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''Today's Special'' is a 2009 independent comedy film loosely inspired by Aasif Mandvi's play, ''Sakina's Restaurant''. The film was directed by David Kaplan. The script was adapted by
Aasif Mandvi Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, known professionally as Aasif Mandvi (, ), is an English–American actor, comedian and writer. He was a List of The Daily Show correspondents, correspondent on ''The Daily Show'' from 2006 to 2017. Mandvi's other televis ...
and Jonathan Bines, and stars Mandvi,
Madhur Jaffrey Madhur Jaffrey Order of the British Empire, CBE (née Bahadur; born 13 August 1933) is an Indian-born British-American actress, cookbook and travel writer, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing Indian cuisine to the weste ...
,
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
actor
Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is an Indian actor. He was notable in Indian parallel cinema and has starred in various international productions. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfa ...
, Jess Weixler,
Harish Patel Harish Patel (; born 5 July 1953) is an Indian character actor. He has appeared in a variety of Hindi films, but in recent years has begun to appear in American projects like reimagination of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' on Hulu and the MCU ...
,
Kevin Corrigan Kevin Corrigan (born March 27, 1969) is an American character actor. He has appeared mostly in independent films and television since the 1990s, including as Uncle Eddie on the sitcom '' Grounded for Life'' (2001–2005). His film appearances i ...
,
Dean Winters Dean Gerard Winters (born July 20, 1964) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Ryan O'Reily on the HBO prison drama '' Oz'' and his roles in the TV series ''Millennium'','' Rescue Me'', ''30 Rock'', ''Sex and the City'', and '' Law & ...
, and
Ajay Naidu Ajay Kalahastri Naidu (born February 12, 1972) is an American actor and director best known for playing Samir in ''Office Space''. He also made guest appearances in such critically acclaimed television shows as ''The West Wing'' and ''The Sopran ...
. The film was developed and produced by Nimitt Mankad of Inimitable Pictures, and Lillian LaSalle of Sweet 180. The film premiered at the
London Film Festival The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival held in London, England, in collaboration with the British Film Institute. Founded in 1957, the festival runs for two weeks every October. In 2016, the British Film Institute, BFI estim ...
on October 16, 2009. In the United States, it was the opening film of the MIAAC Film Festival (Mahindra Indo American Arts Festival), at the Paris Theater in New York City. It played at the
Mumbai Film Festival The Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) is a public trust that organises the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in the city of Mumbai, India. Priyanka Chopra, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is the chairperson of the trust while Shivendra Singh Dungarpur serves ...
. At the
Palm Springs International Film Festival Palm Springs International Film Festival (sometimes stylized shortly as PSIFF) is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. Originally promoted by Mayor Sonny Bono and then sponsored by Nortel,here for Table of Contents it started in 19 ...
on January 15, 2010, it won "Best of the Fest." It was also the Opening Night film at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival on March 11, 2010.


Plot

Samir (
Aasif Mandvi Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, known professionally as Aasif Mandvi (, ), is an English–American actor, comedian and writer. He was a List of The Daily Show correspondents, correspondent on ''The Daily Show'' from 2006 to 2017. Mandvi's other televis ...
), a
sous chef A sous-chef is a chef who is second in command of a kitchen, ranking directly below the head chef in the Kitchen Brigade system developed by Auguste Escoffier. In large kitchens, sous-chefs are typically left in charge of managing members o ...
at an upscale New York restaurant, gets frustrated with his boss (
Dean Winters Dean Gerard Winters (born July 20, 1964) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Ryan O'Reily on the HBO prison drama '' Oz'' and his roles in the TV series ''Millennium'','' Rescue Me'', ''30 Rock'', ''Sex and the City'', and '' Law & ...
) and quits after being passed over for a head chef position. His dreams of studying French cuisine in France are shattered after his father becomes ill and Samir must take over his family's Indian restaurant, Tandoori Palace in
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
. The restaurant has two chefs who don't know what they're doing, an old-fashioned wall and faltering income since the only customers are Samir's uncles sitting at a table playing cards. Samir is clueless over what to do because his knowledge of Indian cooking is limited. Then he meets the larger-than-life gourmet chef and taxi driver Akbar (
Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is an Indian actor. He was notable in Indian parallel cinema and has starred in various international productions. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfa ...
). Samir's world is transformed via Akbar's cooking lessons, the magic of the masala and a beautiful co-worker, Carrie ( Jess Weixler). Meanwhile, his mother (
Madhur Jaffrey Madhur Jaffrey Order of the British Empire, CBE (née Bahadur; born 13 August 1933) is an Indian-born British-American actress, cookbook and travel writer, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing Indian cuisine to the weste ...
) tries to get him to settle down with a nice Indian girl and his father Hakkim (
Harish Patel Harish Patel (; born 5 July 1953) is an Indian character actor. He has appeared in a variety of Hindi films, but in recent years has begun to appear in American projects like reimagination of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' on Hulu and the MCU ...
) is convinced his son will amount to nothing. Samir, Akbar and the kitchen staff first update the restaurant's look. Then with Akbar's eccentric help, they concoct the most magical and mouthwatering dishes in what soon becomes the best little Indian bistro in New York with booming business. Akbar, however, moves to
Akron, Ohio Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Akron metr ...
but tells Samir that he can do it alone. Hakkim plans to sell the restaurant to an uncle but Samir, along with help from his uncles and Carrie, greatly improves business at the restaurant. Hakkim tastes his son's cooking, is impressed and decides not to sell the restaurant. Finally, Hakkim hugs his son and tells him he is proud of him.


Cast

*
Aasif Mandvi Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, known professionally as Aasif Mandvi (, ), is an English–American actor, comedian and writer. He was a List of The Daily Show correspondents, correspondent on ''The Daily Show'' from 2006 to 2017. Mandvi's other televis ...
as Samir *
Dean Winters Dean Gerard Winters (born July 20, 1964) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Ryan O'Reily on the HBO prison drama '' Oz'' and his roles in the TV series ''Millennium'','' Rescue Me'', ''30 Rock'', ''Sex and the City'', and '' Law & ...
as Steve *
Kevin Corrigan Kevin Corrigan (born March 27, 1969) is an American character actor. He has appeared mostly in independent films and television since the 1990s, including as Uncle Eddie on the sitcom '' Grounded for Life'' (2001–2005). His film appearances i ...
as Stanton *
Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is an Indian actor. He was notable in Indian parallel cinema and has starred in various international productions. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfa ...
as Akbar * Jess Weixler as Carrie *
Ajay Naidu Ajay Kalahastri Naidu (born February 12, 1972) is an American actor and director best known for playing Samir in ''Office Space''. He also made guest appearances in such critically acclaimed television shows as ''The West Wing'' and ''The Sopran ...
as Munnamia * Kevin Breznahan as Freddie *
Harish Patel Harish Patel (; born 5 July 1953) is an Indian character actor. He has appeared in a variety of Hindi films, but in recent years has begun to appear in American projects like reimagination of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' on Hulu and the MCU ...
as Hakim * Amir Arison as Dr. Semaan *
Madhur Jaffrey Madhur Jaffrey Order of the British Empire, CBE (née Bahadur; born 13 August 1933) is an Indian-born British-American actress, cookbook and travel writer, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing Indian cuisine to the weste ...
as Farrida *
Ranjit Chowdhry Ranjit Chowdhry (19 September 1955 – 15 April 2020) was an Indian character actor, known for his roles in television, movies, and theatre. He appeared in two episodes of ''The Office'', as Vikram, a telemarketer who worked with Michael, and w ...
as Regular #1 *
Kumar Pallana Kumar Valavhadas Pallana (23 December 1918 – 10 October 2013) was an Indian-American character actor. He performed on the Mickey Mouse Club as a plate spinner and juggler. Career Pallana moved to the United States in 1946 and spent 20 year ...
as Regular #2


Awards

* Best of the Fest Award at the 2010
Palm Springs International Film Festival Palm Springs International Film Festival (sometimes stylized shortly as PSIFF) is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. Originally promoted by Mayor Sonny Bono and then sponsored by Nortel,here for Table of Contents it started in 19 ...
*
Aasif Mandvi Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, known professionally as Aasif Mandvi (, ), is an English–American actor, comedian and writer. He was a List of The Daily Show correspondents, correspondent on ''The Daily Show'' from 2006 to 2017. Mandvi's other televis ...
- Best Actor Award at the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council (MIAAC) Film Festival


References


External links

* {{IMDb title, 1153053, Today's Special 2009 films 2009 comedy films American comedy films Films about Indian Americans Films set in New York City American independent films Cooking films 2009 independent films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films English-language independent films Films scored by Siddhartha Khosla English-language comedy films