Two brothers clashed in a battle of song and spice during the Indian International Student Union’s biggest show of the year, “Tamasha: The Spice is Right.”
About 300 people attended the event in the Osterhout Concert Theater to see dances, an a cappella performance and a fashion show woven into a comical skit about two brothers in search of the top-secret recipe left to them by their deceased father.
The skit was interlaced with performances by Binghamton Masti, Quimbamba, Binghamton Bhangra and New York Masti, an a cappella group from NYC, which added to the storyline.
Allison Janos, a sophomore double-majoring in Arabic and Spanish, said she was struck by the intricacy of the costumes.
“It was beautiful,” Janos said. “It was really cool to see the different cultures and the different costumes and dances.”
The story followed two very different brothers, Anish and Arjun Kapoor — one is the father’s biological son, the other adopted; one moved to America, the other remained in India.
Differences between the brothers and families were shown by the brothers’ bitter dialogue, costumes and the use of accents. The family members from India had Indian accents and clothing while the Indian-American family had American accents and wore jeans.
As the story progressed, the brothers discovered more about their father’s past while dealing with their own problems and Arjun’s wacky servant, Ankit. They found out that their father, Pappu, had to dance to win the heart of Tina, the girl of his dreams. The plot’s emphasis on dancing allowed the dancers to weave their way into the skit and onto the stage.
The story concluded with Anish and Arjun reconciling their differences and obtaining the secret recipe, despite speed bumps produced by their father’s nemesis, Rajiv.
Dance and attire were central to the performances. Each group donned outfits relative to its specific style; New York Masti wore simpler outfits, composed of jeans, blazers and the like, but groups like Binghamton Bhangra wore elaborate costumes to complement their dancing.
A fashion show following the skit showcased the style of modern-day Indian-American students.