Mr. and Mrs. Iyer

Indian movie seems to continue to come of age. Mr. & Mrs. Iyer is a refreshing departure from the plethora of Indian movies based on the identity crisis facing the Indian diaspora (please God, no more movies on ABCDs).

The background of the movie sees India at conflict with itself; this Hindu-Muslim divide providing a tense background to in effect a beautiful "love" story between two strangers. This is the movie's strenght - the politics remain in the backseat while the focus is solely on the interaction of the lead characters. Modern India of the conservative Hindu and the liberal Muslim is played out in subtle nuance filled scenes (ex, drinking from the water bottle) etc. Over the course of the movie, the characters learn to trust from each other and understand that they do need each other. The evolution of their relationship makes this movie a must-see. Aparna Sen's gentleness is very evident throughout the movie.

As an Indian, this movie can be hard to watch. I agree with some of the other posters, it celebrates violence and plays into a western cliche of religious relations in India. It fails to address the tremendous harmony thats present in a country of 1 billion people. Yet, its also a call for Indians to understand that the euphoria in a country can mask concerns of religious intolerance which Indians must face together. Perhaps a wakeup call that our democracy wich has worked so well is in danger due to vested political interests.

Aparna Sen has done a wonderful job writing and directing this film. The characters are delightfully underplayed (a nice change from the common melodrama of Hindi films), and Konkona Sen-Sharma and Rahul Bose were wonderfully believable.

But best of all was the photography... a tragedy depicted by a nuance... I was touched, and cried my eyes out.

The religion and caste issues are depicted beautiful. Even the educated are often senselessly prejudiced, and likewise grace often appears in unexpected forms. A beautiful movie which I would recommend to all.

Meenakshi Iyer is traveling on a bus with her son Santanam and befriends a fellow passenger Raja, a wild-life photographer. When fundamentalists attack the bus, she claims the photographer as her husband thus saving his life. Reason: Raja is Muslim. What follows later is a compelling journey into human relationship under critical circumstances.

Rahul Bose yet again delivers fantastic performance. Bhisham Sahni and Surekha Sikri played the old Muslim couple in the bus. It was great to see Bhisham Sahni after a long sabbatical.

Finally about Konkona Sen Sharma - to be frank, I was a bit skeptical about the gifted director Aparna Sen's daughter. To me the star-kids are pampered lot and fail to rise above the talent of parents. Noteworthy performance of Konkona Sen Sharma as a orthodox Tamil Brahmin house-wife leaves you mesmerized. The finer nuances right from her accent, language, mannerism, dress, bindi has been portrayed with utmost perfection. The parallel cinema can now rest as we have an apt successor to Shabana Azmi.

A very different story devoid of the usual Bollywood masala but made with sheer conviction that makes the audience captivated into the storyline. Worth commending is the directors ability to extract the best out of the principal cast.

Undoubtedly a launch vehicle from Aparna Sen showcasing her daughters talent - and it hits the bull's eye.

This is among the best of movies Indian cinema has produced. The plot/ storyline is powerful which is augmented by splendid performance by lead actors. It also exhibits the communal undercurrents going on in Indian society. It was a bold step to address these issues. Another aspect is the soft feelings produced among the lead actor and actress. As a contrast from the prevalent trend in Indian cinema wherein there is the notion of "love at first sight" in almost all movies, in this movie the feelings of love evolves from simple caring to a very strong one. It also exhibits the true picture of oriental society where common people just don't go on singing love songs or fighting antagonists of their love life. My best wishes to the whole crew of the movie.

I am at a complete loss of words after seeing this sensational love story. Directed by Aparna Sen, a true master of her craft, it is set against the backdrop of tribal war and communal violence. The story starts in a bus, in which a young westernised Muslim photographer named Raja (Rahul Bose) and a traditional married Tamil Brahmin woman with a young child named Meenakshi Iyer (Konkoka Sen Sharma), meet by chance on a cross-country bus ride to Calcutta. The bus includes varied passengers from noisy teenagers to an old Muslim couple to a mentally ill boy with his mother to card-playing men. Raja and Meena had been introduced to each other just before the trip started and they eventually sat together. When she finds out that Raja is actually a Muslim, her first reaction is "Don't touch me!". However, later the bus is suddenly stopped by Hindu extremists looking for payback for a Muslim act of violence. This is one of the film's most heartbreaking sequences. When asked, Meena introduces both Raja and herself as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, thus saving Raja's life. Upon a curfew, the two leave the bus and find shelter in a remote forest guest-house. That's where the love story begins. They initially do not get along due to differences in their views, but finally develop a liking for each other. From their first real interaction and reconciliation in the beautiful forest to the scenes in which they are forced to cook up stories of their "honeymoon" to different girls who seek for some romantic fairy tales, they get increasingly closer and ultimately fall in love. But one question really starts worrying us: what about the real Mr. Iyer?

Fascinating and engaging, Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is definitely one of the best films made in the early 2000s. It is not a film about Muslims or Hindus, it is about Raja and Meena, or better known as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. It is a love story at heart, a subtle one, an inhibited one, a poetic one, an authentic one, a heartwarming one. Never does it get sidelined by the film's basic background which is communal strife. It's amazing to see how Meenakshi gradually overcomes her prejudice and learns new things about herself and about life in general thanks to her acquaintance with the intelligent and worldly Raja. The film is beautifully shot, some locations are breathtaking, and everything--from story and direction to cinematography and editing to music and background score--is nothing short of excellent. As for the casting, I cannot see anyone else but Konkona Sen Sharma and Rahul Bose as Mr. and Mrs. Iyer. Bose is fantastic in a greatly restrained act, and as the carefree and kind Raja, sets a great example to all of us of how to live life with passion. Sen Sharma's preparation for the role is more than evident. She is absolutely outstanding as Meena. Everything, from her perfect Tamil accent and dialect to her mannerisms to her worried facial expressions, is so aptly displayed that there seems to be nothing more precise than to say that this incredibly talented lady is one of the finest actresses of recent times. The film's ending is deeply moving. In a few words, this film is about humanity, kindness and love. It shows us how love conquers hatred, and it shows us that humanity and love know no religion, caste or colour. This is an outstanding picture.