MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Masala’ Ambitious but Flawed

With “Masala” (at the Sunset 5), a misfired multicultural comedy of the absurd, Indian-Canadian filmmaker Srinivas Krishna’s ambitions far exceed his abilities. Masala is an Indian word for hot, mixed spices, but this debut feature proves to be a tedious, unappetizing blend of fantasy, satire and social commentary.

The filmmaker casts himself as Krishna, a handsome young Toronto resident who lost his parents and younger brother five years earlier in a plane disaster. His last-minute refusal to return to India with his family, who felt defeated by their 15 years in Canada, saved his life but cast him adrift in a sea of hard drugs and despair.

We never really get to know and become involved with Krishna because the filmmaker is so intent on telling so many stories: The key three are about Krishna’s uncle-by-marriage Lallu Bhai (Saeed Jaffrey), who schemes to corner the world market in saris; Lallu’s cousin Mr. Tikkoo (also Jaffrey), an unambitious postman-philatelist who through divine providence becomes the owner of a rare stamp worth $5 million--his is the best-told tale; and Krishna’s tentative romance with Mr. Tikkoo’s beautiful daughter Rita (Sakina Jaffrey, Saeed’s real-life daughter).

Krishna proves to be far more adept at fantasy than reality. His most inspired touch is to cast Saeed Jaffrey in yet a third part, as Lord Krishna, a quixotic Hindu deity, whose gaudy makeup and finery bring to mind Little Richard in full glitter and war-paint. This campy Lord Krishna appears on television, where he is frequently seen by Mr. Tikkoo’s mother (Zohra Segal). She confronts him, demanding that he save her home from being repossessed. There are some wonderfully zany musical interludes that deftly spoof a beloved convention of the Bombay cinema.

One can easily understand and admire Krishna’s desire to bring a fresh, darkly comic spin on the usual immigrant drama. Clearly, he wants to make the immigrant experience symbolic of life’s essential absurdity. He attempts to project a quirky vision of existence that includes, yet goes beyond, the usual traumas of discrimination and of children defying their tradition-bound parents.

Unfortunately, Krishna simply hasn’t the talent or experience to pull it off. More often than not, the pacing and dialogue in the “real-life” sequences fizzle rather than sparkle. Few members of the very large cast--and that includes Krishna himself--are up to the professional level of Saeed Jaffrey, the witty veteran Anglo-Indian character actor best known to American audiences as the rich uncle in “My Beautiful Laundrette.” “Masala” (Times-rated Mature for sex, nudity and language) is by all means not to be confused with Mira Nair’s far more successful “Mississippi Masala.”

‘Masala’

Srinivas Krishna: Krishna

Saeed Jaffrey: Lallu Bhai/Mr. Tikkoo/Lord Krishna

Sakina Jaffrey: Rita

Zohra Segal: Grandma Tikkoo

A Strand Releasing presentation produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada, Ontario Film Development Corp. and the Ontario Arts Council. Writer-director-co-producer-co-editor Srinivas Krishna. Co-producer Camelia Frieberg. Cinematographer Paul Sarossy. Costumes Beth Pasternak. Music Leslie Winston, the West India Company. Production design Tamara Deverell. Art director Valerie Kaelin. Set decorator Alexa Anthony. Sound Ross Redfern. Running time: 1 hour, 44 minutes.

Times-rated Mature (sex, nudity, language).