American Chai

R

Released Apr 5, 2002

1h 32m

Drama

List

52%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

77%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

College senior Sureel (Aalok Mehta) has always deceived his strict Indian parents in order to fit into American society. When his father (Paresh Rawal) finds out he is studying music and playing in a band rather than getting his pre-med degree, he is furious. After getting kicked out of the band, Sureel breaks up with his white girlfriend and starts dating Maya (Sheetal Sheth), another Indian-American -- but both are alarmed when his parents instantly start planning their wedding.

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Desson Thomson

Washington Post

This ethnic family sitcom thing is rapidly turning into wearisome cliche, and American Chai doesn't hold a candle to either Beckham or Greek Wedding.

Nov 14, 2003

Full Review

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

By now, I've seen far too many American indie movies with similar semi-autobiographical subjects.

Rated: 2/4

Jul 20, 2002

Full Review

John Monaghan

Detroit Free Press

[It's] difficult to get beyond the overall blandness of American Chai, despite its likable performances and refreshingly naive point of view.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 7, 2002

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 4/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

Merle Bertrand

Film Threat

The funniest, most unabashadly goofy indie film to come out in quite some time.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 8, 2002

Full Review

Mark Olsen

L.A. Weekly

Chai's structure and pacing are disconcertingly slack.

Oct 7, 2002

Full Review

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Audience Member

An excellent movie about the struggles of Indian kid growing up with interest outside of the culture's norm...This movie has some great memorable moments, like the cut to song/dance routines, hilarious "rational" explanations by Aasif Mandvi, and that gangster Raju...Definitely worth watching by everyone...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Cool, captures tension and hybridity of being second generation in US

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Cute, but pretty predictable story of children of immigrants struggling with their parents' expectations. The main character is really a talented singer/songwriter though.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Proof that it does not matter where you come from, your parents still have a set of plans for you that are ot exactly what you want

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I thought this movie was AMAZING - it truly describes many of the ABCD/IBCD struggles with parents and with society

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

the first NRI film i ever watched. i think the genre is now passe , but i loved this movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Anurag Mehta

Director

Aalok Mehta

Sureel

Paresh Rawal

Sureel's Father

Sheetal Sheth

Maya

Joshua Ackerman

Toby

Ajay Naidu

Hari

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Synopsis

College senior Sureel (Aalok Mehta) has always deceived his strict Indian parents in order to fit into American society. When his father (Paresh Rawal) finds out he is studying music and playing in a band rather than getting his pre-med degree, he is furious. After getting kicked out of the band, Sureel breaks up with his white girlfriend and starts dating Maya (Sheetal Sheth), another Indian-American -- but both are alarmed when his parents instantly start planning their wedding.

Director: Anurag Mehta
Producer: Kathy Perone, Sapna Shah, Ashish Shah, Victoria Dingman
Screenwriter: Anurag Mehta
Production Co: Dream Merchants Pictures
Rating: R (Some Sexual Dialogue)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 5, 2002, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $126.0K
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono