User Reviews

This movie is too real for most people. Its not politically correct, its not meant to please, it doesn't showcase happily-ever-after. Its shows a slice of life for a certain subgroup of immigrants who are trapped between cultures. Its not that they are confused about which side they belong. Whats more true is that they know they don't belong anywhere, except to each other. They belong to the no-man's land, where there are no clearly defined cultural norms. And that creates confusion. Their life is perceived by others as a yo-yo. Some deal with that with externalized anger, others disengage and lose it. Life seems like an attempt to put together a broken mirror, while each broken part is still a whole mirror and the integration seems impossible.

i've been watching a lot of western-type indian movies recently, and ABCD has got to be the worst of them all. Although Bombay Boys was pretty stupid, and American Desi was just silly, they are much more polished than this movie. the number of inconsistencies in the movie are astounding. as the name name of the movie suggests, one would assume the characters are born in america. they're not. it is unclear at which point the children came to america, and it's even hard to tell from their accents. the choices of the main characters do not seem realistic, and their actions leave the audience with a bad taste in their mouths. if you choose to watch this film, take a pad and pen with you, so you can log all of the inconsistencies. it'll be fun.

This film tries and fails to be a compelling account of the experiences of Indians growing up in the U.S. The perspective espoused here matches up nicely with the the view that many Indians hold of ABCDs: that all of them have forgotten their heritage and culture, that all the women are promiscuous, the men are conflicted yet also promiscuous, that all ABCDs hate their parents with a passion and seek to flout their moral standards at every opportunity, and that the women can be redeemed (temporarily at least)by having sex with a ridiculous, platitude-spouting FOB. The characterization of the main players is reduced to empty stereotype. Events that might have been moving are rendered flat and absent of feeling. Motives for actions are at best unclear. Anyone who has even a passing familiarity with the subject matter or has lived the experience will most likely be repulsed by this film. I haven't even mentioned the terrible acting or the incredibly bad dialogue. Watch "The Namesake" for a true-to-life version of the conflicts that are explored so unconvincingly here.

Once you've seen the movie you have to stop and ask yourself something. What the hell was it? Was it a comedy? If so why wasn't it funny? Was it a drama? If that was the case where the hell did the plot go? Nothing is accomplished in this movie. Most movies either result in the end with something either being gained, or else something being lost. This movie didn't go anywhere: It started out with one screwed up sister, and a shady (but likeable) brother. It ended with a screwed up sister, and a shady (no-longer likeable) brother. Generally when an inconclusive ending is presented it is because the producers are leaving you something to play with or leaving room for a sequel. This left an inconclusive ending, but there's nothing to think about and there's no place for a sequel (Thank God). The movie started off strong, creating several conflicts and gradually weaving possibilities of a correlated ending. But it all went to waste because absolutely no avenue was taken by any of the characters that served to any major benefit or disbenefit (one or the other is important, as long as it keeps things moving). The dialogue was ridiculous, and the actors and actresses recite them as ridiculously. There is only one scene in the entire movie where the dialogue was deeper than a paper-cut, and that all went to waste too. Another occurence that gave rise to emotions (an unfortunate death) was completely wasted also. So basically, what did the producer (the same guy directed and wrote it, I wouldn't be surprised if his family did all the acting and the cooking and provided the ties) intend out of this? If he wanted to waste time atleast he could have cranked the humor up and made it fun, instead he made it depressing and astounding. I am not an Indian, or a Hindu, but I can easily imagine why people of both those categories would be brutally insulted by some of the scenes in this movie. What's sad about that is that the writer (also the producer and director, as I mentioned before) is Indian and Hindu also. If the dude wanted to violate Indian and Hindu customs he could have drawn conclusiveness and purpose to it, he didn't bother doing that so what can I say? I wasn't Confused until I actually saw this movie!

ABCD is not only the best Indian-American experience film yet, it is an outstanding movie in its own right. It is a serious, often heart-wrenching story about the family of an Indian widow and her unsettled US-raised children.

Be aware that ABCD is not Bollywood; there is no singing, no dancing, no comic relief, no villain, no hero.

I have to compare ABCD to other recent Indian-American films such as American Desi, Hyderabad Blues, and Bombay Boys. In contrast, American Desi is a comedy, often crossing the threshold into the Bollywood "stupid comedy" zone. Hyderabad Blues is more serious than American Desi but is still a comedy -- I value it mainly for entertainment value. I haven't watched Bombay Boys which I've heard is "okay." All these films are coming-of-age movies about the second-generation NRI.

Unlike the other films, ABCD gives serious attention to the first-generation and not just the second. The Indian mother, Anju, lives in the worst of both worlds. Her husband has passed away, her extended family is still in India, and her children cannot please her and find happiness at the same time. To its credit, the script portrays her suffering (and everyone's suffering) without trying to solve it.

ABCD also dwells on the American "ferengi" point of view. The American characters earnestly try to relate to the desi characters, but they are distracted by the exotic veneer and have difficulty seeing through.

The performances in ABCD are believable, and the writing is often a treat with the characters saying unexpectedly intelligent things.

The cinematography and sound in this film are first-rate -- there is no evidence that the movie was produced on a low budget. However, watching the movie at my local Indian cinema, there was a lot of electrical noise in the audio (from playing the analog track on the celluloid?) and the framing was awful -- whenever the camera zoomed in on someone's face, the person's mouth got chopped off!! I suspect this was the theater's fault, however, and not the filmmaker's.

The tagline for the film is "It's about choices" which I think sells the film short. The film is a rich blend of choice and fate; the characters may face choices in the end, but the film is about the fate that brought them there.

Basically there is A LOT to the movie ABCD. For FOB's and ABCD's alike, I think the movie is a must see (at least until the next great Indian-American movie comes along...)

This movie is serious and it doesn't claim to solve the problems. But, movies are an experience to entertain, this is not entertainment. This is like watching my kid sister in one of her bad moments of life. There is not even a glimmer of hope anywhere.

Is the movie in ENGLISH? I have seen a lot of Hindi films, and although I am not Indian, I found them easier to understand than this movie. The actors' accents are so horrendous that I couldn't understand 1 word in every 3. Also since it is supposed to be in `English', no subtitles were provided. I have traveled to India several times and never had a problem with their English accent. I find the accent quite sexy actually. But this movie, WOW.... couldn't they find people that actually could speak English?

I find that even Hindi movies without subtitle are easier to understand, for a non Hindi speaker, than this movie…

1 word is enough to describe this movie: CONFUSED.

The whole plot characters, story line, narrative arc goes nowhere.

As evilmill said: ` I wasn't Confused until I actually saw this movie! '

I enjoyed movies like American Desi and Leila. Those movies where about Americans finding back their Indian roots. This movie feels more like confused Indians trying hard to be American abd making a bad job out of it.

Yet, there is a sort of off-beat quality to the movie. The confusion of their life appears on the screen and story. I think it was intentional that the movie plot went nowhere. The movie was built as a metaphor of their lives.

The only way I can appreciate this movie, is as a non Indian movie, a non-desi movie. It is an art house, low budget, flick that portrays existentialist angst.

This film is abysmal. The plot revolves around an Indian family living in New Jersey and the problems each of them face in integrating their traditional Indian values with fast paced American culture.

This film is a complete void for me; I simply don't understand who this movie is aimed at. If it is aimed at first generation immigrants, then it would only scare them by preying on traditional fears of westernization. If it is for Indians who have grown up in America, it alienates them through portrayals of mindless sheep who simply follow a "white" mentality. If it is for an American population who want to understand the Indian mindset, then the complete lack of realism only serves to marginalize Indians with outdated images of false stereotypes.

There are some superb films that exist about Indians living outside India (e.g. East is East, Bhaji on the Beach), watch one of those. Please don't waste your time on this tripe.

Of late, a host of Indian-English movies has come up that either deal with problems of NRIs or attempt to present a saner version of Bollywood to the west. Their contents or execution may be debatable, but it is a giant leap by Bollywood towards the right direction.

American Born Confused Desi, or ABCD, is the story of an ageing, scheming, and suave mother Anju (Madhur Jaffrey) settled in USA. All she wants is to see her son Raj (Faran Tahir) and daughter Nina (Sheetal Seth) married and have kids. While Raj tries to fulfill her wish, Nina is the one who has taken to the wayward ways of the west. She is the ABCD who cannot choose between her mothers numerous proposals and her all-American beloved. Giving in to her mothers pleadings, Nina agrees to give an Indian Ashok (Aasif Mandvi) a chance and agrees to date him. However, she suspects that all Ashok wants is a green card and not her as a life partner.

Anju tries various matchmaking techniques but her offspring have ideas of their own that they ruthlessly pursue. Together, they must not only battle against American biases against them, they must also counter their own demons. This is director Krutin Patels maiden venture and there are various flaws in the story. The three main characters appear unrealistic and do not win sympathies. However, the sensitive issues raised in the movie turn it into an interesting watch. Like all its predecessors, ABCD also has some sizzling moments to entice international audiences towards it. The finale is somewhat predictable but sensitive and lifelike.

Overall, ABCD may not be in the league of great movies like Mississippi Masala and Immaculate Conception but it is a pleasant experience.

I have seen all the NRI movies to date and while it hard to compare a drama to a comedy, I have to so say that I loved this movie. What the movie might lack in production value (the sound and editing is terrible) it makes up for with a story and performances that have not been seen in any other NRI movie.

Sheetal Sheth, Faran Tahir and Madhur Jaffrey give performances that are not found in any other NRI movie to date. I agree with some of the other people that this movie does not have anyone that you can empathize with. But this is a real story about real people and problems that cannot be fixed by a dance and jig.

I recommend this movie to any NRI's and movie fans really.

Nina is a girl who wants to forget her Indian heritage and embrace generic American life. She is quite rude to her mother, who only wants what is best for her, and Ashok, a nice Indian man tying to woo her. Nina certainly has a chip on her shoulder and comes across as a bitch and a slut. (I liked the part when she tells the Indian at the newsstand not to talk to her because she is of a higher caste. He later tells Ashok "She's been in this country too long. She's a whore, that's what happens to them.") Ashok digs into why she is so cold and resistant, but again she puts up a wall. Some scenes are moving, but are often glossed over, like a certain death and breakup. The film has no resolution, Nina gets her perfect white wedding and has learns nothing you would have expected her to. Her brother Raj, who seemingly has it all together, a good job, a loving fiancé, throws it all away and we don't exactly learn why. While the film is an interesting portrait the struggle of first-generation Americans, it is ultimately disappointing.

This movie was absolutely horrible. The plot could have been half-way decent, and the movie tolerable if they had simply developed the characters better and hired people who could act. I was excited at the prospects of an independent movie focusing on the life of Indian Americans. It was a subject not often shown and had the potential to be very interesting. However, too many plot lines that were not fully developed and poor acting made 102 minutes seem like 4 hours. At the end I hated all of the characters and was happy that they had made their own lives so miserable. Do not watch this movie. Steer clear from it in the video store!

As an Indian American who grew up in this country this is by far the worst piece of story telling I have ever seen. Not only was I offended by this man's (Krutin Patel grew up in India and has the audacity to tackle a subject matter which he knows nothing about) movie but was actually angry that someone actually thought the Indian American experience resembled anything like the story on the screen.

In my opinion what this is can be categorized as the FOB's (Fresh off the boat) view of what the Indian American experience is all about. It is pretty clear that the writing was done without any perspective of growing up in a cross cultural environment. Actually the fact that two kids grow up in the same house and one has an accent like he just stepped off the boat and the other sounds like the girl next door is pretty far fetched.

ok. first of all, yes, the movie is called "ABCD (american born confused desi), AND, they are not born here. oh well. The girl's character is quite odd: she is overly stubborn and slutty, but at the same time she is nice to this FOB that comes over to the US. I guess the director wanted to show how she actually had the ability to be compassionate within her, but im not sure. HOWEVER, this movie is WORTH seeing!! It raises some issues that my generation has become all too familiar with and almost annoyed with trying to explain to everyone. You can only take the whole "oh, im indian, but im also american" mantra so far before people will get annoyed. american desi, ABCD, and american chai, all deal with the issue of parents wanting us to be indian, and kids wanting to do "american" things, or marry white people, or ignore indian culture, whatever. this movie is worth seeing and then talking about to see what issues indian kids born in the US have to deal with.

I have watched this movie and in the first 10 minutes Nina(the lead actress) utters "KALI F*****G Maa" about an Indian Goddess..hows that justified..no1 can address a goddess like that..and most of all not an ABCD like Nina..

Have had no idea what Mr.Krutin Patel had in mind while adding that part to the screen play.. I strongly feel that a movie is made for entertainment and enlightenment of the audiences..what does this movie do?? How could the director allow this to happen?? and how could evry1 that watched the movie keep calm and silent..am not a religious activist but am not ready to take any1 swear at a Goddess in that manner..

Cheers

venu

ABCD is one of the rare films in the Indian American genre which actually takes film-making seriously. And I am not just talking about the technique. It's the whole nine yards - the acting, the production values and the film-making sensibilities. Unlike a lot of films in this genre, ABCD decides to tackle a serious subject and is not afraid to hurt the sentimentality of the general Indian-American public. Maybe that's the reason it didn't do well. And there is a general dissent about the subject of this film.

The movie is definitely stark but the actors did a great job. The problem though was that by naming the movie ABCD - it automatically represented the entire American Born Indians. And that was it's downfall. Because the movie is not about ABCDs, it's about this particular family, their trials and their personalities. And I wish people viewed the movie that way.

Having said that, I think it's one of the most deftly handled, sharp film with very well developed characters. Definitely worth a watch.

It's not meant to be a portrayal of all Indian-American families. Just this family in particular. But I think they illustrated the way that the two cultures can pull the children of these families in different directions and people will respond in different ways. There is a lot of pressure in Indian culture to get married young and kids who grow up with the western idea of romantic love will sometimes rebel against that so that they won't be pushed into a marriage where they don't love the other person first.

It's not perfect but it was a decent first effort. Madhur Jaffrey does a very good job playing the mother, IMO. I think it's worth the rental if you are interested in the Indian-American experience.

Why is this film supposed to be bad?

Tight, engaging script with interesting, believable characters and complicated conflicts I related to as an Indian-American. I've definitely known these characters, especially the girl (and it's only a slight exaggeration).

Yes, the "ABCD" title is inaccurate, its reference in the movie is silly and some of the direction is inconsistent, but otherwise it struck a nerve with me. It is the best movie I've seen about Indian-American identity conflicts. They were actually handled honestly, no gimmicks needed.

It's too simple, serious and straightforward to be on the level of films like "East is East" and "My Beautiful Laundrette," but it was solid and moving, much, much better than American Desi.

ABCD is used in a very disparaging tone by most of the people who use it. This movie appears to be an attempt to give some insight into why those people could be wrong in taking that tone. Perhaps ABs are CDs. But the movie suggests that it is not something to dismiss and sneer at.

ABCD does not fall into the trap of typical cross-over formulas. It does not try to evoke laughter from audiences at the expense of its subject and characters. It stays serious till the end. Till the end of the movie it remains serious and committed to its subject.

All the three primary characters mother, son and daughter performed incredibly well. Sheetal Seth will definitely get higher marks over others. The pain and confusion of her character even after selecting her partner is captured beautifully in one single shot - when after marriage, her colleague is lavishing praise about how beautiful Sheetal was in her wedding dress, she could not truly take happiness in her comments and instead turns her head sideways not wanting to show her emotions in her face or perhaps her mind was somewhere else - cut the the next shot, Ashok character returning back to India. That simple shot shows that her heart is still between the East that is her past and still part of her, a little bit and West which is apparently her present.

I felt her brother character was more decisive in the end. It is interesting to note that in the end even though they chose life that is more set in the context of their present lives, son who was more Indian at heart and obedient to her mother, takes surprisingly harsh decisions while the daughter, though she always hated everything about Indian, still had that element of longing about India in her.

Its a good movie made with a good intent and that which comes across very good.

Although I wish that the 'snake charmer' in reference to India was dropped. I hope in the times when India is doing well in Technology and trying to transform rapidly, people still looking at India as a country with 'snake charmers' is a bit of insult - not to Indians but the people who look at India that way.

It's not a comedy like most other American-Indian films, if that is what you expect to see. It is one of the best movies I have seen yet - its poignant in a way, none of the other such movies are. ABCD deals with the conflicts that plague both first- and-second generations Indians as they try to reconcile (often unsuccessfully) two entirely different cultures, neither resorting to be preachy nor arriving at a neat resolution at the end of the movie. I feel that to be the reason, many other viewers posting comments here, were disgruntled - but they miss the point entirely. I was lucky to see this movie and have since owned the DVD.

One other reviewer put it succinctly - "ABCD is not only the best Indian-American experience film yet, it is an outstanding movie in its own right. It is a serious, often heart-wrenching story about the family of an Indian widow and her unsettled US-raised children".

This film has positive reviews by NYT and Rolling Stones (not as if, every positive review constitutes a good film), and anyone who appreciates good film-making/acting, serious drama and effective characters will be absorbed by this movie. Go seek it, and do not miss it.

Here are shorts from NYT and Rolling Stones: {NYT} "Krutin Patel's film "ABCD" (the initials stand for American-born confused desi), is the second movie released this year to explore the internal tug of war affecting upwardly mobile young Indian-Americans brought up in this country... Unlike "American Desi", "ABCD" doesn't make light of its characters' conflicts, nor does it try to resolve them with feel-good formulaic solutions... In her flamboyantly emotional performance, Ms. Sheth dares to make her character insufferable much of the time. Mr. Tahir's Raj conveys a dignified suffering that deepens throughout the film and becomes quite touching once the character decides to follow his heart."

{RS} "ABCD, a stunning family drama about cultural displacement, is the extraordinary work of writer-producer-director Krutin Patel, who came to America from India in 1974 at the age of eight. His film (the title is an acronym for American-Born Confused Desi) tells the story of Nina (Sheetal Sheth), a young Indian woman living in America who rebels against the Hindu upbringing of her widowed mother, Anju (the great Madhur Jaffrey). Nina sleeps around, and almost exclusively with white men. Her more traditional brother, Raj (Faran Tahir), an accountant, tries to toe the line by agreeing to an arranged marriage. In this funny, touching and haunting film, Patel cuts through stereotypes to show the hard truths of straddling two cultures."

I have never been a fan of Indian Movies, and probably never will be (and I am Indian too). But this movie steers us into a different direction that is very daring and new.

I found out about it from 2 Indian girls waiting in a line up with me at a Pasta Bar in Vancouver. BOth were University students who are a part of the Indian-Students-Club...or something like that, and I overheard them gossiping about this movie. Then I asked a few questions, then BAM, I went out and rented it less than 24 hours later to watch with my girlfriend (who loves Hindi Movies!)

ABCD addresses the probelems of many second generation Indians who are American born and think they are too good for their own type. They become assimilated into the American sub-culture at such a young age, that they have no sense of identity, and their proud roots are lost at a very tender age. And the sad thing is that they have no interest in regaining them ever.

This movie stars Sheetal Seth (sp), as she plays the troublesome daughter Meena. She does a great job of playing a complete mean bitch with no manners who is rude and overly defensive to anyone she encounters. She plays a very confused woman who is too afraid to get hurt at the point where she wont' even give anyone a chance. This is so true of girls here (even where I live in Vancouver, Canada.....where we have a large Indian Population.) She sleeps with 3 different men in this movie, which is something that is forbidden in the traditional Indian Cinema....so this movie really departs from the typical Indian movie.

All in All, it is a great film that is worth watching, but don't expect to laugh as it has a few very sad moments in it. It is a serious film for those who can handle it, as Hindi movies are known to be very sad at times. But this one isn't fabricated like the traditional Bollywood movies that have a habit of laying it on too thick! Enjoy.

"ABCD" is a wonderful addition to the genre of small movies about young people grappling with their ethnic identity (like the gem "Double Happiness").

Here are well-educated, suburban-raised, South Asian Indian Americans (or American Born Confused Desis) trying to figure out their relationships.

In the best movie adult sibling representation since "You Can Count On Me" as the anchor, "ABCD" is bittersweet, unstereotyped, and unpredictable as the two sort out their loves and their relationship to their mother and her traditional culture vs. their work and outside social lives, white and Indian. There is certainly no clear Happy Ever After with the choices they make.

As a very low budget indie, the movie has some technical problems with the sound, but the acting is very natural.

(originally written 12/8/2001)