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Mississippi Masala (1991)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 5/17, 3/22

MissMasala
5/17: I thought I had completed all pre-2000 Denzel Washington films, but Mississippi Masala somehow escaped my attention.

It shows you how low-key, nonformulaic independent pictures get no respect. Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love is the only one I've seen that's directed by Mira Nair, so I had an idea of what to expect in Mississippi Masala. What I didn't predict is how good and charming it is.

Denzel Washington gives one of the better performances of his career. I wish he would do more of these films, not the blockbuster stuff; they serve his talent well. However, Mississippi Masala is not a Denzel Washington picture. It, primarily the story, is much bigger than him which is about dealing with forced displacement, light vs. dark racism, prejudices, and cultural differences and traditions.

It's a charming movie, thanks to the mixed cast of Indian and black thespians. They're fun to watch. There are many standouts including Sarita Choudhury who's perfect with Denzel Washington, Roshan Seth, Sharmila Tagore, Mohan Agashe, Mohan Gokhale, and Anjan Srivastav who looks like the Indian version of Dennis Farina. Joe Seneca, Charles Dutton, and Tico Wells are excellent as well.

Listening to the story of the Indians, it's easy to learn a bit about the history of Uganda, an African country that's closely associated with General Idi Amin. But that's a different story for another time which needs more extensive treatment than what Mississippi Masala can possibly offer. It has great scenes, especially with Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury, and lines such as "I'm a black man born and raised in Mississippi. Ain't a damn thing you can tell me about struggle" and "I know that you and your daughter ain't but a few shades from this here."

All in all, Mississippi Masala is a rare gem with great chemistry, strong performances, and high level of realism that's multilayered.

3/22: I didn't know the backstory of what happened to the Indians in Uganda (their descendents emigrated there to construct the Uganda Railway during the 1890's) until I read Thomas Sowell's book Discrimination and Disparities.

Because the Indians achieved so much success, the black residents, with the help of General Idi Amin, got jealous and therefore decided to kick them out of the country in 1972. As a result, Uganda's economy collapsed completely. There were 80,000 Indian and Pakistani residents, but now, it's about 20% of what it used to be yet they make up 65% of the tax revenue. Many came to the United States, hence the basis of Mississippi Masala.

Because of the mixed cast of Indian and black thespians, it's a unique movie, especially for the early 90's. Of course, the massive star power that Denzel Washington brings to the table helps a great deal; otherwise, it would've never seen the light of the day. He and Sarita Choudhury are wonderful together and should be the whole film. Everything else, unfortunately, isn't important, and the last fifteen minutes is weak.

All in all, Mississippi Masala should be seen, regardless of the negatives.