Ravi Kapoor’s comedic heist film, 'Four Samosas' is making waves across the cine globe ever since its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, 2022. Although released in the USA, the film wonderfully portrays South Asian culture. The movie begins in a sepia tone transporting us back in time to Artesia, more popularly known as Little India, in the heart of Los Angeles. Four friends, disguised as middle-aged Indian men and women, are exiting a grocery store, after committing a heist, which is almost a success.
The film explores the themes of love, identity, and culture in a quirky way with several laugh-out-loud moments. One can clearly spot the filmmaker's love for Wes Andeson’s film aesthetics when looking at the film’s frames, the set designs, and how it is shot. The protagonist of the film is a South Asian American wanna-be rapper in Little India, who plans a heist in an attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend. His co-conspirators are three of his friends who are all first-timers in such an endeavor. Vinny(Venk Potula), or as his rap name goes, Big Vinny, is an unambitious musician, reeling from a bad breakup. He hears that his ex-girlfriend, Rina (Summer Bishil), who broke up with him three years ago is engaged to be married. This prompts him to undertake a hilarious series of actions and plan this heist at Rina’s father’s shop.
Vinny assembles a crew of mavericks (his friends) to help him crack Mr. Juneja's(Rina's father) safe inside the Cash & Carry store, where he hopes to find his ill-gotten treasured diamonds. Each member of Vinny's team comprises distinct personalities with unique characteristic features. There's Anjali (Sharmita Bhattacharya), an energetic self-published journalist and "under overachiever," according to an introductory on-screen credit. Anjali accompanies as she likes his best friend Zak (Nirvan Patnaik), a Bollywood-loving chaat salesman who aspires of starring in the Bollywood movie industry in the footsteps of the great Amitabh Bachchan. The last member of Vinny's little crew group is Paru (Sonal Shah), a "malcontent engineer" with constant cravings for snacks, but is not very adept at her designated safe-cracker role.
This Wes Anderson-y comedic heist is no doubt humorous but it also carries an underlying message about the importance of community. Vinny and his group of misfits, while looking for their places and acceptance in society, find each other. It is a wonderful tribute to Artesia and all its South Asian American residents. The film has been executed wonderfully and writer/director, Ravi Kapoor was praised thoroughly for it. ‘Four Samosas’ is a must-watch.
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