American Chai is about an Indian-American college student who wants to chart a more creative path in life than expected by his tradition-bound parents. So it's somewhat ironic that the movie itself is extremely conventional. The plot is based on the predictable tension between immigrant parents and their American child, some standard romantic comedy and coming-of-age material, and even a clichéd Battle of the Bands scenario. Although the film makes a statement about the need for young Indian-Americans to follow the artistic muse, there are very few moments of genuine creative inspiration in this film, with the notable exception of the Bollywood musical dream sequence. Furthermore, the production seems somewhat amateurish at times, and the acting is generally unremarkable. Aalok Mehta (Sureel) appears to be an affable fellow, and he gets extra points for performing his own music in the film, but he doesn't demonstrate the screen presence or dramatic range necessary for a leading role; perhaps that's why he approaches a lot of his scenes like he's simply amused to be on the screen. Sheetal Sheth is certainly attractive enough (although she may be too attractive to be believable as Sureel's girlfriend), and her performance here is a lot less grating than her acting in ABCD, but she isn't much more than eye candy. On the other hand, Paresh Rawal gives a good performance as Sureel's father, although it's unfortunate that writer/director Anurag Mehta didn't develop this character in greater depth.
by Todd Kristel
review
