Indian Culture In Ravi Patel's My Big Fat Greek Wedding

When it comes to blending culture with expectations of the heart, finding “the one” can be an unconventional journey. It is in this regard that the documentary Meet the Patels can arguably be billed as a real-life My Big Fat Greek Wedding, as it centers on Ravi Patel and his quest for love. In the movie’s early stages of life, Ravi is seen going through an early midlife crisis. Even with his 30th birthday just around the corner, Ravi and his older sister Geeta remain unmarried. This remains a thorn in the sides of the siblings’ parents, and where Vasant is concerned about his children’s single status, Champa sees the dilemma as a major source of ironic aggravation; she herself is regarded as a fantastic matchmaker, and yet her own children

What is truly vital is the relationship between family members, both from the old and the new generation, and the struggle with integrating into American society, especially through marriage. In the documentary, this point is especially rammed home when Ravi recounts a family trip to an American motel where Vasant’s driver’s license becomes a golden ticket for services the motel would never offer regular patrons. In other words, if you’re a Patel, any other Patel will welcome you as family no matter how brief the interaction. As Ravi puts it, “We’re basically part of the biggest family in the

Even though Ravi and Geeta’s parents emigrated to the United States, and both of their children were born there, they both carried a sense of pride in their country. One of the most poignant scenes in Meet the Patels is when Ravi reveals his previous relationship with Audrey to his parents, and both elder Patels are disappointed in their son’s lack of honesty. Champa in particular seems devastated by this breach of trust, and it shows as her and Ravi’s relationship gradually becomes strained. The two reach a temporary truce when Ravi emotionally reveals that he “no longer feels like your son” in the face of his mother’s coldness. The family finally reconciles when Ravi comes to terms with his lack of success with his multiple dates; the reason they had all failed was because he was unconsciously comparing each girl to Audrey, his first love, and because of that connection there was often a detachment to Ravi in his interactions. After hearing this revelation, Champa grows accepting of her son’s outlook, stating that all she wants for him is to be