American Chai

American Chai
Directed by	Anurag Mehta
Written by	Anurag Mehta
Screenplay by	Anurag Mehta
Starring	Aalok Mehta Aasif Mandvi Paresh Rawal Sheetal Sheth
Distributed by	Dream Merchant Pictures Fusion Films
Release dates	25 January 2001(2001-01-25)(Slamdance Film Festival) 5 April 2002(2002-04-05)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

American Chaiis a 2001comedy-dramafilm written and directed by Indian American director Anurag Mehta. His brother, Aalok Mehta, played the starring role oppositeSheetal Sheth,who had previously starred in the similar genre filmABCD.The film also had a minor role played byParesh Rawal.

The film deals with anIndian Americanstudent who wants to pursue his love of music over the more "typical" academic endeavors of Indian Americans (e.g., medicine, engineering, and law).

The film won the Audience Award at the 2001Slamdance Film Festival,with theNew York Postdescribing it as a "slight but sweet film".

Premise

Sureel is a first generation Indian American college graduating senior music major whose controlling father still believes that he is pre-med. His desires in life conflict with both his family's traditional values, and the usual Indian way of assimilating into the United States by becoming a doctor or engineer. As graduation approaches, he has an opportunity to be nationally recognized for his music which will simplify telling his father the truth.

Cast

• Aalok Mehta – Sureel
• Sheetal Sheth– Maya
• Aasif Mandvi– Engineering Sam
• Josh Ackrman – Toby
• Ajay Naidu– Hari
• Paresh Rawal- Sureel's Dad
• Bharti Desai - Sureel's Mom
• Akshay Oberoi– Neel
• Rajiv Reddy – Young Sureel
• Jamie Hurley - Jen
• Reena Shah – Sejal
• Anand Chulani – Raju
• Jill Anderson – Lisa
• Kyle Koehl – Young Boy
• Marlee Kattler – Young Girl

ThePhiladelphia-based hip-hop bandFatheadalso appears in the film.

External links

• American ChaiatIMDb