“American Idol” has a lot to answer for, especially the cheesy knock-offs of its belt-‘em out aesthetic and guided democracy contest format with decisions split between audience and “expert” judges.
Director Manish Acharya didn’t have to stretch probability to imagine the Desi Idol contest at the heart of his comedy Loins of Punjab (out April 6 on DVD). India’s top-grossing English language film of 2009 spoofs many things—Bollywood for starters, but mostly the Indian diaspora in the U.S. as well as uncomprehending Anglos who confuse Indians with Arabs and suppose anyone with a brown complexion must be a terrorist. The amusing story has many mordant moments (including the Indian immigrant programmer whose job has been outsourced to India) and sends-up various types within the Indian-American community, from turbaned rapper wannabes to sleezy stuck-in-disco promoters to the ostentatiously wealthy and the overworked strivers in search of the American dream. The DVD edition includes a bonus disc of interviews and other material.
