Mississippi Masala (Original title)Mississippi Marsala (Alternative title)
Dates: 1991 (Copyright), 17 January 1992 (Release)Countries: USA, United KingdomDirected by: Mira Nair
Synopsis: The story of an Indian family who after always having lived in Uganda, Africa, are forced to leave under the orders of dictator Idi Amin when he declares that Africa belongs only to 'black' Africans. As they are being herded onto the plane at Kampala airport, the mother who is carrying a cassette player drops it and it sets off the song in the cassette which happens to be 'Mera Joota Hai Japani' a nod to Raj Kapoor's song from his film 'Shree 420'. The lawyer, his wife and little girl Mina, move to Mississippi where again, years later, racism presents problems. This time between the Indian and American/African community, coming to a head when the now 24-year-old Mina falls in love with a black carpet cleaner. 'Masala' in the film means a 'mixture of hot spices' which is how Mina sees herself through having come from such a rich mixture of cultural backgrounds.
Genre: Drama
Releases
Date: 17 January 1992Country: United KingdomRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Colour - Sound - Dolby / StereoRuntime: 118 mins Length: 10170Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: Palace Pictures
Title: Romancing the racial frontier:mediating symbols in ...Author: STEPHENS, Gregory Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Uses MISSISSIPPI MASALA and JUNGLE FEVER to discuss inter- racial romance on film. Also discussing the audiences and generic communities which they represent and appeal to.
In: Cinemaya n25/6 Aut 94/Win 95 Pages: 26-27
Title: Mira NairAuthor: NEGI, Manjula Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Discusses the work of Mira Nair, mentioning this film in an edition of the periodical devoted to women filmmakers.
In: Film Quarterly v46 n4 Summer 1993 Pages: 23-26
Title: [Film Quarterly - v46 n4 Summer 1993: no known title]Author: SURAT ANDERSON, Erika Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Cinéaste v19 n2/3 December 1992 Pages: 66-67
Title: [Cinéaste - v19 n2/3 December 1992: no known title]Author: BERRY, Cecelie S. Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: British Board of Film Classification - Monthly List of Cinema Films January 1992 Page: 2
Title: [British Board of Film Classification - Monthly List of Cinema Films - January 1992: no known title]Language: English
In: Empire n32 February 1992 Page: 29
Title: New filmsAuthor: HASTED, Nick Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: The Hollywood Reporter v321 n12 5 Feb 1992 Page: 5,12
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v321 n12 5 Feb 1992: no known title]Author: BYRGE, Duane Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Screen International n849 20 Mar 1992 Page: 6
Title: Opening night bombs threaten Masala release in TrinidadAuthor: STEEN, Robert Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Plans to screen Mira Nair's MISSISSIPPI MASALA in Trinidad have met with bomb threats from a group protesting about the film's portrayal of Indian women.
In: Bazaar n20 Spring 1992 Page: 27
Title: [Bazaar - n20 Spring 1992: no known title]Author: FERNANDO, Sonali Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Sight and Sound v1 n9 January 1992 Page: 50
Title: [Sight and Sound - v1 n9 January 1992: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Interview v22 n3 March 1992 Page: 42
Title: Who knows better than Sarita Choudhry?Author: COHEN, Jessica Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Sarita Choudhrey compares her own early life with that of the character Mina she plays in Mississippi Masala.
In: Black Film Review v7 n1 1991 Pages: 20-21, 30
Title: [Black Film Review - v7 n1 1991: no known title]Author: HAZARIKA, Tej Article type: InterviewLanguage: English
Description: Interview with Mira Nair about MISSISSIPPI MASALA (Reprinted from CineVue)
In: Cinema in India v2 n8 August 1991 Pages: 42-43
Title: Namaste MississippiAuthor: RATHORE, Rajesh Article type: Prod. ReportLanguage: English
In: The Hollywood Reporter v320 n9 18 Nov 1991 Page: 8,18
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v320 n9 18 Nov 1991: no known title]Author: BYRGE, Duane Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Screen International n836 6 Dec 1991 Page: 15
Title: [Screen International - n836 6 Dec 1991: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Cinemaya n14 Winter 1991/92 Pages: 32-33
Title: On ScreenAuthor: CHISHTI, Rta Kapur Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Sight and Sound vSupp nLFF November 1991 Pages: 6-9
Title: Mississippi Masala.Author: STUART, Andrea Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Mira Nair discusses her film MISSISSIPPI MASALA.
In: Variety 23 Sep 1991 Page: 75
Title: [Variety - 23 Sep 1991: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Screen International n773 8 Sep 1990 Page: 26
Title: [Screen International - n773 8 Sep 1990: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Screen International n757 19 May 1990 Page: 18
Title: [Screen International - n757 19 May 1990: no known title]Language: English
Description: Details
In: The Hollywood Reporter v313 n41 14 Aug 1990 Page: 33
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v313 n41 14 Aug 1990: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Author: Singh, Amardeep Pages: vii, 227 pages
Title: Mercy in her eyes: the films of Mira Nair
Author: MUIR, John Kenneth Pages: ix, 290 p.
Title: Beyond Bollywood: the cultural politics of South Asian diasporic film
Author: DESAI, Jigna Pages: x, 280 p.
Title: Multiculturalism, postcoloniality, and transnational media
Author: SHOHAT, Ella Pages: vi, 335 pages
Title: Screening Asian Americans
Author: FENG, Peter X. Pages: ix, 308 p.
Title: America on film: modernism, documentary, and a changing America
Author: GIRGUS, Sam B. Pages: xi, 226 p.
Title: Unlikely couples: movie romance as social criticism
Author: WARTENBERG, Thomas E Pages: vii-xxi, 254p.
Title: Looking for the other: feminism, film and the imperial gaze
Author: KAPLAN, E. Ann Pages: ix-xxiv, 333p.
Dates: 1991 (Copyright), 17 January 1992 (Release)Countries: USA, United KingdomDirected by: Mira Nair
Synopsis: The story of an Indian family who after always having lived in Uganda, Africa, are forced to leave under the orders of dictator Idi Amin when he declares that Africa belongs only to 'black' Africans. As they are being herded onto the plane at Kampala airport, the mother who is carrying a cassette player drops it and it sets off the song in the cassette which happens to be 'Mera Joota Hai Japani' a nod to Raj Kapoor's song from his film 'Shree 420'. The lawyer, his wife and little girl Mina, move to Mississippi where again, years later, racism presents problems. This time between the Indian and American/African community, coming to a head when the now 24-year-old Mina falls in love with a black carpet cleaner. 'Masala' in the film means a 'mixture of hot spices' which is how Mina sees herself through having come from such a rich mixture of cultural backgrounds.
Genre: Drama
Releases
Date: 17 January 1992Country: United KingdomRelease type: TheatricalFormat: 35mm Film - Colour - Sound - Dolby / StereoRuntime: 118 mins Length: 10170Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: Palace Pictures
Articles held in BFI Reuben Library
(21)
In: Spectator v16 n1 Aut/Win 1995 Pages: 58-73Title: Romancing the racial frontier:mediating symbols in ...Author: STEPHENS, Gregory Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Uses MISSISSIPPI MASALA and JUNGLE FEVER to discuss inter- racial romance on film. Also discussing the audiences and generic communities which they represent and appeal to.
In: Cinemaya n25/6 Aut 94/Win 95 Pages: 26-27
Title: Mira NairAuthor: NEGI, Manjula Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Discusses the work of Mira Nair, mentioning this film in an edition of the periodical devoted to women filmmakers.
In: Film Quarterly v46 n4 Summer 1993 Pages: 23-26
Title: [Film Quarterly - v46 n4 Summer 1993: no known title]Author: SURAT ANDERSON, Erika Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Cinéaste v19 n2/3 December 1992 Pages: 66-67
Title: [Cinéaste - v19 n2/3 December 1992: no known title]Author: BERRY, Cecelie S. Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: British Board of Film Classification - Monthly List of Cinema Films January 1992 Page: 2
Title: [British Board of Film Classification - Monthly List of Cinema Films - January 1992: no known title]Language: English
In: Empire n32 February 1992 Page: 29
Title: New filmsAuthor: HASTED, Nick Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: The Hollywood Reporter v321 n12 5 Feb 1992 Page: 5,12
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v321 n12 5 Feb 1992: no known title]Author: BYRGE, Duane Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Screen International n849 20 Mar 1992 Page: 6
Title: Opening night bombs threaten Masala release in TrinidadAuthor: STEEN, Robert Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Plans to screen Mira Nair's MISSISSIPPI MASALA in Trinidad have met with bomb threats from a group protesting about the film's portrayal of Indian women.
In: Bazaar n20 Spring 1992 Page: 27
Title: [Bazaar - n20 Spring 1992: no known title]Author: FERNANDO, Sonali Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Sight and Sound v1 n9 January 1992 Page: 50
Title: [Sight and Sound - v1 n9 January 1992: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Interview v22 n3 March 1992 Page: 42
Title: Who knows better than Sarita Choudhry?Author: COHEN, Jessica Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Sarita Choudhrey compares her own early life with that of the character Mina she plays in Mississippi Masala.
In: Black Film Review v7 n1 1991 Pages: 20-21, 30
Title: [Black Film Review - v7 n1 1991: no known title]Author: HAZARIKA, Tej Article type: InterviewLanguage: English
Description: Interview with Mira Nair about MISSISSIPPI MASALA (Reprinted from CineVue)
In: Cinema in India v2 n8 August 1991 Pages: 42-43
Title: Namaste MississippiAuthor: RATHORE, Rajesh Article type: Prod. ReportLanguage: English
In: The Hollywood Reporter v320 n9 18 Nov 1991 Page: 8,18
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v320 n9 18 Nov 1991: no known title]Author: BYRGE, Duane Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Screen International n836 6 Dec 1991 Page: 15
Title: [Screen International - n836 6 Dec 1991: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Cinemaya n14 Winter 1991/92 Pages: 32-33
Title: On ScreenAuthor: CHISHTI, Rta Kapur Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
In: Sight and Sound vSupp nLFF November 1991 Pages: 6-9
Title: Mississippi Masala.Author: STUART, Andrea Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Mira Nair discusses her film MISSISSIPPI MASALA.
In: Variety 23 Sep 1991 Page: 75
Title: [Variety - 23 Sep 1991: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Screen International n773 8 Sep 1990 Page: 26
Title: [Screen International - n773 8 Sep 1990: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
In: Screen International n757 19 May 1990 Page: 18
Title: [Screen International - n757 19 May 1990: no known title]Language: English
Description: Details
In: The Hollywood Reporter v313 n41 14 Aug 1990 Page: 33
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v313 n41 14 Aug 1990: no known title]Article type: CreditsLanguage: English
Books held in BFI Reuben Library
(8)
Title: films of Mira Nair: diaspora véritéAuthor: Singh, Amardeep Pages: vii, 227 pages
Title: Mercy in her eyes: the films of Mira Nair
Author: MUIR, John Kenneth Pages: ix, 290 p.
Title: Beyond Bollywood: the cultural politics of South Asian diasporic film
Author: DESAI, Jigna Pages: x, 280 p.
Title: Multiculturalism, postcoloniality, and transnational media
Author: SHOHAT, Ella Pages: vi, 335 pages
Title: Screening Asian Americans
Author: FENG, Peter X. Pages: ix, 308 p.
Title: America on film: modernism, documentary, and a changing America
Author: GIRGUS, Sam B. Pages: xi, 226 p.
Title: Unlikely couples: movie romance as social criticism
Author: WARTENBERG, Thomas E Pages: vii-xxi, 254p.
Title: Looking for the other: feminism, film and the imperial gaze
Author: KAPLAN, E. Ann Pages: ix-xxiv, 333p.