Independent Films, Film Profiles

American Desi

American Desi is a 2001 American film with Indian influence, notable for featuring many prominent South Asian American actors. Considered to be the watershed movie for young South Asian American audiences or desis, it served as a precursor for other such movies such as Green Card Fever, Dude, Where's the Party? and Aduri. It was also the watershed for new remixed dance music that feature South Asian vocals with western beats and melodies. Also featured is an a cappella version of the Hindi classic "Aap Jaisa Koi", sung by Penn Masala and originally from the movie Qurbani.An American-raised Indian, Krishnagopal Reddy (or Kris, as he prefers to be called) finds out that his college roommates are all Indian. He does not associate with the Indian culture that his parents and family have pushed upon him and prefers to be as American as possible. His roommates include Ajay (Kal Penn), an African-American idolizing desi; Jagjit, who loves art but studies engineering to please his father; and Salim, who feels Indian-American girls are too Westernized to make good wives.Kris meets Nina, a girl who he immediately falls for, and is surprised to find out that she is Indian. The movie revolves around him making mistakes and trying his best to win Nina over, from joining the Indian Students Association to be near her, to learning how to perform a Dandiya Raas to impress her. The ultimate goal of the Indian Association is to put together an Indian show, which they all must help with.Kris eventually begins to enjoy the company of his roommates, all of whom put together their knowledge and skill to help Kris impress Nina through various ways involving the Indian culture.The night of the show, the 4 roommates show up. There is a fight scene at the end between Nina's friend Rakesh (who wants to be her boyfriend, but she considers him more like a brother since they practically grew up together - their parents are friends "since before they were born" - according to Rakesh) and Kris, and Kris wins. Jagjit's father sees what impressive statues he has made for the function, and is proud of his son. Salim eventually finds a girl (Farah, who is religious and can cook) that he does like, and though Ajay doesn't get rid of his "African American roots", it is implied that he has found a new friend in the president of the Indian Association. The Dandiya Raas and the whole Indian Association function goes off without a hitch.