Five Indian-Americans and one Jew compete for the top prize in the Desi Idol singing competition, presented by a pork loin company called Loins of Punjab. Each contestant has his/her own unique qualities. Josh Cohen (Michael Raimondi), a Jewish young man who invents a combo of yoga and jogging called “joga”, has an Indian girlfriend, Opama (Ayesha Dharker). Turbanotorious BDG (Ajay Naidu), a gay “bhangra” rapper, doesn’t mind speaking with obscene language. Then there’s Vikram Tejwani (Manish Acharya), Preeti Patel (Ishitta Sharma), Sania Rahman (Seema Rahmani), who doesn’t speak Hindu, and, finally, the smarmy Rrita Kapoor (Shabana Azmi) who’ll do anything unethical to win the singing contest. Although it’s inevitable to compare the film to a Christopher Guest “documentary” such as A Mighty Wind, there’s a surprising layer of poignancy to a few scenes that balances all the off-the-wall satire and comedy. More character development and dramatic tension, though, would have helped to raise the stakes for the contestants so that you’d be more riveted as to who you want to win besides just watching them perform their songs onstage. Nonetheless, writer/director Manish Acharya knows how to keep you engaged through witty dialogue, a brisk pace without scenes that drag, and a bunch of lively characters—even those in smaller roles—without any pretention or blandness. Moreover, Acharya also includes the exciting musical performances of each contestant without excessive cuts to dramatic subplots, so it’s as if you’re part of the contest’s audience. With a brief running time of 88 minutes, Loins of Punjab Presents doesn’t overstay its welcome.