Screens Strung
Fri., March 7, 2003
WHERE'S THE PARTY YAAR?
D: Benny Matthews; with Kal Penn, Sunil Malhotra, Prem Shah, Tina Cherian, Serena Verghese, Mousami Dave.
Narrative Feature Special Screenings, Regional Premiere
A witty assimilation comedy that trucks in neither grotesque caricature nor syrupy platitude, Where's the Party Yaar? follows Indian transplant Hari (Malhotra) as he finds his way around the New World (Houston, Texas) and his U.S.-born hipster cousin Mohan (Penn) as he finds his way around his own mild snobbery. Hari's convinced he'll find his true love at a South Asian-centric campus party; Mohan's fratty buddies are determined to keep the goofy F.O.B.s away, convinced they'll scare off the ladies. Antics ensue; Indian and American stereotypes are skewered; amends are made. It's your basic college comedy, but better, fueled as it is by a stellar soundtrack, a whip-smart script, and Penn's (Van Wilder, American Desi) considerable charisma. (Westgate, 3/12, 7:30pm; Westgate, 3/13, 7:30pm) - Cindy Widner
