- rated R for “sensuality”
- all asian ppl getting forced out of Uganda
-> “africa is for africans. black africans” (true!!!)
->immigration + asian communities - as they leave “take whatever you want from the house”
- dad crying, doesn’t explain why they’re leaving to the daughter
- they all speak swahili
-> okelo saying goodbye to the family
-> did okelo and kinnu have a thing? mina has a different nose from jay - kinnu gets harassed by the guards on the bus
- kinnu hides mina’s face from the guards
-> is she mixed? - uganda->london->mississippi
- wow this girl is so pretty->it’s mina!
-> darker skin than her mother; speaks english fluently - “you’re gonna need to get that black guy’s name for the insurance” but she hit him???
- dad’s sad monologue about being forced out of uganda
- lots of discussions of class – the insurance, lawsuits, “he cleans my carpets”
- “harry’s mother doesn’t like darkies” -> colorism
- generational differences
- gossip at the indian party about class + color
-> “you can’t be dark and poor and expect to her harry patel!” how about fuck off - white guy calls the police on the party
- mina and harry leave to another party (american + black)
-> the mail guy she hit is here - she knows some of the folks here!
- harry looks uncomfortable lol
- mina and demetrius slow dance
- harry’s pissed and wants to leave but mina stays
- “are you mexican?” “no…. i’m indian”
- her family lives in a motel
- mina asks about okelo and jay, mom avoids it
- “like harry.” “no.”
- “your people are very good at sports, no?” indian guy to the black folks
-> why are we (non-black poc) like this - jay wants mina to go to college (classism)
- black person trying to serenade kinnu while jay isn’t there
- photo of mina and okelo brings up flashbacks of jay and okelo growing up
- “i’m a mix masala”
- mina goes with demetrius to his family’s dinner
- everyone asks mina about africa and india
- “i had to tell my parents i was seeing someone else”
-> oooooh they’re gonna get caught!
-> later: “leave our women alone!” - “african music”
- their relationship is so cute
- when they get caught the other indian guy calls the cops on them and they both go to court
- how is loving a black person shame on your family? ughhhh
- “i’ve worked hard to get where i am, i wanna see you work hard too!”
-> fuck off white guy - speaking in another language so demetrius can’t understand
- “you’ve caused us enough trouble!” – jay
-> “so you have a problem with me and mina?” – demetrius - “y’all can come from who-knows-where and be as dark as us, but as soon as you get here you start acting white”
- “i remember (okelo’s) face when he came to say goodbye, and you didn’t even look at him” – mina to jay
- “you’ve become american.” “so what? if you don’t like it, go back to india.”
- jay goes back to uganda
-> okelo passed away 🙁 - “home is where the heart is”
Mississippi Masala (1991) film notes
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