Mr. and Mrs. Iyer | Telescope Film
Mr. and Mrs. Iyer

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer

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  • India
  • 2002
  • · 120m

Director Aparna Sen
Cast Konkona Sen Sharma, Rahul Bose, Bhisham Sahni, Surekha Sikri, Bharat Kaul, A.V. Iyenger
Genre Drama

A bus is setting out to Calcutta from a village in West Bengal. Meenakshi Iyer, who is from a strict orthodox Hindu background, is leaving to Chennai for her husband, with her young child, after the vacation with her parents. By chance, she gets a co-passenger who is also to Chennai, Rajah, a photographer, introduced by one of the friends of her father. During the journey they build a good relationship. But a Hindu-Muslim communal riot sets out in the meantime, in some areas they had to travel. Then she comes to face the fact that Rajah is not a Hindu but a Muslim whose real name is Jehangir. Even though she curses herself at that time while some Hindu fanatics evade their bus she saves him introducing as Mr. Iyer. But they have to reach their destination while the other passengers know Rajah as no one else but Mr. Iyer.

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What are critics saying?

75

New York Daily News by Elizabeth Weitzman

This is not a film for the impatient. But director Aparna Sen finds the poetry in romantic restraint, which is a mighty rare resource these days.

60

The New York Times by Lawrence Van Gelder

Not a subtle film; and, most curiously -- to put it mildly -- for a sermon on tolerance, it resorts to history's eternal scapegoat.

50

New York Post by Megan Lehmann

The central narrative is ultimately too one-dimensional to sustain interest.

40

Village Voice

The actors appear game, yet director Aparna Sen, who conceived the film in the wake of September 11, resorts often to hokey pseudo-lyricism and prefers sound-bite ballyhoo to sociological depth.

40

Variety by Derek Elley

A drama of impeccable intentions flawed by arch dialogue and only OK direction.