Mississippi Masala (1991)
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80% of critics liked it
(20 reviews) -
63% of users liked it
(6,931 ratings)
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… More 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, Rovi
- Directed By
- Mira Nair
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Art House & International, Comedy
R,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1991 Wide
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Desson Thomson, Washington Post
It may be longwinded here and there, but Mississippi Masala jumps with life.
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Rita Kempley, Washington Post
An utterly infectious romance between an African American and an Indian African emigre, this seductively funny film measures the pull of roots against the tug of heartstrings.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Surprisingly funny and cheerful at times.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Unlike Lee's Jungle Fever, which also deals with interracial romance, Nair's film is non-judgmental, taking neither moral ground nor faulting any group. Released when national boundaries were crumbling it was a poignant work about the meaning of home.
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Frank Ochieng, TheWorldJournal.com
Washington and Choudhury definitely make for an attractive ethnic couple in Nair's cross-cultural love story. However, this staid romancer doesn't escape the distinction of its conventional makeup.
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Cast
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Denzel Washington
as Demetrius
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Sarita Choudhury
as Mina
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Roshan Seth
as Jay
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Sharmila Tagore
as Kinnu
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Charles S. Dutton
as Tyrone
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Joe Seneca
as Williben
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Ranjit Chowdhry
as Anil
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Mohan Gokhale
as Pontiac
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Mohan Agashe
as Kanti Napkin
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Tico Wells
as Dexter
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Yvette Hawkins
as Aunt Rose
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Anjan Srivastava
as Jammubhai
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Dipti Suthar
as Chanda
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J.D. Barrett
as 2nd Rapper
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Nora Boland
as 1st Shop-at-Home Anchor Person
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Mahlon Bouldin
as Student
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Dewey Buffington
as Evangelist
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Ben Burford
as Bank Manager
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Immaculate Byakatonda
as Okelo's Mother
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Sadie Carr
as Mildre
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Willy Cobbs
as Skillet
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E.W. Colvin
as Grandcraw
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Richard Crick
as White Customer
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Jimmy Din
as Bharat
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Patsy Garrett
as 2nd Shop-at-Home Anchor Person
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Dillon Rozell Gross
as Police Officer
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Jim Haffey
as White Truck Driver
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Larry Haggard
as Joe
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Cyreio Hughes
as D.J.
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Ashok Lath
as Harry Patel
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Bonnie M. Lubega
as Teacher
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Reverend Fred Matthews
as Grandaddy
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Konga Mbandu
as Okelo
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Tony McGhee
as 1st Rapper
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Kevin McNeil
as Clarence
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Shung Moo-joo
as Chinese Customer
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Argentina Moore
as 4th Rapper
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Emanuel Mudara
as Young Okelo
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Joyce Murrah
as Lady at Lusco's
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Sahira Nair
as Young Mina
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Joseph Olita
as Idi Amin
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Natalie Oliver
as Alicia LeShay
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Amrit Panesar
as Mrs. Bedi
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Phavin Parbario
as Young Jay
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Karen Pinkston
as Mrs. Morgan
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Hollis Pippin
as Sylvester Artiste III
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Rajika Puri
as 2nd Gossip
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Alix Henry Sanders
as Barber
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Alix W. Sanders
as Postman
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Sammy E.D. Senkumba
as Taxi Driver
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Rick Senn
as Piggly Wiggly Checker
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Sam Sherrill
as Phinias T. Turnbull
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Tre'demont Spearman
as 3rd Rapper
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Mayambala Ssekasi
as Prison Captain
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Buddy St Amant
as Biloxi Cop
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Stacy Swinford
as Bubba
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Jaimini Thaker
as Kanti Bhai
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Varsha Thaker
as Kusumben
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Michael Wawuyo
as Soldier on Bus
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Jerone Wiggins
as James
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Muteta Wilberforce
as Soldier at Roadblock
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Sharon Williams
as Tadice
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Mira Nair
as 1st Gossip
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James Dale
as Businessman
- Anjan Srivastav
