Sr. e Sra. Iyer

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.

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer deals with many prevalent issues existing with in India today. It is a social commentary on the class system, religious warfare and gender inequalities. The film is shot beautifully, juxtapopposing the beauty of nature against the 'uncivilised' capacity that us humans have to bestow on one another. The script is written thoughtfully setting up charged dynamics between the main characters Raja and Meenakshi.

Konkona Sen Sharma's performance is delightful with her authentic accent and mannerism of a South Indian. Rahul Bhose performance is sensual and heartfelt, portraying depth and breadth.

The wonderful thing about this film is that although it focuses on a particular situation, it illustrates issues that exist worldwide, in all walks of life, simply manifesting themselves in different situations. Meenakshi faces constrictions throughout life due to her gender, she is constricted and faces the 'glass ceiling'. She longs to be free and to live life freely as Raj does. Raj is free is every sense of the word, physically he is free to roam the world. He is also free from the psychological limitations from which Meenakshi suffers, that of class and caste bound prejudice. The religious warfare shown is a very current issue, with fundamentalism at its most notorious in years.

Definitely worth seeing. 8/10.

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.

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 love this film. It might further enhance the Western clichee of the uprising-ridden India as another reviewer states, but actually, that's beside the point: This film is a fairy tale. The voice over at the beginning tells of "a little red and white bus" ... and you're already in the fairy tale world. There is always danger in a fairy tale and I'll focus on that later, but criticising the film for not portraying real situations is like accusing "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" for inaccurate portrayal of lilliputians ...

The film is actually quite close to films by Mani Rathnam who also takes a politically hot topic and connects it with a personal drama (good example: "Kannathil Muthamittal"). With Rathnam, the focus always seems to shift more to the political side of this dual idea, whereas in "Mr. and Mrs. Iyer", the focus is more on the personal aspect. In this punctual uprising of extremist Hindus, the two leading characters discover how they themselves fall victim to distrust and prejudice. It seems an easy target to criticise the conservative Brahman woman's ideals, but the film doesn't do it harmful. In the end, the woman still is who she was before, but she opened up - especially opened up her heart.

And this is what the film is all about: Heart. It oozes love in so many scenes. The violence takes over for a couple of scenes, but then the film returns to the topic of love. There are incredible scenes that you won't easily forget: The "couple" in a diner telling their fictional story of their honeymoon, the fooling around in the woods in the morning, the killing of a man right in front of their window, the last night they spend together when she takes his hand to comfort herself. These are all very subtle but convincing scenes that don't primarily assault the woman's Brahman principles but tries to expand them. Again: It's a fairy tale and in this fairy tale world which is ridden by real-life violence, a woman and a man come closer - emotionally. Not with sex or a common way of love. It's a very heartfelt sort of love you don't usually see in movies. It felt extremely sincere to me - and the just cracked my heart.

"Mr. and Mrs. Iyer" is not your typical Bollywood movie because it's rather short, has no songs, no stars and is rather subtle. But it works on so many level. It is a cry for peace and unity - something Indians do so well since they live in the biggest democracy in the world. There are so many people in this country who still believe in living together and this is visible in many of their films. This is one, Mani Rathnams "Bombay" is another. Also, the film is a tribute to deeply felt and sincere love, a love that is more touching than many love stories I've seen before. I know the film is not fully realistic and of course there are a couple of problems that I have with the film. But if a film is this charmingly acted and poetically directed, I'd cannot but defend it and recommend it to you. Such a beautiful film.

Rating 8/10