Watch: Loins of Punjab

I saw this film when it first came out, and had forgotten how good it is until I recently rewatched it (as of this post date, it's streaming on Netflix Instant). It's a smart and funny film about the a Desi Idol contest in New Jersey, and all of the antics, drama and hilarity that ensue. The music and performances are great, and Shabana Azmi shines as the scheming socialite (though when does she not shine?). Though some of the humor may require a familiarity with South Asian culture, our non-desi friend who watched it with us was a fan.

Given that the movie came out in 2007, I was surprised that we hadn't seen more work from the extremely talented writer/director Manish Acharya, who also acts in the film. Sadly, upon I googling him I discovered he died in a tragic accident in 2010. We lost a great talent that day. RIP, Manish, and thank you for some much needed laughter in these uncertain times.