Delhi in a Day

Jasper (Lee Williams) floats in to a upper class uber rich home of his father's friend in the capital of India. Apart from the family, welcoming him are the "chottus" and the household staff that keep the place humming. Attraction and sparks fly between the firang and the lady help, Rohini (Anjali Patil), though it is a one way street for the foreigner. In midst of the attraction, sight seeing and the preparation for a party, Jasper's money goes missing much to the chagrin of the host. The servants are put on notice to replace the money within a day. Here lies the crux of the movie as first time director Prashant Nair tries to expose the difference in socioeconomic conditions of the two classes of people living under the same roof. But strangely what it actually brings to the forefront is whether happiness or contentment can be met by the less affluent. 

Rating: * * +

11 Flowers

The film is set in 1975 at a rural Chinese village with the Cultural Revolution serving as the backdrop. The focus is on a group children blossoming out of adolescence. Given the trying political climate one would think the kids would have a different set of problems.  Strange enough the issues they face are the regular ones. New clothes, trying friendships and of course a bit of a murder mystery swirling around the forming minds. Throw in some sexual awakening and you have a lovely coming of age tale that shows children growing up anywhere are similar at a base level.

Rating: * * * +

My Wedding and Other Secrets

Emily (Michelle Ang), a dorky New Zealand born Chinese undergrad, finds James (Matt Whelan) the love of her dreams while doing some bad foil fencing. The only problem is that James has not a drop of Chinese blood in him which is a criteria for acceptance in to Emily's straight laced Chinese family. The solution that seems logical to the couple is to get married in secret and hide it from the parents. You are then treated ninety minutes of whining as they figure out a way for a white man to gain acceptance in to a Chinese family. And no, learning kung-fu is not an option. That might have actually made the film a bit more funny instead of this trite affair that passes off as romance.

Rating: *