Salaam Namaste 2005

In Melbourne, Nicki Arora, an Indian architect who follows his passion into the kitchen and rises to become head chef of his own restaurant, crosses paths with Ambar Malhotra, a medical student and radio jockey who has chosen to stay in Australia after turning down several arranged marriage proposals in India. The two are modern, independent Indians carving out their own lives far from home, each carrying a sense of self-reliance and curiosity about the world.

Nick is slated to be interviewed on Ambar’s popular radio show Salaam Namaste, but he blows off the two scheduled appearances, which leads Ambar to mock him on-air. Their first impression is prickly and playful, and the two meet at a wedding, unaware of each other’s identities. The chance encounter sparks a connection built on wit, honesty, and a shared feeling that life in a new country can be both challenging and liberating. Meanwhile, Nick’s friend Ron falls for Ambar’s friend Cathy, adding a parallel thread of budding romance that mirrors the couple’s own growing bond.

Nick eventually appears on the radio program and publicly confesses his feelings for Ambar. The two fall in love and decide to move in together, choosing a nontraditional path by not rushing into marriage. At first, they attempt to maintain personal boundaries, but their relationship grows physically, bringing both warmth and friction. When Ambar discovers she is pregnant, they initially contemplate termination, but Ambar’s decision to carry the pregnancy through reignites the emotional stakes and triggers a period of strain and separation. The months that follow are filled with misunderstandings and comic misadventures as they navigate living under the same roof while their lives become increasingly entangled.

A turning moment comes when Ambar feels the baby kick, reminding Nick of his enduring love for her. She then asks him to undergo a thalassemia test, because she is a carrier, and the clinic reveals that she is carrying twins. On his way home, Nick reflects on his absence during her pregnancy and resolves to take responsibility, determined to be there for whatever their future holds. He heads to buy an engagement ring but notices Ambar trying on rings with a friend, Jignesh Pandya, and mistakenly assumes she is engaged to him.

Distraught, Nick drinks heavily and brings home a woman named Stella. The next morning, Stella reveals that Nick spent the night crying over Ambar. Ambar, unaware of the full story, misreads the situation as well. Nick later learns that Ambar was helping [Jignesh Pandya] shop for his girlfriend’s engagement ring, a detail he discovers with the help of the radio station’s listeners who rally to locate Ambar and urge reconciliation. Nick finds Ambar and apologizes, but her water breaks and they rush to the hospital.

At the hospital, Ron and Cathy are also expecting a child, and Stella reappears as a nurse, offering reassurance that Nick has been faithful. The delivery is guided by a humorous, eccentric obstetrician, Dr. Vijay, whose cheerful antics provide levity in the tense moments before birth. Just before their twins arrive, Nick gathers the courage to propose, and Ambar accepts, signaling a hopeful turn in their shared journey. The film closes on a warm, celebratory note as the couple welcomes their twin children, marking a new chapter that blends family, culture, and love in a modern, transcontinental setting.