Mira Nair: The queen of cross-cultural films

Indian-American filmmaker, Mira Nair has never shied away from controversy. Over the years, her incisive documentaries and feature films have earned her critical acclaim from international audiences. Nair has dared to deviate from mainstream filmmaking with her unique and provocative portrayals of the economic, social, and cultural intermingling of Indian society.

Mira Nair was born in Orissa, India, and educated at the University of Delhi and Harvard. She developed an avid interest in documentary filmmaking, a passion that would eventually lead to award-winning documentaries like So Far From India (1983) and India Cabaret (1985). Her first documentary, Jama Masjid Street Journal (1979), recorded the personal lives of a traditional Muslim community in the old bylanes of Delhi. She followed this with a series of immersive documentary works that would pave the way for a glittering career as a film director.

Children of a Desired Sex (1987) stirred controversy despite Nair having dug deep into the creative cauldron by examining the patriarchal regime in India that affects the lives of unborn females. Indian Cabaret (1985) depicted the lives of two aging striptease dancers. Through the film’s biting commentary, Nair challenged the “immoral” and “respectable” stereotypes of women in Indian society.

Her debut feature film, Salaam Bombay! (1988), a moving story of a young boy living in the streets of Mumbai, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988. Salaam Bombay! also bagged multiple awards, including the Camera D'Or (for best first feature) and the Prix du Publique (for most popular entry) at the Cannes Film Festival. Her next film, Mississippi Masala (1991), chronicled an interracial love story between an Indian woman and an African-American man. The film was set in South America and Uganda and starred Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury in leading roles.

In 1997, Mira Nair was at the heart of controversy yet again. She fought a bitter battle against the Indian censors over the release of her sensuous historical film, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love that eventually required an intervention from the Supreme Court of India. Other recognised films directed by Nair include The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding, and The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Monsoon Wedding portrayed the story of a Punjabi wedding and starred Naseeruddin Shah and an ensemble of Indian actors. The film received worldwide critical acclaim and was awarded the Golden Lion at the 2001 Venice Film Festival. Monsoon Wedding was also nominated for the Golden Globe for the Best Foreign Language Film.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US, Nair became a part of a group of eleven renowned filmmakers helming a film that was 11 minutes, 9 seconds, and one frame long. The film, based on real events, retold the life of the Hamdani family in Queens. When her son does not return home on the fateful day, his mother desperately searches for him even as he is being labelled by the media as an absconding terrorist.

Films directed by Mira Nair have always had an ineffable rhythm and balance. Known for graceful transitions from intimate scenes to visceral and epic confrontations, Nair’s works have always been different from the rest. From casual conversations in the streets of Old Delhi to the raw emotions of the carnal pleasures, the accomplished filmmaker has explored aspects of Indian society in a way that is not easily accepted in popular culture. Nair’s unique perspectives combined with her innate sense of story-telling and timing have ensured a lasting legacy for years to come.

Nair has also established an annual film-makers’ laboratory, Maisha Film Lab, in Uganda with the vision to train East African directors to tell their extraordinary stories. She used her profits from Salaam Bombay! to create the Salaam Baalak Trust, a non-governmental organisation to support street children in the Delhi-NCR region. Nair’s contributions to the world of films were nationally recognised in 2012 when she was awarded India’s third highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, by the President of India. A veteran director with nothing left to prove, Mira Nair’s thoughtful storytelling compels even the most cynical critics to appreciate her works.