Leela Naidu Movies
Liberally sprinkled with dashes of humor, this is a fast-paced comedy about a family and their friends who lived through the transition of Goa from a Portuguese colony to a district governed by India. Ana (Sushma Prakash) is about to become engaged (unwillingly) to the unappealing Erasmo when her beloved grandfather suddenly dies. Her grandmother is so overwhelmed by grief that Ana's engagement is put on hold indefinitely (along with everything else) while granny tries to contact the spirit of her dead husband. But her wires get crossed each time and instead of grandpa, she brings forth ghosts of people the family has wronged in the past. Meanwhile, Ana's real love is hiding out in the cellar. As Ana's marriage to Erasmo draws near, she faints dead away because (as he soon finds out) she is pregnant, but not by him. These and other events are revealed in flashbacks as a former resident in the house returns to visit 25 years later. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leela Naidu, Sushma Prakash, (more)
- 1969
Tom Pickle (Michael York) is the British rock star who travels to India to learn the sitar from Ustad Zafar Khan (Uptal Dutt). Much to the dismay of his aggressive agent Chris (Barry Foster), he leaves the money-making music world behind to learn about the exotic Indian instrument. Khan believes Tom lacks focus but has the talent, and a young hippie girl arrives (Rita Tushingham) who has the focus but not the natural talent that Tom possesses. There is a romantic angle between the hippie-girl Jenny and Tom, but it is more implied than demonstrated. Soon the Guru Khan is besieged by women who all try to capture his attention. He becomes frustrated over the lack of spiritual commitment of his students, as the rocker contemplates his return to swinging London town. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael York, Utpal Dutt, (more)
The Householder was the very first collaboration between producer Ismael Merchant and James Ivory. A pleasant, low-key domestic comedy, the film details the travails of a young married couple. The husband (Shashi Kapoor) had wanted no part of the arranged marriage in the first place: now he must not only deal with a virtual stranger for a wife, but also a passle of financial headaches. Despite the unfamiliarity of the surroundings, American filmgoers should recognize several universal truths in this touching tale. The script was the handiwork of Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, adapted from her own novel; Jhabvala would remain a valuable member of the Merchant-Ivory aggregation. Offering an uncredited assist in the editing room was none other than legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shashi Kapoor, Leela Naidu, (more)
