As someone who is both an Indian-American and a fan of stand-up comedy, I was curious to watch Indian Invasion Comedy. Finally, a DVD showcasing the talents of DesiNation's best.
The DVD starts strong with Rajiv Satyal. Satyal, an Ohioan whose act ranges from growing up in Cincinnati with a desi name, to his "fun-size" lubido dating escapades, proves to be easily the strongest of the comedians, which is especially surprising given the billing of the other comics. His act, mixed with his semi/self-deprecating nerdiness, perfectly captures what it's like to grow up as an Indian-American in the surburban U.S. Additionally, Satyal's act is more universal than the other comics, and contains bits every man/woman can relate to, not just desis. Vidur Kapur proves to be a fresh voice, due to his gay sexuality and Indian-American descent. However, like many of the other comics, his act starts strong and quickly fades. Vijai Nathan was the most disappointing of the comics. Too often, her act appears dumbed-down for the comedy afficionado, and just doesn't contain the level of wit Satyal seems to grasp. And the billing of Mark Saldana as "the best Indian comic in the nation" is simply not true. While he is likeable, Saldana's act contains very little substance and charm.
Overall, the DVD receives high marks for being the first of its kind for the mainstream market. However, beware of the billings on the back cover. Rajiv Satyal outshines the rest of the cast and seems to possess more "staying power" and longevity among his peers, especially when you consider more Indian comics will continue to develop and hit the comedy scene, as well as the long-term evolution of desi comedy. And if you're not sure whether or not to trust a random Amazon reviewer, consider this: Satyal was pegged as one of only two US-based Indian "comics to watch" by none other than Russell Peters - someone whose opinion probably matters most when considering not only the desi comedy field, but the overall stand-up comedy scene.
