And when Virmani turned to his own dad, Ajay, to produce the movie - which recently had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival - it tested their own relationship.

"For the most part, we had a very healthy sort of partnership," Ajay Virmani said in a recent interview, seated next to his son.

"We had a lot of debates at 2 in the morning over a bowl of cereal, and (we'd) carry on until the early hours of the morning - until one of us said, 'The hell with it.'

"But we showed up on the set the next day, smiling and ready to go to work. And like in any relationship, the debates were very sort of creative and healthy, and it moved the story forward."

That story revolves around Rajveer Singh (Vinay Virmani), who sleepily drifts through shifts at his uncle's trucking company while focusing his energy on hockey. When the local amateur team rejects Singh, he rallies his Punjabi pals to form a team of their own - and manages to recruit an ex-NHLer (played by Emmy-nominated actor Rob Lowe) to coach the slapdash squad.

All the while, he clashes with his traditional father, who questions his progeny's priorities and still can't get over the fact that Singh cut his hair short in what seemed like an act of defiance.

While Virmani himself isn't a born Sikh, he says he does "believe in the religion heavily." When the 27-year-old began crafting this story about two years ago, he drew from the experiences of friends and family who have endured generational clashes over shifting cultural values.

"A lot of our friends go through it," his dad said. "We have friends, relatives, we've seen what happens with immigrant families here that not only come from Southeast Asia, but Philippines, or China, or the Caribbean."

Added Vinay Virmani: "All families, really. Because I think as children, we try to find that perfect balance between following our own dream and trying to live up to our parents' expectations."

Growing up in Brampton, Ont., Virmani developed a passion for hockey, playing in local house leagues - a warmth for the winter sport he says is shared by many in the Southeast Asian community.

"Indians love hockey," he said. "I think it's that carryover from field hockey, (which is) the national sport of India."

Virmani's character in the film is a frequent target for racial bullying while playing the sport he loves, with a flashback scene depicting other kids flicking pucks at his head in an attempt to dislodge his turban.

That material was only partially based in Virmani's real life, he said.

"I went through elements of it. I was very fortunate that things that happened to them, nothing as serious happened to me. But the things that they go through are reality for lots of not only South Asians, Sikhs, but a lot of immigrant children."

But "Breakaway" doesn't linger long on such heavy subject matter. Mostly, it's a breezy, upbeat sports comedy flick that will hope to hook families when it opens in wide release later this month.

And the filmmakers aren't limiting their aim to the domestic market.

Continued...