Stars shine for Curry Munchers
Stars spiced up the night as the red carpet was rolled out for the world premiere of home grown romantic comedy movie Curry Munchers in Auckland last week.
Created by Kiwi Indians, Curry Munchers delves into the touchy subject of race and discrimination in a lighthearted way.
Walking the red carpet at Manukau’s Event Cinemas were co-creator Anand Naidu (who plays the lead), Leela Patel, Ajay Vashist, Vidya Sashank, Bhavnesh Soni, line producer Gaurav Gupta, and producers Raj Naidu and Paul Marshall, and hundreds of invited guests, dignitaries and media.
Curry Munchers, the maiden venture of Auckland’s Mahayana Films, tells the story of an Indian family who migrate to New Zealand in search of a better life – as the case is with most migrants.
Lead character Sid (Anand) is a mid-20s student searching for meaning in his life. His parents want him to focus on studying to be an engineer. But Sid has motorbikes on his mind – his mode of leisure and travel back home in Delhi.
This leads to Sid taking up a part-time job at an Auckland Indian restaurant “Sangeet” without his parents' knowledge. The struggle to keep all sides happy leads Sid to question who and what, is most important in his new life.
But introduction to work at Sangeet is not plain sailing at all – he has to contend with the established rank and command of incumbent chefs Pandeep and Sheikh.
The two chefs, played by Tarun Mohanbhai and Raj Verma (of Those Indian Guys fame), provide solid moments of slapskick adventure sure to tickle your funnybone.
Restaurant waitress Mary (Alison Titulaer) is more accommodating and establishes a good relationship with Sid, who later ends up on the floor when Mary’s boyfriend Ian finds them smooching at a night spot. Sid discovers his passion and natural flair for cooking and wants to be a chef.
At one end the film points out the struggle of the migrant in finding a job in a new country, and at the other end is the dream of proud Indian parents who want their child to be an engineer.
“Will they ever understand that we have dreams of our own,” is a defining line from Sid to Mary after his parents (played by Ajay Vashist and Leela Patel) find out he works at a restaurant and want him to go back to India.
Young Mary, with a good head on her shoulders, tells Sid straight: “You should learn to take some responsibility for your life.”
Sid does just that and more. The end result is a good mix of drama, emotion and comedy served up Kiwi Indian style.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable production, made a group of passionate movie makers low on budget, but big on heart. Sure to be well received by audiences the world over where curry is eaten.
Naidu, an Auckland charted accountant in real life, says that just like Sid, he also dreamed of a life quite different to the one his parents' had planned for him.
"I am a chartered account, but my life pattern was different. I became a chartered accountant, then I followed my life dream of becoming an actor."
"New Zealand is becoming increasingly multicultural and we're embracing that," Naidu said.
"We wanted to show that we can laugh about ourselves in a positive way. At the same time, I also hope the film can help debunk a few myths about Indians and some people's perceptions of them. In the end, Curry Munchers a film all Kiwis can call their own."
Created by migrants, and directed by a migrant too – Cristobal Araus Lobos (1Nite, The Comedy Pilots and The Waiting Place) earlier told the Indian Weekender that being a migrant he could identify with the plot, and that made his job as director easier.
Lobos has a cameo role in Curry Munchers as Sid’s father Dinesh’s colleague, Pablo, at the service station.
** Curry Munchers – by Mahayana Films – is now screening in New Zealand, Fiji and Australia, and is set to hit India, United States, Canada and other countries soon.
Stars spiced up the night as the red carpet was rolled out for the world premiere of home grown romantic comedy movie Curry Munchers in Auckland last week.
Created by Kiwi Indians, Curry Munchers delves into the touchy subject of race and discrimination in a lighthearted way.
Walking the red...
Stars spiced up the night as the red carpet was rolled out for the world premiere of home grown romantic comedy movie Curry Munchers in Auckland last week.
Created by Kiwi Indians, Curry Munchers delves into the touchy subject of race and discrimination in a lighthearted way.
Walking the red carpet at Manukau’s Event Cinemas were co-creator Anand Naidu (who plays the lead), Leela Patel, Ajay Vashist, Vidya Sashank, Bhavnesh Soni, line producer Gaurav Gupta, and producers Raj Naidu and Paul Marshall, and hundreds of invited guests, dignitaries and media.
Curry Munchers, the maiden venture of Auckland’s Mahayana Films, tells the story of an Indian family who migrate to New Zealand in search of a better life – as the case is with most migrants.
Lead character Sid (Anand) is a mid-20s student searching for meaning in his life. His parents want him to focus on studying to be an engineer. But Sid has motorbikes on his mind – his mode of leisure and travel back home in Delhi.
This leads to Sid taking up a part-time job at an Auckland Indian restaurant “Sangeet” without his parents' knowledge. The struggle to keep all sides happy leads Sid to question who and what, is most important in his new life.
But introduction to work at Sangeet is not plain sailing at all – he has to contend with the established rank and command of incumbent chefs Pandeep and Sheikh.
The two chefs, played by Tarun Mohanbhai and Raj Verma (of Those Indian Guys fame), provide solid moments of slapskick adventure sure to tickle your funnybone.
Restaurant waitress Mary (Alison Titulaer) is more accommodating and establishes a good relationship with Sid, who later ends up on the floor when Mary’s boyfriend Ian finds them smooching at a night spot. Sid discovers his passion and natural flair for cooking and wants to be a chef.
At one end the film points out the struggle of the migrant in finding a job in a new country, and at the other end is the dream of proud Indian parents who want their child to be an engineer.
“Will they ever understand that we have dreams of our own,” is a defining line from Sid to Mary after his parents (played by Ajay Vashist and Leela Patel) find out he works at a restaurant and want him to go back to India.
Young Mary, with a good head on her shoulders, tells Sid straight: “You should learn to take some responsibility for your life.”
Sid does just that and more. The end result is a good mix of drama, emotion and comedy served up Kiwi Indian style.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable production, made a group of passionate movie makers low on budget, but big on heart. Sure to be well received by audiences the world over where curry is eaten.
Naidu, an Auckland charted accountant in real life, says that just like Sid, he also dreamed of a life quite different to the one his parents' had planned for him.
"I am a chartered account, but my life pattern was different. I became a chartered accountant, then I followed my life dream of becoming an actor."
"New Zealand is becoming increasingly multicultural and we're embracing that," Naidu said.
"We wanted to show that we can laugh about ourselves in a positive way. At the same time, I also hope the film can help debunk a few myths about Indians and some people's perceptions of them. In the end, Curry Munchers a film all Kiwis can call their own."
Created by migrants, and directed by a migrant too – Cristobal Araus Lobos (1Nite, The Comedy Pilots and The Waiting Place) earlier told the Indian Weekender that being a migrant he could identify with the plot, and that made his job as director easier.
Lobos has a cameo role in Curry Munchers as Sid’s father Dinesh’s colleague, Pablo, at the service station.
** Curry Munchers – by Mahayana Films – is now screening in New Zealand, Fiji and Australia, and is set to hit India, United States, Canada and other countries soon.
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