LeoGlossary: Mississippi Masala (1991 Film)

Mississippi Masala is a 1991 romantic drama film directed by Mira Nair, based on a screenplay by Sooni Taraporevala, starring Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, and Roshan Seth. The film explores interracial romance between African Americans and Indian Americans and is set primarily in rural Mississippi. The movie covers delicate topics such as family life in Uganda, life in deep south Mississippi, colorism, racism, anti-Blackness, classism, and xenophobia across races, while also asking hard questions of humanity and identity.

The film was re-released in 2022 in a newly restored 4K edition on Blu-ray and DVD by The Criterion Collection. The special edition includes new interviews from Nair, Taraporevala, production designer and photographer Mitch Epstein, and cinematographer Edward Lachman. The film is also in the midst of a national theatrical rollout, exposing it to new audiences across the country.

Mississippi Masala has received positive reviews and has become somewhat of a cult classic. It has been described as a two-hour film with the density and humanity of a Dickens novel, a wide cast of believable and lovable characters, and a tone that varies from farce to lust to tragedy. The film's legacy has been enduring, and it has been taught in university classes for over two decades.

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