After an unsuccessful run as an investment banker, Patel turned to acting, and has been featured in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “Scrubs.” He also co-founded the nonprofit This Bar Saves Lives with celebrities like Kristen Bell and Jimmy Kimmel. Now, he’s a documentary filmmaker.
“Meet the Patels” follows Patel over the course of a year as he tries to fulfill his parents’ wishes to find a bride. Geeta, Patel’s sister, films Ravi’s experiences of blind dating, attending weddings and creating online dating profiles while providing commentary along the way.
“We’re calling it a real-life romantic comedy,” Ravi Patel said.
The inspiration for “Meet the Patels” originally came to Patel while hosting an Indian lawyers convention. In a last-minute idea, Patel talked about how his mother was not only desperate for him to marry, but for him to marry a woman who shared the last name Patel — a common cultural tradition.
“Everyone was dying laughing,” Patel said. “I asked, ‘Who here is single?’ and they all raised their hand.”
The film wasn’t an instant success. It was rejected from festivals twice before being allowed entrance, but it was a hit with audiences once it made its way to screens.
“Next thing you know, people lined up around the corner, and we were selling out 700 personal screenings, and we’ve sold out every screening since then,” Patel said.
Since its debut on the festival circuit since last year, “Meet the Patels” has received positive reception, including from The Hollywood Reporter magazine, which called it a strong Academy Award contender. It also won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival.
