Chutney Popcorn
1999, NR, 92 min. Directed by Nisha Ganatra. Starring Nisha Ganatra, Jill Hennessy, Sakina Jaffrey, Madhur Jaffrey, Nick Chinlund, Cara Buono.
REVIEWED By Marjorie Baumgarten, Wed., Jan. 31, 2001
This intriguing and unpredictable film (which premiered at last year's Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival) examines the lives of an Indian-American family torn apart by an elder daughter's inability to conceive with her American-born husband. Ganatra stars as the younger (and gay) sister Reena, a motorcycle-riding, free-spirited photographer who volunteers to become a surrogate mother for her sister. Complicating matters is Reena's mother, a traditional (and very witty) first-generation immigrant who hasn't accepted her daughter's relationship with her girlfriend or her unconventional decision to become a surrogate parent. While covering the many tangles and snags of a modern family, Ganatra also examines how immigration affects them. "Questioning Normal," a 15-minute short by the Gay Youth Media Project, will screen first. Barry Johnson (excerpted from "Chutney Popcorn: Light, Crunchy, Salty," 8-25-00)
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Richard Whittaker, June 7, 2019
Chutney Popcorn, Nisha Ganatra, Nisha Ganatra, Jill Hennessy, Sakina Jaffrey, Madhur Jaffrey, Nick Chinlund, Cara Buono
