Nitro Video Rating:
PURCHASE THE DVD: Mississippi Masala (1992)

Director Mira Nair’s career has been one of pushing to the forefront an honest viewpoint regarding South Asian lifestyles and mind-sets. With Mississippi Masala, she studies the curious settlement in the 1970’s of Ugundan Refugees of South Asian heritage in the Mississippi Bayou. Flourishing as hotel owners, the refugees are clannish and materialistic, with firm beliefs regarding the marriage of their daughters to fair-skinned, financially well-off men. When young Meena (Sarita Choudhury) meets an Africaqn-American named Demetrius, the pair begin a relationship taboo not only to Mina’s family, but also to that of Demetrius who aim to keep their “African Roots” pure.

Filled with potential hot-button topics, this could easily have been a flat social tirade of a movie, but instead it’s a genuinely moving portrayal of love blossoming against adversity. As Meena, Choudhury is both innocent and sensual, while Denzel Washington is as dependable and likable as always, playing Demetrius with everyman charm. A solid supporting cast fills out the remaining characters, with Roshan Seth garnering both laughs and outrage as Meena’s father, and Charles S. Dutton bringing his usual gravity to the proceedings as Denzel’s pop. Laced with a soundtrack made potent by Indian music, this is a unique viewing experience, as are all of Nair’s works.

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: May 27, 2003
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• US Theatrical Release Date: February 5, 1992