realized that you cannot spin the same wheel a different way. Also the acting in the films, and the direction, was bad to really bad. Filmmakers would cast themselves without the least bit being qualified to act or direct. It became more “family home videos.” The barrier to entry started to fall. Every South Asian American felt qaulified to make a film “because it is my story and I need the world to see it and also see me.”
After a string of terrible films, sanity prevailed and people started to assess whether there was a market for these films. The difference between AD and these “others” was that AD crossed over to the “non south Asians too,” while the others “did not even leave the house of the maker.” People were like “I am sick of that immigrant experience tale and the story of Raj the software engineer,” surely there was more the the South Asian experience in the US. Plus the problem with a lot of these films, unlike AD, was that it took itself a little too seriously….lighten up pal!!
THE EXPLANATION CONTINUES TILL THIS DATE: It (AD) ran because it was a first of it’s kind, people saw it out of self pity and a sense of “let’s watch it for our kids, ” etc , etc.
Well let me tell you something. I rented it in the DVD store and watched in 10 years after I first saw it….and I was still laughing and I was crying (out of boredom) when I saw all the “clones that followed.”
Also let me tell you something more– Living in Silicon Valley, attending TiECOn, being one of the few Desis to volunteer for UCLA Esxtension Arts Day in LA, DESIS DO NOT SUPPORT A FILM FOR SELF PITY…YOU PROBABLY DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT, BUT HEAR IT LOUD AND HEAR IT CLEAR…the only reason they watch is for enterainment. AD made $ 1 million IN the US and $1 million OUTSIDE the US, aka FOB’s and ABCD’s liked it equally, “from Mumbai ” folks like me and “going to Mumbai for the first time ” SOuth Asians, unlike me, watched it.
It was the most pirated film in the South Asian genre, that is bad, the good news is, even pirates have taste, they don’t pirate stuff for which there is NO ORIGINAL DEMAND, AD had a lot of ORIGINAL DEMAND.
THE FUTURE: Like the Candian Indian and the British Indian, as Piyush says “we will evolve.” Making crap is not a bad thing, it is an evolutionary process, as long as one can learn from it and make quality products and the way the world order is changing, they may have Hollywood studios and independents support that movement someday.
I STILL REMEMBER: it was 1995 and I had just arrived a year ago in North America and was living in Queens Quay in Toronto when my former colleague from Ernst & Young, Dubai, Michael D’ SOuza (now a senior excutive with Kraft in Chicago) called me telephonically. Mike was doing his MBA at NYU - Stern. “my roommate is looking to make a movie, he is an American Desi named Deep katdare who works during the day with Investment Banking, they are looking to film in Toronto, can they use your apartment…..”
Before he could finish, I was laughing
“Mike the odds of an investment banker giving up his job and making a movie is about as much as my mother getting her lifelong dream of sitting in a F-16….”
I’m glad that I was wrong and Deep continued to make AD….
I’m glad, for the sake of world peace, that my mother never piloted a F-16
In one instance the odds went for me and in the other against me…..I was happy both times
Looking before you leap, makes you a procastinator
Leaping before you look, makes you a life well lived
Sincerely,
Vivek “remember only I’m between possible and Impossible” Kumar
24 Responses to “American Desi-An Enigma”
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Great Write-up Vivek! AD still remains one of my fav cross-over originals.
Deep/Piyush if you are reading this: take a bow!
Was American Desi released in 97 or 01? I remember it was not as early as 97 definitely, may be it was conceptualized at that time.
The other reason it is hard to believe it released in 97 is that it refers to Kama Sutra - ‘Tail’ of Love in one scene while KS itself was released in 97 itself. Too close on time-line.
A cult nevertheless. My friends and I do ‘dandiya’ like those guys even to the date. And one of the rare movies (along with Mast) that pays homage to the eternal Bollywood beauty - Rekha!
It’s funny, I just Googled it and a few sources state the Amercian Desi was in fact released in 2001. Somehow I remember seeing it earlier…
Saw it in a theatre in Vancouver… a bit feat out here where only “big” films get screen time (even films like Johnny Gaddar and Khosla Ka Ghosla don’t play in cinemas out here).
I still remember the film. It was pretty good, especially considering it was made on a shoe string budget. Good for those guys… I wish Piyush Pandya had made a few more films… could have brought the Indo-American independant film movement some much needed momentum…
I remember in 2003, we met with the VideoSound guys in New Jersy with a script for a Hindi film called “Anjaani Raahon Mein”. In casual conversation the topic of these Indo-American films had come up. They showed us a dozen or some completed films on their shelf which they were not planning to release (also saw the original script for “Hope and A Little Sugar”, but that’s a whole other story…). Anyhow, Kishore Dadlani was so impressed with American Desi, that he would watch all these totally crappy films in hopes that he could find, and release, the “next” American Desi. That of course never happened…
Good write-up Vivek paaji :)
didn’t enjoy American Desi. The only movie made in the US for Indians/NRI that I’ve loved the most is “Flavors” - that had moments that hit the nail on the head
I was doing my MS when I saw American Desi. I had heard about BoxOfficeGuru before that and also that this movie had crossed the cool 1 million dollar mark.
May be I could relate to the movie since it involved college days and it was about desis. Loved the sound track.
Ghalla Guriya and Mirza still remain my favorites.
Also being from Gujarat, the climactic Garba song made me all nostalgic when I saw it in the movie.
I think it was one of the better movies in that genre made by American Indians/NRI.
I also saw ABCD, Flavors, Namaste India (or something like that, it had Perizaad Zorabian), My Father’s daughter (again I am not sure, it had a drunkard father who says “Kachha pahenkar kahan jaa rahi ho” ROTFL) and few more which were unintentionally hilarious and real bad for me. Flavors was OK.
i saw it in 2002 at R-world Ahmedabad. it was time to release croos over/ hinglish movies after success of Monsson wedding. being from Gujarat, i liked that garba and little gujarati symptoms of protagonist. it was fun to watch. Flavors was also good.
^ u mean R-world gandhinagar ? i too watched it there.
just curious, u studied in some collg there ?
amercian desi make bad bad bad films…
bad acting…bad plot…bad music…
only bearable film was flavor…
I stand by my comments.. of all the low budget independant cross-over films I’ve seen, American Desi was the only one I liked.
I haven’t seen Flavors.. is it worth a DVD rental?
AMERICAN DESI & FLAVORS are so far the best 2 films.
Leela also made an impact in India. Infact Somnath was planning a film with Big B. God knows what happened to him.
Somnath now teaches at FTII in Pune. His former wife continues to live in LA. The producer of Leela, who is a top notch Silicon Valley VC and on our board at SAAFA, was not too happy with the financial RoI of Leela and his next film, the Great New Wonderful (Naseer, directed by Danny who made White Castle) and has also moved on from film investing and producing.
@Tony- Flavors is a good watch, but as mentioned in my write up more a FOB story and a very Tech centric story,whereas AD was more a coming of age of the generation that were either born here (US) or grew up here.
filmibhai, i studied in Nirma inst. of technology-chemical engg.
oh k .. me in daiict
Vivek,
GREAT article! Thanks for reminding us of the film that started it all. These days, after seeing “ABCD” and even “Quarter Life Crisis” one realizes just how much of a trendsetter this movie was. And thanks for catching us up on the actors involved. Though you left out the meany Rakesh, played by Anil Kumar.
Thanks again for the trip down memory lane…
Flavors was very good. If you have studies in US, and then moved on to work here as well on your H1B visa, this movie is perfect for you. The situations of Indian housewives, techies on the ‘bench’ - everything is depicted very accurately and in an entertaining way.
Note from Piyush (on seeing this article, for obvious reasons I have left out his email id, lest he be bombarded):
Of course not posting this for getting praise, those who know me know that I will think what I think and say what I think, irrespective of the consequences. Posted it because some of you wanted to know why he has not done anything since….well maybe now he will….I hope so. And of course if you think I have doctored this email myself, I have nothing to say to that…
Vivek,——- FYI
I think the bartender should have cut you off after the 4th one!!!!
Very nice words. Thank you. What spurred this?
Long time no talk. What have you been up to?
You have reminded me of why I did AD in the first place. Feeling an itch to getting back into it.
Let’s see.
Regards,
Piyush
So Vivek-bhai… did you doctor that email?
LOL… sorry bhai… Sasura joke maare!
Tony long life, your name just came up. Planning for the logistics of my film..Question — Are there parts of Vancouver (corporate downtown) which can be passed of as Hong Kong? Also can one get a significant number of Chinese Canadian actors/extras in Vancouver? Let me know.
AD is hilarious. Still cant forget so many good moments of movie especially the one where the lecturer starts peeing on streets yelling freedom hahahahaha
I saw American Desi in 2001 or 2002. As an Indian kid about to graduate from high school it was something new. A film about a 2nd-generation Indian getting in touch with his culture. While I was more in touch with Indian culture than Krishna the protagonist, I could relate to the film. Thankfully the film had a light touch, not really taking itself too seriously, and leavening a possibly corny film with lots of humor. AD is dated now, but for its time it was quite a good film.
Unfortunately, after American Desi, Desi filmmakers (not unlike filmmakers in India) rushed to make films about East-West conflicts that either took themselves too seriously or were excuses to rehash already stale jokes about FOBs and long names and Indian parents. Plus, these films do not have any reach beyond the insular Indian community. Whatever your opinion of M. Night Shyamalan, at least he didn’t ghettoize himself in the Indian-American film genre.
@ Vivek..Saw AD in 2001 i guess just wen i landed in US..it was fascinating then..and after reading your post i went and rented it again..it feels better than the first time..this is surely appreciated project…wasnt Deep in Green Card Fever as well..the lawyer guy…
Kal Penn..geez that guy rocked in AD..it was so much fun to watch him
OM- yep Deep was in GC Fever, which was one of those “clone” films and died a quick and natural death. Deep was also in the musical BOMBAY DREAMS, which played for a while in Broadway. He plays the negative character there, and did a great job of it.
Vivek..its funny coz wen one says an Investment banker..one wud usually think the person looks like a geek…but this deep guy is surely different…cool
Just got confirmation from Piyush, the US release date of American Desi was actually 3/16/2001 , the work on it though started in 1997 and somewhere in 1995 is when the first set of planning started.