Themes: Interracial/Cross-Cultural Romance, Immigrant Life
Main Cast: Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, Roshan Seth, Sharmila Tagore, Charles S. Dutton, Joe Seneca
Release Year: 1991
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 118 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Mississippi Masala is a tale of how prejudice makes victims and instigators of us all. In 1972, Indian Jay (Roshan Seth), a resident of Uganda, is forced by the bigoted Amin regime to take his family and flee the country. He vows to hate and distrust all blacks--at least until he is able to reclaim the real estate stolen from him by the Ugandan government. Flash-forward to 1990: Jay and his family have settled in Mississippi. Seth's daughter Mina (Sarit Choudhury) makes the acquaintance of African-American Demetrius (Denzel Washington), the prosperous manager of a carpet-cleaning business. At first attracted to Mina because he is fascinated by her African background, Demetrius slowly falls in love with her. The situation causes Jay to exercise the same racial prejudice by which he was himself victimized. Ironically, Demetrius behaves just as foolishly, blaming Jay's ethnic chauvinism for a drop in his business. Both Jay and Demetrius must learn to bury their pasts and their prejudices to go on with their lives. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
During a tour of the Deep South in 1988, director Mira Nair learned that a number of Indian immigrants were operating motels in the area, an experience which became the inspiration for this lively, seductive tale of interracial romance. Sarita Choudhury stars as Mina, the daughter of previously affluent Indian immigrants who run a motel in Mississippi. When her voluptuous beauty catches the eye of rug-cleaning contractor Demetrius (Denzel Washington), love blossoms, but the lovers' families are less than enthusiastic. While the film centers on a hot romance, it's also a fascinating study of a unique immigrant community with a richness of detail that borders on the ethnographic, as well as a telling examination of class and status anxiety. The smoldering, sensual attraction between the two leads has such an explosiveness that it's clear they were meant to be together. Yet to her father (Roshan Seth), a former lawyer who still dreams of his beautiful house on a hill in Uganda, this rug man is simply a creature from a lower caste. The director touches gently on the irony of this discrimination being practiced in an area synonymous with racial strife, and by a man who is subject to the same kind of exclusion by whites. Indeed, considering its serious subject, Nair never forgets the humorous aspects of the situation. Washington and Chourhury are wonderful as the almost impossibly attractive couple, and Seth is memorable in a difficult role. ~ Michael Costello, All Movie Guide
Ranjit Chowdhry - Anil; Mohan Gokhale - Pontiac; Mohan Agashe - Kanti Napkin; Tico Wells - Dexter; Yvette Hawkins - Aunt Rose; Anjan Srivastava - Jammubhai; Dipti Suthar - Chanda; J.D. Barrett - 2nd Rapper; Nora Boland - 1st Shop-at-Home Anchor Person; Mahlon Bouldin - Student; Dewey Buffington - Evangelist; Ben Burford - Bank Manager; Immaculate Byakatonda - Okelo's Mother; Sadie Carr - Mildre; Willy Cobbs - Skillet; E.W. Colvin - Grandcraw; Richard Crick - White Customer; Jimmy Din - Bharat; Patsy Garrett - 2nd Shop-at-Home Anchor Person; Dillon Rozell Gross - Police Officer; Jim Haffey - White Truck Driver; Larry Haggard - Joe; Cyreio Hughes - D.J.; Ashok Lath - Harry Patel; Bonnie M. Lubega - Teacher; Reverend Fred Matthews - Grandaddy; Konga Mbandu - Okelo; Tony McGhee - 1st Rapper; Kevin McNeil - Clarence; Shung Moo-joo - Chinese Customer; Argentina Moore - 4th Rapper; Emanuel Mudara - Young Okelo; Joyce Murrah - Lady at Lusco's; Sahira Nair - Young Mina; Joseph Olita - Idi Amin; Natalie Oliver - Alicia LeShay; Amrit Panesar - Mrs. Bedi; Phavin Parbario - Young Jay; Karen Pinkston - Mrs. Morgan; Hollis Pippin - Sylvester Artiste III; Rajika Puri - 2nd Gossip; Alix Henry Sanders - Barber; Alix W. Sanders - Postman; Sammy E.D. Senkumba - Taxi Driver; Rick Senn - Piggly Wiggly Checker; Sam Sherrill - Phinias T. Turnbull; Tre'demont Spearman - 3rd Rapper; Mayambala Ssekasi - Prison Captain; Buddy St Amant - Biloxi Cop; Stacy Swinford - Bubba; Jaimini Thaker - Kanti Bhai; Varsha Thaker - Kusumben; Michael Wawuyo - Soldier on Bus; Jerone Wiggins - James; Muteta Wilberforce - Soldier at Roadblock; Sharon Williams - Tadice; Mira Nair - 1st Gossip; James Dale - Businessman
Credit
Jefferson Sage - Art Director, Hope Hanafin - Costume Designer, Susan Lyall - Costume Designer, Mira Nair - Director, Roberto Silvi - Editor, L. Subramaniam - Composer (Music Score), Mitch Epstein - Production Designer, Edward Lachman - Cinematographer, Mitch Epstein - Producer, Mira Nair - Producer, Michael Nozik - Producer, Lydia Dean Pilcher - Producer, Jeanette Scott - Set Designer, Sooni Taraporevala - Screenwriter
The soundtrack to Mira Nair's 1992 social drama set against the aftermath of the Ugandan Asian exodus is noteworthy for its original score by the Southern Indian classical violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam and its non-Indian tracks. Untypically for an Indian soundtrack Subramaniam mixes Smiley Lewis, Otis Redding, a token Mukesh (his hit "Mera Joota Hai Japani") and others. An Indian rather than a filmi soundtrack. ~ Ken Hunt, All Music Guide
Sam Chatmon (Vocals), Willie Cobbs (Vocals), Marion Williams (Arranger), Marion Williams (Vocals), Gerald LeVert (Performer), Otis Redding (Vocals), Andy Summers (Guitar), Keith Sweat (Producer), Freddie Ravel (Synthesizer), Freddie Ravel (Piano), Smiley Lewis (Vocals), The Afrigo Band (Band), Glen Aulepp (Engineer), Gary Denton (Engineer), Ron Kalina (Harmonica), Robert Marcus (Producer), Mukesh & Chorus (Vocals), Michael Nozik (Producer), The Papy Tex Group (Vocals), Pinetop Perkins (Vocals), Emil Richards (Percussion), Thom Rotella (Guitar (Acoustic)), Thom Rotella (Guitar (Electric)), Habbey Sewakiryanga (Vocals), Nyle Steiner (EWI), L. Subramaniam (Percussion), L. Subramaniam (Violin), L. Subramaniam (Vocals), L. Subramaniam (Tamboura), L. Subramaniam (Synthesizer Violin), Keith Sweat & Gerald Levert (Vocals), Viji Subramaniam (Percussion), Viji Subramaniam (Violin), Viji Subramaniam (Vocals), Viji Subramaniam (Tamboura), Viji Subramaniam (Synthesizer Violin), Kobla Ladzekpo (African Percussion), Tom Coyne (Mastering), Andrea Marcelli (Drums), Jerry Jr. Watts (Bass), Matty Spindel (Mixing), Birney Imes (Photography), James Makubuya (Percussion), James Makubuya (Ugandan Drum), Richard Evans (Art Direction), Richard Evans (Design), African Music Ensemble (Ensemble), African Music Ensemble (African Percussion)
In 1990, 24-year-old Mina, who cleans at Anil's (Ranjit Chowdhry) family's motel (the Monte Cristo), falls in love with Demetrius (Denzel Washington), a local African American carpet cleaner. The respective families erupt in turmoil after the pair are confronted by members of the Indian family during a weekend of pleasure in Biloxi.
Ultimately, the two families cannot come to terms with the inter-racial pair, who flee together in Demetrius' van. Both families need to move on, both emotionally and physically, in order to grow. Jay also needs to change. After a brief return to Kampala to attend a court proceeding on the disposition of his confiscated Ugandan house, Jay relinquishes his long-nurtured dream of returning to Uganda, the place he considered home.
The script was written in Brooklyn, NY after extensive research by Nair, Taraporevala, and their team, in Mississippi and Uganda. The Mississippi based scenes were filmed in Greenwood, Mississippi. The motel used in the filming of the motel scenes still stands next to the railroad crossing on US Highway 82 in Greenwood. The Mississippi based scenes were filmed in Grenada, Mississippi at The Monte Cristo hotel, which was located on U.S. Hwy 51 in Grenada, Mississippi. A Renasant Bank stands on the location of the original hotel, which was demolished in the late nineties.
Jama Masjid Street Journal (1979) • So Far from India (1982) • India Cabaret (1985) • Children of a Desired Sex (1987) • The Day the Mercedes Became a Hat (1993) • My Own Country (1998) • The Laughing Club of India (1999)
Productions
Still, the Children Are Here (2004) • Blood Brothers (2007)
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