Mississippi Masala

1991
15
1h 58m

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

6.5K

YOUR RATING

Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury in Mississippi Masala (1991)

Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar

Play trailer0:31

2 Videos

82 Photos

Drama Romance

An ethnic Indian family is expelled from Idi Amin's Uganda in 1972 and lives in Mississippi 17 years later. The dad sues Uganda to get his property back. The grown daughter falls in love wit... Read allAn ethnic Indian family is expelled from Idi Amin's Uganda in 1972 and lives in Mississippi 17 years later. The dad sues Uganda to get his property back. The grown daughter falls in love with a Black man.An ethnic Indian family is expelled from Idi Amin's Uganda in 1972 and lives in Mississippi 17 years later. The dad sues Uganda to get his property back. The grown daughter falls in love with a Black man.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

6.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 5 wins & 3 nominations

Videos2

Photos82

+ 76

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Ben Kingsley was originally cast in the role of Mina's father, but he eventually withdrew from the project, prompting the original backers of the film to pull out. Nair was able to gain new funding after Denzel Washington was chosen for the role of Demetrius. She later mentioned she faced substantial pressure from potential backers to select white leads rather than Indians or African Americans

Goofs
The Tri-color Flag of India is shown upside down, while it is being taken down when Jay & Kinnu are meeting Okello for the Last time. Green color is shown at top, which, actually is at the bottom & Orange being at top.

Quotes
Okelo: You gave an interview on BBC saying that Amin was evil. Are you mad? What about Kinnu? What about Mina? Do you ever think of them?
Jay: What should I have done? Remain silent? That is the coward's way!
Okelo: Don't talk to me about cowards! That's what you are. You're not leaving because you're scared to leave. You are scared of leaving Uganda.
Jay: Why should I go? Why should I go? Okelo, this is my home.
Okelo: Not anymore, Jay. Africa is for Africans. *Black* Africans.

Crazy credits
The following appears at the end of the credits: Hakuna Matata "No Problem", in Kiswahili

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Freejack/Until the End of the World/Juice/The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

Soundtracks
Mera Joota Hai Japani
Performed by Mukesh and Chorus
Music by Shankarsingh Raghuwanshi (as Shankar) and Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal (as Jaikishan)
Lyrics by Shailendra
Courtesy of HMV (The Gramophone Co. of India, Ltd.)

User reviews42

Review

Featured review

9/10

Many stories braided together

Some may think that all it is about is the race relations between Asian Indians and Blacks in Southern USA. I saw it as collection of stories, each running along its own thread while impacting others at the same time. There is a love story between a Black guy and an Asian Indian (by way of Africa) girl, there is a man trying to regain his lost homeland (which some may consider artificial), there are others who are trying to fit into the new-new-South, a younger brother who is a bother and a motel owner who doesn't understand the people around him. All in all, a well knit story.