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Mississippi Masala (1991)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 20
Fresh: 16 | Rotten: 4

No consensus yet.

100

Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 0

No consensus yet.

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Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 6,775

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Movie Info

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

R, 1 hr. 58 min.

Drama, Romance, Art House & International, Comedy

Directed By: Mira Nair

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1991 Wide

On DVD: May 27, 2003

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Mississippi Masala Trailer & Photos

Cast

Denzel Washington
Demetrius
Sarita Choudhury
Mina
Roshan Seth
Jay
Sharmila Tagore
Kinnu
Charles S. Dutton
Tyrone
Joe Seneca
Williben
Ranjit Chowdhry
Anil
Mohan Gokhale
Pontiac
Mohan Agashe
Kanti Napkin
Tico Wells
Dexter
Yvette Hawkins
Aunt Rose
Anjan Srivastava
Jammubhai
Dipti Suthar
Chanda
J.D. Barrett
2nd Rapper
Nora Boland
1st Shop-at-Home Anchor...
Mahlon Bouldin
Student
Dewey Buffington
Evangelist
Ben Burford
Bank Manager
Immaculate Byakatonda
Okelo's Mother
Sadie Carr
Mildre
Willy Cobbs
Skillet
E.W. Colvin
Grandcraw
Richard Crick
White Customer
Jimmy Din
Bharat
Patsy Garrett
2nd Shop-at-Home Anchor...
Dillon Rozell Gross
Police Officer
Jim Haffey
White Truck Driver
Larry Haggard
Joe
Cyreio Hughes
D.J.
Ashok Lath
Harry Patel
Bonnie M. Lubega
Teacher
Reverend Fred Matthews
Grandaddy
Konga Mbandu
Okelo
Tony McGhee
1st Rapper
Kevin McNeil
Clarence
Shung Moo-joo
Chinese Customer
Argentina Moore
4th Rapper
Emanuel Mudara
Young Okelo
Joyce Murrah
Lady at Lusco's
Sahira Nair
Young Mina
Joseph Olita
Idi Amin
Natalie Oliver
Alicia LeShay
Amrit Panesar
Mrs. Bedi
Phavin Parbario
Young Jay
Karen Pinkston
Mrs. Morgan
Hollis Pippin
Sylvester Artiste III
Rajika Puri
2nd Gossip
Alix Henry Sanders
Barber
Alix W. Sanders
Postman
Sammy E.D. Senkumba
Taxi Driver
Rick Senn
Piggly Wiggly Checker
Sam Sherrill
Phinias T. Turnbull
Tre'demont Spearman
3rd Rapper
Mayambala Ssekasi
Prison Captain
Buddy St Amant
Biloxi Cop
Stacy Swinford
Bubba
Jaimini Thaker
Kanti Bhai
Varsha Thaker
Kusumben
Michael Wawuyo
Soldier on Bus
Jerone Wiggins
James
Muteta Wilberforce
Soldier at Roadblock
Sharon Williams
Tadice
Mira Nair
1st Gossip
James Dale
Businessman
Anjan Srivastav

Critic Reviews for Mississippi Masala

All Critics (24) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (16) | Rotten (4) | DVD (5)

It may be longwinded here and there, but Mississippi Masala jumps with life.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

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.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Rita Kempley

Washington Post

Top Critic

Surprisingly funny and cheerful at times.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

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.

October 4, 2006 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.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.

May 28, 2003 Comment

Frank Ochieng

TheWorldJournal.com

Challenges us to add more respect and tolerance to America's cultural stew of many colors.

August 29, 2002 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice

| Comment

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

Zesty, spicy, sexy!

August 21, 2002 Comment

Michael Szymanski

Zap2it.com

Nair and her screenwriter, Sooni Taraporevala, sometimes lose their focus trying to juggle half a dozen subplots. But it's nice to see a movie with a broad reach.

January 9, 2002 Full Review Source: Movieline

| Comment

Stephen Farber

Movieline

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Mississippi Masala

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Very Romeo and Juilet like love story seeped in cultural differences and misconceptions. Great film. Mira Nair is fantastic.

March 3, 2008

Keysha H

Super Reviewer

The merging of cultures makes for an enchanting love story that gets waylaid by issues of race and color in a believable way. Mina (Sarita Choudhury) is the daughter of an Indian family who fled Uganda for Mississippi. She develops a relationship with Demetrius (Denzel Washington), a local man. Her family does not

February 5, 2010

Deb S

Super Reviewer

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