Women writers and directors like fiction, fantasy and platonic relations as evidenced in this movie and "Mr.& Mrs.Iyer." Gauri Shinde, does a great job as a first time? director, of this gem of a movie, which is a cross between "Mr.& Mrs. Iyer" by the very talented Ms.Aparna Sen and "Monsoon Wedding" by the prolific Ms.Mira Nair. The story is absolutely spell binding and riveting like a suspense movie, since, all immigrants to The United States of America, have gone through the routine and nothing is a fantasy. The sessions in the English learning school with a gay teacher (David-a good perf.) is hilarious with the quirks and traits of different ethnic groups brought up without being insulting or demeaning.
Each scene flows into another like a garland and the screenplay is simple and homely. The movie is as sweet as laddoo. Sridevi, The French guy (Mehdi Webbou),the kid,and the niece Radha (Priya Anand)the stand out among the rest of the cast, who are above average and the interaction and peace at the end of the semester, could not have been better achieved by United Nations Peace Force.
The long story is poignantly related by the woman director, whose feminine touch is evident all along, like Shashi, riveted to the romantic movie, when her platonic relation is watching her. The long walk catching her mental turmoil after the brief spark of awkward romance on the top of the skyscraper.
Not everything is as sweet as laddoo. The grandmother left back in India with an excuse she can't get Visa (not Passport as in the movie) was cruel and utterly selfish of her son, to devoid her the joy and happiness of being part of her grand daughters wedding. This is typical of how Indian women are put on a pedestal and worshiped and treated like second class citizens at the same time. If she couldn't get Visa the wedding should have been canceled in New York and they parties should have been flown to Pune, and the expenses should have been born by the parents of the groom (applies to all weddings)
The scene in the Deli is so authentic it is tough to believe it is a movie. So is the actress taking Sashi's call at the English school (the patience, perseverance and tolerance shown is so much opposite to the attitude at the Deli and the director is so shrewd to show the contrast.) All said and done, this is feel-good movie that should have been the Oscar Nominee-and probably would have won too-instead of the slovenly stupid and annoying movie called "Barfi."
Each scene flows into another like a garland and the screenplay is simple and homely. The movie is as sweet as laddoo. Sridevi, The French guy (Mehdi Webbou),the kid,and the niece Radha (Priya Anand)the stand out among the rest of the cast, who are above average and the interaction and peace at the end of the semester, could not have been better achieved by United Nations Peace Force.
The long story is poignantly related by the woman director, whose feminine touch is evident all along, like Shashi, riveted to the romantic movie, when her platonic relation is watching her. The long walk catching her mental turmoil after the brief spark of awkward romance on the top of the skyscraper.
Not everything is as sweet as laddoo. The grandmother left back in India with an excuse she can't get Visa (not Passport as in the movie) was cruel and utterly selfish of her son, to devoid her the joy and happiness of being part of her grand daughters wedding. This is typical of how Indian women are put on a pedestal and worshiped and treated like second class citizens at the same time. If she couldn't get Visa the wedding should have been canceled in New York and they parties should have been flown to Pune, and the expenses should have been born by the parents of the groom (applies to all weddings)
The scene in the Deli is so authentic it is tough to believe it is a movie. So is the actress taking Sashi's call at the English school (the patience, perseverance and tolerance shown is so much opposite to the attitude at the Deli and the director is so shrewd to show the contrast.) All said and done, this is feel-good movie that should have been the Oscar Nominee-and probably would have won too-instead of the slovenly stupid and annoying movie called "Barfi."