After American Desi (yes, you can't dislodge it so easily), FLAVORS is the best piece of comical narration I have seen.
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FLAVORS is about computer engineers. Yes, this breed has been shown many times in Indo-American films. You may also sense my aversion to software engineers on the screen. The story of FLAVORS, however, is intertwined very well. For the first time in my life, I wanted to know, after the movie, what life in a desi consulting company is all about.
It is no mean feat to take five plots and make them seem so integrated and seamless. Yet that is what the directors of FLAVORS have done.
Given that I am one of the foremost critics of Indian American cinema, I also take full pride in me having to eat my words. FLAVORS makes me do just that.
FLAVORS makes a giant leap in taking this genre of cinema into the land of respectability and pride. Filmmaking is all about captivating your audience; it is the business of filmmaking and FLAVORS succeeds in this business venture.
Among the female actors, the underrated Rishma Malik delivers a surprise. Her performance is challenging because her role does not have too many shades, yet is well enacted.
Reef Karim stands tall amongst the men. Other members of the cast deliver a convincing performance as well.
The pace is crisp. The humour is subtle. The music blends. And the audience feels: 'paisa vasool'.
The negative aspect of FLAVORS is that it ends 30 minutes after its logical end. Ninety minutes of running time would have been adequate for this film. But then nothing is perfect, right?
Do I see the first rays of a bright sunshine emerging? I am probably not the only one. The film has received positive reviews from The New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, and Toronto Star.
Enjoy FLAVORS. And, no, this is not a call to go and see the film. That's your call entirely. This is a documentation of what I experienced visually on the screen.
Vivek Kumar is co-founder of the South Asian American Films and Arts Association along with Pooja Bhardwaj.