Search the Internet          Tips

American Desi's Dream Run Confounds Critics

Som Chivukula

Last year when American Desi had wrapped up its production and the makers were frantically looking around for distributors to release it, there was some scepticism about its market potential.

"We had wrapped up the movie, which was very exciting to make," Purva Bedi, who played a lead role in the movie, recalled. "But I knew the reality."

Bedi knew that she had starred in an independent English-language film without the backing of a distributor. "The reality is that not many independent films make it to theatres -- it's rare," she said.

But Bedi and the film-makers did not give up hope. They screened it for numerous exhibitors, including the subsidiary wings of Paramount and 20th Century Fox. In early January, they finally got a break when the New Jersey-based Eros Entertainment, which had distributed only Bollywood films, decided to release the film.

"We screened the film for Eros last summer and they loved it," co-producer Gitesh Pandya said then. "Eros understands the Indian market. They've been dealing with Bollywood movies like Taal and other hits for a long time. This represents the next level for them -- Indian American cinema."

The film was released on nearly 40 screens on March 16. It debuted strongly with $307,000. Suddenly, American Desi, which was made for about $200,000, was looking at a handsome profit.

Now after four weeks, it has grossed almost $870,000 and is looking to end its run in North America with around $1 million. Last weekend it made a respectable $43,064 on 25 screens, despite pirated copies of the movie being available.

"What's really neat is that it's been getting a lot of repeat business from college kids," Bedi said. "People see it over and over because they see a film that's about them. They've never had that experience before."

Though American Desi received a lukewarm reception from most critics and raves from The Wall Street Journal, it has clearly been accepted by the masses.

"The film has validated us before the Indian community now," Bedi said. "Before there was so much talk about whether Indian Americans could be successful actors and many of us struggled with the stereotype of becoming a engineer or doctor that parents want you to become.

"Much like one of the characters in the movie," she continued. "So, it's art imitating life."

Bedi says that before the movie's release she was hardly recognized on the streets by desis. Now, she notices a lot of people waving at her. "There's been that exposure factor for the actors," she said.

"[Recently] Kal Penn [a co-star] and I were walking in Artesia [near Los Angeles] and there were people there that recognized us from the movie."

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report