Mississippi Masala


1h 58m 1991

Brief Synopsis

Demetrius is a stalwart, self-made man and owner of a carpet-cleaning business. A chance traffic accident introduces him to Mina, a beautiful young Indian woman whose family fled Uganda under the rule of Idi Amin. As Demetrius and Mina begin their secret love affair, each is swept into the other's exotic world, soon finding themselves at the center of controversy and scandal. Mina's parents, Jay and his wife Kinnu, are outraged by the relationship and concerned about their daughter's disregard for the values and traditions of their culture. Demetrius, it seems, fares no better. The Indian community is outraged, his business suffers, the bank wants to repossess his carpet cleaning van and friends whisper that he has crossed the color line. However Demetrius stands steadfast in his belief that a shade of color is all which separates him and Mina.

Film Details

MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Romance
Release Date
1991
Distribution Company
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Location
Kampala, Uganda; Greenwood, Mississippi, USA

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 58m

Synopsis

Demetrius is a stalwart, self-made man and owner of a carpet-cleaning business. A chance traffic accident introduces him to Mina, a beautiful young Indian woman whose family fled Uganda under the rule of Idi Amin. As Demetrius and Mina begin their secret love affair, each is swept into the other's exotic world, soon finding themselves at the center of controversy and scandal. Mina's parents, Jay and his wife Kinnu, are outraged by the relationship and concerned about their daughter's disregard for the values and traditions of their culture. Demetrius, it seems, fares no better. The Indian community is outraged, his business suffers, the bank wants to repossess his carpet cleaning van and friends whisper that he has crossed the color line. However Demetrius stands steadfast in his belief that a shade of color is all which separates him and Mina.

Crew

Mustaq Ashrafi

Makeup Artist

Glenn Aulepp

Music

Paul Bakibinga

Other

Alan Barry

Best Boy

Adam Bartos

Consultant

Celeste Bartos

Other

Betty Sue Bell

Driver

Antje Botschen

Apprentice

Gloria Bremer

Other

Margot Bridger

Assistant

Richard Bromme

Dolly Grip

Kate Butler

Assistant Camera Operator

Charles Byamugishi

Grip

David Byarugaba

Electrician

Dawn Cadena

Stunt Man

Joseph Carasco

Location Manager

Kayla Chaillot

Craft Service

Johnny Chavanga

Unit Manager

Jean Francois Chavrier

Property Master

Preeti Chawla

Apprentice

Mike Chitbai

Transportation Captain

Christine Cholvin

Music

Ted Churchill

Steadicam Operator

Judy Claman

Casting

Ray Coates

Generator Operator

Marko Costanzo

Foley

David Crank

Other

David Crank

Art Director

Margie Crimmins

Sound Editor

Sharen Davis

Wardrobe Supervisor

Willie Dawkins

Other

Jennifer Debell

Scenic Artist

Gary Denton

Music

Rick Dior

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Daniel Ehrenbard

Gaffer

Mitch Epstein

Production Designer

Mitch Epstein

Coproducer

Glenn Evans

Driver

Maureen Farley

Property Master

Ron Field

Driver

Susie Figgis

Casting

Stan Fortner

Assistant

Bob Frazier

Electrician

Patricia Freebery

Other

Tula Goenka

Editor

Danny Graflund

Grip

Carolyn Greco

Wardrobe Supervisor

Alex Griswold

Sound Mixer

Reggie Gwin

Driver

Hope Hanafin

Costumes

Andre Harris

Camera

John Higgins

Gaffer

Mary Hilsip

Dresser

Birney Imes

Photography

Noga Isackson

Assistant Director

David Ivy

Other

Cedric Johnson

On-Set Dresser

Moses Kajubi

Driver

Lawrence Kalule

Driver

Philip Kamau

Transportation Coordinator

Fabian Mpagi Kamulu

Other

Rosemary Karamagi

Other

Dan Karlok

Best Boy

Sam Kasirye

Construction Coordinator

Richard Kasozi

On-Set Dresser

George Katamba

Production Assistant

David Kateete

Casting Associate

Joseph Katongole

Driver

Richard Kerekes

Dolly Grip

Steve Koch

Driver

Kenneth Kroll

Production Auditor

Edward Lachman

Director Of Photography

Susan Lazarus

Post-Production Supervisor

Joshua Levin

Assistant Sound Editor

John Lewis

Other

Julie Lindner

Apprentice

Marissa Littlefield

Adr Editor

Marissa Littlefield

Assistant Editor

Cris Lombardi

Assistant Camera Operator

Tommy Louie

Boom Operator

Jim Lunden

Driver

Ellen Lutter

Costume Designer

Susan Lyall

Costume Designer

Benson Ndonye Maingi

Electrician

Hajira Majid

Production Assistant

Rupesh Manek

Casting Associate

Andrea Marcelli

Music

Peter Mavromates

Transportation Coordinator

Clement Mawenu

Production Assistant

Joseph Mbaziira

Production Assistant

Michael Mccormick

Production Auditor

Patrick Mcdill

Production Assistant

Michael A Mcfadden

Grip

Winsome G. Mckoy

Wardrobe

Lee Mclemore

Grip

Sylvia Menno

Assistant Sound Editor

Paul Merwin

Electrician

Jennifer Meyer

Assistant

Maxi Michael

Hair

Bob Minor

Stunt Coordinator

Keith Mitchell

Production Assistant

Eva Monley

Production Consultant

Napoleon Moore

Stunt Man

Maida N. Morgan

Assistant Location Manager

Tony Mottola

Dailies

Geoffrey Mubiru

Props Assistant

Charles Kahuha Munene

Electrician

Samuel Musisi

On-Set Dresser

Margo Myers

Production Auditor

Mira Nair

Producer

Rachel Namutebi

Wardrobe Assistant

Ameeta Nanji

On-Set Dresser

Ameeta Nanji

Titles

Phil Neilson

Stunt Coordinator

Michael Nozik

Producer

Christopher O'donnell

Boom Operator

Kelly O'gurian

Costumes

Nelson Ochieng

Production Assistant

Jimmy Odongo

Production Assistant

Anne Olivecrona

Assistant Director

Ahamed Sheikh Omar

Electrician

John Panikar

Photography

Kinnari Panikar

Costume Designer

Janet Paparazzo

Stunts

Ayesha Patel

Assistant Set Decorator

Hemant Patel

Production Assistant

Noelle Penraat

Other

Daniel Pershing

Dolly Grip

Tim Pershing

Key Grip

Lydia Pilcher

Associate Producer

Lydia Pilcher

Unit Production Manager

Elise Pittman

Casting Associate

Mary Ellen Porto

Sound Editor

Sammie Pulley

Driver

Suzanne Rampe

Stunts

Larry Robinson

Driver

Cherie L Rodgers

Executive Producer

Patricia Rodrigue

Production Assistant

Thom Rotella

Music

Tad Russell

Driver

Tom Sabavume

Driver

Jefferson Sage

Art Director

David Scharnberg

Driver

Jeanette Scott

Set Decorator

James Sebudde

On-Set Dresser

Mahmood Sentenza

Driver

Doreen Shalita

Assistant Production Coordinator

Edna M Sheen

Makeup Artist

Paige M Sibley

Assistant Editor

Eve Silvester

Unit Manager

Roberto Silvi

Editor

Ranjeet Singh

Casting Associate

Sherrill Smith

Location Assistant

Madhulika Somasekhar

Assistant

Cliff Spivey

Driver

Dinaz Stafford

Assistant Director

Dinaz Stafford

Casting

Nyle Steiner

Other

Tracy Heather Strain

Art Department Coordinator

L Subramaniam

Music

Viji Subramaniam

Other

Andy Summers

Music

Sooni Taraporevala

Screenplay

Sattar Tari

Other

Chris Thornton

Other

Buteraba Elom Tibanagwa

Other

John Bosco Tutumwesigye

Driver

Nilita Vachani

Script Supervisor

Rob Vaupel

Assistant Production Coordinator

Vinod R Venkataraman

Other

Justus Vincent

Grip

Thomas Vranesich

Production Coordinator

Ken Walker

Hair Stylist

Theo Wamala

Other

Eric Ward

Dolly Grip

Virgil L Ware

Driver

Jerry Watts

Music

David Weathers

On-Set Dresser

Greg Wilkinson

Props Assistant

Eric Wilson

Grip

Linda Wilson

Assistant Director

Tom Zafian

Video

Michael Zimbrich

Assistant Director

Gene Zippo

Color Timer

Paul Zydel

Adr Mixer

Film Details

MPAA Rating
Genre
Drama
Romance
Release Date
1991
Distribution Company
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Location
Kampala, Uganda; Greenwood, Mississippi, USA

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 58m

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Expanded Release in United States February 14, 1992

Released in United States 1991

Released in United States January 1992

Released in United States November 1991

Released in United States October 1991

Released in United States on Video September 9, 1992

Released in United States September 1991

Released in United States Winter February 5, 1992

Wide Release in United States February 28, 1992

Shown at American Film Market (AFM) II in Santa Monica October 21-27, 1991.

Shown at London Film Festival November 6-21, 1991.

Shown at Palm Springs International Film Festival January 8-15, 1992.

Shown at Stockholm Film Festival November 15-24, 1991.

Shown at Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 16-26, 1992.

Shown at the Venice Film Festival (in competition) September 3-14, 1991.

Shown at Tokyo International Film Festival (Women's Film Week) September 27 - October 6, 1991.

First English language film for director Mira Nair who marked her feature directorial debut with "Salaam Bombay!" (India/France/United Kingdom/1987).

Received an Osella d'Oro award for Best Screenplay at the 1991 Venice Film Festival.

Began shooting August 27, 1990.

Completed shooting October 13, 1990.

Film noted: "In memory of Mohamed Oreste Wafula."

Originally planned for US release by Cinecom Entertainment.

Released in United States 1991 (Shown at Tokyo International Film Festival (Women's Film Week) September 27 - October 6, 1991.)

Released in United States January 1992 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah January 16-26, 1992.)

Released in United States Winter February 5, 1992

Expanded Release in United States February 14, 1992

Wide Release in United States February 28, 1992

Released in United States September 1991 (Shown at the Venice Film Festival (in competition) September 3-14, 1991.)

Released in United States on Video September 9, 1992

Released in United States October 1991 (Shown at American Film Market (AFM) II in Santa Monica October 21-27, 1991.)

Released in United States November 1991 (Shown at London Film Festival November 6-21, 1991.)

Released in United States November 1991 (Shown at Stockholm Film Festival November 15-24, 1991.)

Released in United States January 1992 (Shown at Palm Springs International Film Festival January 8-15, 1992.)