David Hamilton
- 2008
Internationally renowned photographer Dilip Mehta takes the helm for this documentary focusing on the lives of the nearly 33 million Hindu widows who are forced to live isolated from society and in abject poverty. Dilip had been working as a production designer on her sister Deepa Mehta's Oscar-nominated feature Water when she learned that widows in modern-day India are living in the same horrid conditions that they were forced to endure back in the 1930s, the era in which her sister's film takes place. After opening in the ancient temple city of Vrindavan, where thousands of widows wage a daily struggle just to survive, Dilip travels to rural villages and speaks to the women who are currently working for change. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- PG13
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Following the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, a widowed child bride lashes out against her fate in the Hindu ashram where she is expected to atone for her sins in this humanistic drama, the third installment of filmmaker Deepa Mehta's Elemental Trilogy. Chuyia's (Sarala) husband has died, and religious doctrine dictates that she now retire to an ashram to atone for the sins that caused her husband's untimely death. As Chuyia bides her time among widows both young an old -- some accepting of their fate and some bitterly resentful -- the preadolescent widow's spirit remains unbroken and hopeful for a brighter future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, (more)
After making a string of social commentaries, Canadian director Deepa Mehta satirizes India's beloved genre in the lighthearted romantic musical Bollywood/Hollywood. Indo-Canadian millionaire Rahul (Rahul Khanna) goes against the wishes of his mother and grandmother to date the Caucasian pop star Kimberly (Jessica Paré); however, she gets killed in an accident and he is left devastated. His mother (Moushumi Chatterjee) seizes the opportunity and announces that he must get engaged to an Indian girl before his sister is allowed to wed. This is complicated by the fact that his sister is already engaged and pregnant. Under pressure, Rahul enlists the help of Sue (supermodel Lisa Ray), a professional escort who agrees to play the part of his Indian fiancée. He thinks she is really Hispanic, and she claims to have no love for traditional Indian men. Throughout his sister's wedding preparations, Sue begins to befriend his entire family, including the tough old grandmother (Dina Pathak). After some random bursts into songs and dances, Sue reveals her true identity and they fall in love. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rahul Khanna, Lisa Ray, (more)
- 2001
Tong (Sean Lau) is a struggling Hong Kong musician who half-heartedly sells real estate in his spare time. Tong is married, but for the past three years, his wife, April (Theresa Lee), has been living in Canada, where she works as a publicist for a music management firm in Vancouver and waits for her husband to work up the ambition to join her. While April has been faithful to Tong, he's certain temptation lurks around every corner, and in time he finally decides to bite the bullet and head to Vancouver. However, Tong's timing turns out to be a bit off; April and her assistant (Francoise Yip) are working with the owner of an Irish brewery (Tom Scholte) to sign an up-and-coming Celtic rock band to an endorsement and sponsorship deal, and April has headed out on the road to track down the band. Tong loses April's trail while trying to catch up with her, and ends up spending the night at a bed and breakfast operated by a married couple, Matthew (Nicholas Lea) and Natasha (Bif Naked). When Tong tries to explain his dilemma to his hosts, he discovers that Natasha used to be the lead singer of the rock band April is trying to flag down; as fate would have it, the group's manager soon calls with a firm offer to rejoin the band, and soon all parties are headed for Alberta, where everyone is to take a meeting with a wheeler and dealer named Charles. However, as Tong and Natasha make the long drive to Lake Louise together, he finds his fidelity to April challenged for the first time. Lunch With Charles was the first feature film co-produced by firms from Canada and Hong Kong; it also marked the dramatic debut of pop singer Bif Naked. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Lau, Nicholas Lea, (more)
Deepa Mehta directed this Indian-Canadian romantic drama, the second part of a trilogy. Based on Bapsi Sidhwa's autobiography, Cracking India, the story is set in 1947 in Lahore, where Hindu, Sikh, Parsee, and Muslim share a peaceful co-existence. Events are seen from the point of view of eight-year-old Lenny (Maia Sethna), a girl from an affluent Parsee family. Lenny's nanny, Shantya (Nandita Das), is involved with the Muslim Masseur (Rahul Khanna). When a train of Muslims arrives at the local depot and all the passengers are found murdered, the various sects turn against each other, and the city is soon aflame. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aamir Khan, Nandita Das, (more)
In this India-set Canadian drama, two disparate wives related by marriage and united at first by the oppressiveness of Indian tradition that relegates them to miserable unions, find solace and love in each other's arms. The film opens as an unhappy young couple, Jatin and Sita, fumble through a conversation. Neither wanted to marry each other, but as it was arranged by Jatin's family, they had no choice. Marriage does not stop Jatin, who owns a video store, from continuing his long-time love affair with a Chinese hairdresser. Caring nothing for Sita, he doesn't even try to hide the affair. Jatin's brother Ashok (who forced Jatin's marriage) is married to Radha. Deeply frustrated at her inability to conceive, he has joined a radical cult that forbids all sexual contact. Ashok and Jatin's demanding mother doesn't help matters nor does the family's twisted servant Mundu. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
