Edison

In this effervescent debut about a young Indian man’s pursuit of the American dream, Dixit plays with the conventions of Bollywood rom-coms. The youngest child of a Delhi-based entrepreneur, Prem Kumar grows up in the 1960s besotted with movies and disdainful of work. In 1986, when his father threatens to marry him off to the first willing bride, he heads to the U.S. and lands in Edison, N.J., where he gets a job pumping gas. His life finds a purpose when he falls in love at first sight with Leena Engineer, the daughter of an irascible grocery store owner. With the help of local “aunties,” who are charmed by his looks and sweet disposition, Prem makes plans for a live stage show in Edison’s Little India, featuring Bollywood’s biggest stars, hoping the production will impress both Leena and her skeptical dad. A large cast of endearing characters, including Prem’s roommates and the Bollywood performers he recruits, round out the story, which is enlivened by Dixit’s natural gift for screwball comedy. This romp is one to savor. (June)