Zohran Mamdani is making headlines for leading an unapologetically progressive campaign amid the tumultuous periods, nabbing the nomination against former mayor Andrew Cuomo for New York City’s mayoral race. And like many political figures, Mamdani has some Hollywood ties, albeit more organic, as his mother is the revered Indian filmmaker Mira Nair.
While known for hits like Salaam Bombay! and Vanity Fair, Nair once helmed a Denzel Washington-led rom-com, Mississippi Masala, which doesn’t get enough flowers.
Mira Nair directed Denzel Washington’s revered rom-com, Mississippi Masala
With a 92% rating on the Tomatometer, Mississippi Masala is arguably one of the most overlooked rom-coms of the ’90s, as it failed to make a big splash commercially upon its release, grossing $7.3 M (via Box Office Mojo). However, its underwhelming box-office run doesn’t paint the full picture, as the movie remains evergreen for its depiction of an interracial romance between an African-born man and an Indian woman born in Uganda.
A still from Mississippi Masala | Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
In addition to drawing deeply resonant performances from the actors, including Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury at the helm, the movie’s exploration of an Asian-African dynamic, a rarity on the big screen, remains immaculate. Not only did the movie break new ground culturally, but it also cemented Nair’s stature as a progressive force in the realm of global cinema.
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And considering her legacy on the silver screen is rooted in social justice and empathy, it’s easy to see where current Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who is en route to creating history, gets his worldview from.
Mississippi Masala is one of the few movies to touch on Denzel Washington’s romance chops
Although a great movie within itself, Mississippi Masala also stands out as one of the rare movies that touched on Denzel Washington‘s charm as a romantic lead. Although lauded as one of the most versatile performers in the business who hasn’t shied away from challenging himself as a performer, the actor has been largely absent from romances after the mid-90s.
A still from of Washington from Gladiator 2 | Credit: Paramount Pictures
In a resurfaced interview, which premiered on 60 Minutes: A Second Look, The Gladiator of Acting: Denzel Washington, Washington explained that his absence from the genre stems from a commercial factor.
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The actor speculated that Hollywood didn’t see the potential in romance stories, featuring the Gladiator 2 star and “a Black woman”.
I think that it comes down to business. I think that if it was a love story with myself and a Black woman, it’s not big business in Hollywood, so maybe they’re not interested.
The actor also didn’t seem too thrilled about intimate scenes in general, stressing, “I think there should be something left to the imagination”.
Interestingly, the Mississippi Masala is one of the few movies in which Washington committed to a love scene, and even three decades after its release, the movie remains a hidden gem that deserves to be talked about.
Mississippi Masala is available to stream on Max (USA).
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