“Meet The Patels” review

“Meet the Patels” poster (click on image to enlarge)

What starts off as a family vacation has a very different ending for 30 year old Ravi Patel. The Patel family is very close, they discuss a lot, they hang out ALOT and their parents are determined to help their son find the perfect girl … but there is a catch – she must be a Patel, and she must meet their approval. “Meet The Patels” is a hilarious docu-comedy that delves into the world of match making and finding that perfect girl. What was supposed to be a regular family vacation ended up with young Ravi putting his relationship woes into the hands of his parents. This clever film has audiences laughing out loud and grabbing for the Kleenex box, all at the same time. It’s a very brave look at relationships in the 2ndgeneration South Asian community and what it takes to be happy, and to keep your family happy.

“It started with the fact that I had a white girlfriend I had not told my parents about … but I was emceeing this big Indian professionals convention. It was for Jain lawyers. They had asked me to perform, so I just started talking about my Mom trying to set me up with Indian girls and I noticed that everyone in the crowd is laughing quite a bit. I realized they are laughing because they all are going through the same thing! I asked how any of them are single, and they all raised their hands!!”, said Ravi Patel.

Brother –Sister directing duo Ravi and Geeta Patel open up the lense to their family life and what Ravi goes through to meet the right girl. From circulating his bio data, hitting the wedding circuit, to cruising to a Patel convention, in every scene of this film the audience can relate. I certainly did.

“I think its hard enough to go through … you feel so vulnerable. And also I think so many people that are going through this also feel that they are going through it alone, and that it is a legitimate experience.” Geeta Patel points out.

Meet The Patels is a must see for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or cultural background. Like every love story we want to see a happy ending … the question is, does Ravi find true love in another Patel or in the fair red head named Audrey? I just can’t give away the ending! I give this film 4 stars! Get ready to laugh, relate, cry, and laugh again.