SYNOPSIS

Nominated in the Moscow International Film Festival in 1987, Mirch Masala get The Best Feature film award in the Hawai International Film Festival in 1987. A landmark work of Indian feminism, Mirch Masala was made by famed filmmaker Ketan Mehta who describes, in this film, the oppressive realities of a woman life in India.

Set in a small village, Mirch Masala is the story of one woman's fight to keep her honor when threatened by a powerful tax inspector. The inspector, who sees his manliness at stake after he is turned down by the woman, Sonbai (Smita Patil), promises to destroy the village if she does not come to him. In order to protect herself from being raped by the subedar (tax-collector), Sonbai takes refuge in a spices factory. The aged factory guard, Abu Mian, locks the door behind her, refusing to open it to the soldiers, to the cowardly village men led by the mayormand to the inspector. This angers him and he asks the town Mukhiya, to get Sonbai to him, or else he will destroy his town. The terrified Mukhiya and the rest of the townspeople decide to turn over Sonbai to the Subhedar, so that he can leave them in one piece, on the condition that they do not molest any more women. The Subhedhar is angered at this show of defiance, and refuses to agree to any conditions.

In conclusion, Mirch Masala is a film about a proud women who fights for control over her sexuality. A film that uses the metaphor of chilies and spices to symbolize this female power.

TECHNICAL DATA

Director: Ketan Mehta
Producer: National Film Development Corporation
Cinematography: Jehangir Choudhury
Script: Shafi Hakim, Ketan Mehta
Editors: Sanjiv Shah
Music: Rajat Dholakia
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Om Puri, Suresh Oberoi, Deepti Naval, Mohan Gokhale
Runtime : 128 min. Color. Language:hindi. Subtitles: Spanish.

DIRECTOR

The renowned director Ketan Mehta is known in the Bollywood Film Industry for his award winning films. Before venturing in the art of filmmaking he had studied Economics. After that, he graduated in Film Direction from The Film Institute of India. In summary, he has six feature films, seven documentaries, tele-soaps and many films.

Being one of the most perspective and talented representative of the rising generation of filmmakers for his explicit direction of comedy and satire, romance, violence and rebellion, Ketan Mehta won the critical appreciation and admiration for his remarkable work. Thus, his films have also been selected for various international film festivals like the Moscow Film Festival, Nantes Film Festival and many more. In the international circuit his films have not only been acclaimed but also won him numerous awards over the years for Best Art Direction, Best Film, Best Jury, Best Editing and such similar categories. He also had the honor of serving as a member of jury in various national and international film festivals.

One of his trimphant efforts was the film Mirch Masala. This film won the Best Film Award in Hawai. Another famous film is Maya Memsaab, which was based on the famous novel, Madam Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. So the filmography of Ketan Mehta was varied and include Bhavni Bhavai, Mirch Masala, Holi, Hero Hiralal, Maya Memsaab, Sardar, Oh Darling Yeh Hai India. Furthermore, he attempted to blend the cinematic styles in The Rising.

Highly honored both nationally as well as internationally, Ketan Mehta believes that cinema should hold up a mirror to the way the world is going and, they, the filmmakers must also learn that cinema can play a big role in the way the filmmakers live.