Released in 2015, Meet the Patels documents a real family who all play themselves. The film follows a 30-year-old Indian named Ravi Patel, who looks to find a new partner after his previous and only relationship didn’t work out. Ravi loved the girl, Audrey, however felt the pressures of commitment especially living in an Indian household where marriages are often arranged. He kept this girlfriend a secret from his parents for the entire two years, and could no longer deal with the stress of hiding her. After they broke up, Ravi went on many dates arranged by his parents, Vasant and Champa. Meet the Patels, directed by Ravi and his sister Geetu,  highlights some challenges Ravi faces growing up as an American while being raised in an Indian family.

Meet the Patels looks to inform an audience that’s unaware of the Indian styles of living, which is successfully done simply because it’s nonfiction. I believe the documentary accurately portrays a recurring conflict in Indian-American culture. Ravi and Geetu were the first generation of their Patel family living in America, so their parents got raised differently which created distance in the beliefs. Ravi lives sort of a double life, one as an American and one as an Indian, and he struggles to find his identity. After his relationship ended with Audrey, a white woman, he realized an Indian girl may be what he wanted, however after some dating experimentation, he found himself right back with Audrey.

Vasant and Champa helped Ravi find these dates, as marriages are often initiated by the parents in Indian culture. Biodatas, a list of information about an individual, are used to match Indian pairs. After a few unsuccessful dates, Ravi switched to online, and when that didn’t work either he attended what is known as the Patel Matrimonial Convention. Here, an entire room full of Patels engaged with each other in hopes of finding a partner. After traveling all around the country meeting different Patel women, Ravi didn’t find one he clicked with. His parents were awfully disappointed, as their generation believes there’s a certain age that is prime for marrying, and being 30, Ravi was well past that age.

Although Meet the Patels is a documentary, entertainment remains a factor in generating revenue, so like any other movie, stereotypes are present. One big stereotype stated is that a Patel family owns motels, hotels, and 7-Elevens. While many Indians run these places, it can be misleading and inaccurate. The Patel family in the film visited a motel owned by another Patel family, which caused this stereotype to be brought up. Another stereotype is when one of Ravi’s friends at the Patel Matrimonial Convention told him that he’s not good at talking to girls since he’s Indian. This brings up a misconception that Indian males have trouble flirting with women, which isn’t always the case. The documentary is meant to be comedic, so including stereotypes helps with the entertainment factor.

This movie differentiates from many American romances because Meet the Patels portrays their method of dating. American dating, especially in films, is all about the sexual component of a relationship, rather than a true emotional connection. Ravi and Geetu say they have only ever seen their parents kiss once, and it was just on the cheek. Indian relationships often focus more on loving and caring for each other, which isn’t the case in the US. The values of old Indian culture appears in Meet the Patels through Vasant and Champa. They see others as a “loser” if they don’t ever get married. The two also have different ways of meeting women than Ravi and Geetu do, which caused tension. Meet the Patels accurately informed viewers of both Indian and American Indian culture, and how the collision between the two can cause problems for someone like Ravi in today’s world.

As an American, I knew that Indians hold arranged marriages, however the process in which they got there was unfamiliar. Meet the Patels taught me that the parents are heavily involved, almost too involved, in the process. They basically get to make the decision on who their child marries, which they base off of education, family, and recommendations. I also learned many Indians are passionate with their beliefs, as one of the character’s grandmother was said to be discriminatory towards blacks and Muslims, however she was a very lovable person. Certain groups don’t seem to be appreciated by Indian families, which has unfortunately become rooted in their values.