Curry Scent

Hey!

Buy something or go home.

What was that all about?

I don't know.

Just some kids.

All right.

-These are for the chips I ate. -Okay.

-See you tomorrow. -All right, have a good one.

-Hi, Mom. -Hi, beta.

-How was your day at the motel? -Ah, long and tiring.

Jordan said you're doing really good at the store, Geetha.

I've been home all day, paying bills.

Or, rather, try to figure out how to pay the bills.

That's the truth.

Hey, cuz.

Cuz, I am not built for construction.

It's hotter than India out there.

Why did we move here?

Yeah, they got us working on the 15th floor.

And I'm terrified of heights, so it's a beautiful sight to see.

Hi, Uncle Billu. How was your day?

Well, I had many angry customers.

One crazy driver almost rear-ended me. Can you believe that?

-Seriously? -Yeah.

Looks like we all had a long day.

I think it's time for us to relax and wind down for the eveni--

- That was a little aggressive. - Ooh, yeah.

That's the landlord again.

What does she want?

Probably to tell us to go back to where we came from.

-Hello. -What is that awful smell coming from your apartment these days?

Oh, you must be referring to the smell of our curry.

It's actually quite good for your sinuses.

Maybe where you come from, but this is Florida.

Do you wanna try a samosa?

What is that, dog food?

Just how many people live in there?

Oh, uh... ei-- eight?

This is uncivil.

I will get you all evicted.

-What? -What? -What?

You can't do that.

Watch me.

-But we didn't do anything! -Where is this coming from?

Why?

This is not good. Not good.

What was that?

We need to find a solution fast.

What should we do?

I-- I can get more shifts at the laundromat.

Chachi, you have arthritis.

I can get more hours at the motel.

No, we'll get more work on the site.

I'm exhausted, and I don't think that's how it works.

I'll quit school, and I'll get a job at the convenience store.

-Right? They're hiring. -What? Samir, no, you cannot quit school.

Your education is very important.

We will get evicted. That's it.

- We are about to get evicted before our visas run out.

Stop!

Everyone.

Stop.

Enough of you folding dirty sheets with arthritis, Aunt Beeba.

Bapa working at a cash register

when he has an engineering degree in India?

The cousins working risky construction jobs when you should be in college?

This sucks. All of it.

I'm old enough to get married.

Right, bapa?

- What? - Are you serious?

Yes, you're old enough to get married,

but what does that have to do with anything?

I'm tired of seeing you all work these menial jobs

for which we're all overqualified.

I'm going to find a rich prince to marry.

You cannot do this, Geetha. You're too young to get married.

-You can't-- -I want to.

I want to.

Are you sure?

We'll fix this.

Together.

It might be fun.

Exploit the patriarchy.

I like it.

I don't know if this is such a good idea anymore.

Paolo looks interesting.

He likes seeing where things lead.

He's a believer in destiny, just like us.

He has a laid-back attitude. I don't think he's for you.

-Yeah. -No.

Take a look at Simon.

Is he looking for a wife or a granddaughter?

He's so old.

-Oh, my. -Oh, oh, oh. Akeefe!

A 40-year-old horse enthusiast.

"Always up for hoofing it with my four-legged companions."

- Ehh. - Nah.

Sammy. A master of all trades.

He has got the brains and the charm.

Mm-mm. I don't think so.

I've got a quietly confident 22-year-old named Naz.

Nah!

-This one piques my interest. -Let me see.

Oh! A doctoral candidate who has passed his residency.

Oh, nice.

He's looking for a pleasant, adventurous, happy girl,

someone willing to be flexible or someone adventurous like him.

Oh, okay.

Hey, why don't we just go to message him?

-You sure? -Yeah. I mean,

he seems a solid candidate out of everyone else.

Yeah, get a look here.

Samir, have you been looking at girls for yourself?

Those are not all girls.

- He's got a type. - You're 16, bro.

"Hi, Krishna.

How are you?"

Uh, "Would you be interested in meeting up?"

Send.

Okay. You don't wanna be too direct, you know.

Yeah, you don't wanna be desperate.

Oh, wait, wait, wait.

He's, uh-- he's responding right now.

"Hello, Geetha. Thank you for connecting.

Would you like to meet up for some coffee

at a cafe of your choice tomorrow around 4:00 p.m.?"

Already? What? That's quick.

We can go to the coffee shop close to us.

-And we can get there first. -And sit at different tables.

And watch the whole thing!

That's gonna be amazing.

Oh, oh. Uh... "I live about an hour away.

I've never been to Bradenton,

but I'm more than happy to meet you there." Oh!

Does he sound rich?

Let's not obsess over rich yet.

Huh, no attitude, young lady.

It's better to marry rich than to marry poor.

Hey, don't look at me. I'm not poor.

- I'm comfortably middle class in India.

You're handsome, kind, and rich in family. We love you, bapa.

My daughter.

Come in!

You need to smooth your hair out.

All Indian men love straight hair.

Beta, you're using enough electricity to power all of North India.

She needs to make a good first impression.

So who all are coming to spy on me?

Cousins? Aunt and uncle? The brother? And the parents?

Let's maybe narrow it down.

Brother is essential.

Essential.

I fear this may be non-negotiable.

Don't worry. We will sit far away so he won't recognize us in the future.

Why don't you all sit outside the cafe?

Negative.

We can't hear you. We won't-- we won't hear you.

So we're all walking together?

-Mm-hmm. -Yes, I enjoy walking.

Only 'cause you don't have a car.

Hey, chill!

Geetha, pinch your cheeks.

I have blush on, Mommy. Relax.

No, pinching is better than blush.

Let's just go.

Hi, uh... I'm-- I'm Krishna. You must be Geetha?

Nice to meet you.

Can I get you anything?

Actually, I'd love a large latte with whipped cream and cinnamon.

It's my favorite here.

Give him a chance, didi.

I don't do this very often. Do you?

Actually, it's the first time I've ever done this.

Well, if it doesn't work out,

at least I've seen downtown Bradenton.

So where do you live?

Uh, Sarasota. It's a little nicer. It's an hour south.

Oh, I heard there's a great classical music scene.

Yeah. Maybe you'd like to get our next coffee there.

Maybe.

Uh, who do you live with?

Um... just my parents.

And my younger brother.

Uh, do they work?

Yes. My-- my father's in retail.

My mother's in hospitality.

And my brother just does school online.

Do you miss India?

Do you?

Uh, well, I've never actually been.

My parents and my brother went, like, 15 years ago,

but I had to stay back for school stuff, so.

Would you like to go?

I mean, it's India, right? So, yeah.

Right.

And-- and here you live with...

Same. My parents, my brother.

It's my parents. They want me to marry their choice,

but I wanna find a wife on my own terms.

So here I am.