Movies

True love transcends all. Indian Beauty is a movie, which breaks the culture barrier that people feel exists between the American society and the Indian society. Ultimately we are human beings with more or less the same kind of needs, emotions, hopes and fears. Our separate cultures and traditions don't mean that Americans and Indians are drastically different from one another. If the veneer of tradition and culture is removed and if we probe deeper it will be noticed that we are essentially alike. All that is required is true love that has the patience to understand each other.

S K Chilumala has earlier given a somewhat similar movie called ''Akkada America Ikkada India''. In Indian Beauty the hero Dave (Colin McGee), an American, comes to India to do a project on Indian culture. He has an US born Indian, Jack (Manish Patel), as his friend. They stay in a guesthouse offered by Mr. Murty, a friend of Jack's father.

Mr. Murty' daughter Swapna (Saila Rao) is a nubile girl. Mr. and Mrs. Murty are keen on taking Jack as their son-in-law initially. But noticing his American ways they prefer a local boy. That's when love strikes. Swapna and Dave start loving each other. It's the inner beauty of Swapna against the backdrop of a tranquil yet colorful village atmosphere that Dave adores so much. For Swapna it's Dave's social responsibility, attitude towards people and work ethics that attract her. They love each other deeply. The barriers like religion and culture can hardly stop them.

Indian beauty is a neatly made movie with no vulgarity. The hero, Colin Mc Gee shows an amazing understanding of the Indian movie making style and is at total ease in all the scenes. Saila Rao is a dusky beauty that acts well. Hope she stays around for some time to act in such meaningful movies. The comedy is original. The character actors are relatively new faces adding freshness to the story.

The movie has a lot of depth. But the portrayal of the blossoming of love between Dave and Swapna is half backed. And the climax lacks drama. Indian Beauty is a movie that takes a fresh approach and mixes with traditional movie making skills. So we have an American lady waxing eloquent about their broad culture in one scene and the heroine's mother attempting suicide in another scene much like routine Telugu movies.

On the whole an enjoyable fare that is bound to be helpful to people justifying their cross cultural marriages. Though the movie will find fewer viewers in India, it will be definitely watched by all NRIs, especially those Indians staying in America.
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