Setting
The film Mississippi Masala was shot in Uganda during the reign of Idi Amin Dada. This segment was shot in a variety of indoor and outdoor locations. The indoor shows traditional, lavish houses occupied by Asians. This demonstrates the wealthy lives of the Asian people in Uganda. The outdoor scenery was filmed on a hill overlooking a lake and a beautiful green environment. This segment was shot on a calm, sunny day to capture the good life Asians enjoyed while living among the Ugandans.
Various props are used that, in particular, give the play hidden meaning. There is old and classy furniture in the Asian man’s house, a picture of Okelo and the daughter, and car keys. The furniture is meant to show the exemplary lives of Asian families, and the picture shows the strong relations that Asians have built with Ugandans. House and car keys were left behind to show the succession of wealth.
The environment depicts a rich green physical landscape. A lake, trees, grass, and colorful flowers are in the background to signify the land’s beauty. The social environment shows how people had strong bonds living together. There is a display of love, affection, remorse, and sad moments as the Asian family leaves.
The people interacted using English and Swahili in the movie to show how the two cultures had integrated into one. The dress code of Asian women reflects their culture, which involves wearing sarees. Blue skies are partly obscured by nimbus clouds, indicating a good climate.
Costumes and Makeup
The Asian man in the segment is wearing a nice official suit. This shows that the person is composed, straightforward, and professional. He is supposed to stand by his values and do what is right.
His wife is wearing a long, decent dress with a scarf covering her head. This demonstrates a moral representation of Asian wives, a virtue in Indian culture. When married, they are not expected to display their body parts. This is a sign of respect for the spouse, and it is highly valued in Indian culture. Their daughter wears clothes resembling the school uniform to show that she is pursuing her education.
In the same segment, a Ugandan family neighbors an Asian family. The man of the family is dressed in a traditional African outfit. This includes an old t-shirt and an African sheet across his shoulder and around his waist. This outfit shows the cultural and economic differences between the two families.
The Ugandan man looks like he is impoverished because of his old outfit. Besides, the Ugandan man is his child dressed in an oversized shirt with an African print. This shows the poor living conditions of the Ugandan child compared to the Asian child.
The difference in the dress code of the Asian and Ugandan children shows educational inequality in the country. While the Asian child seems to be enjoying and embracing the Ugandan education by wearing a school uniform, the Ugandan child looks malnourished and struggling in a buggy and oversized shirt. The Asian girl’s outfit shows how confident she is, while the Ugandan boy’s dress code portrays him as unconfident and self-doubting.
Lighting
At the beginning of the segment, the director uses ambient natural lighting from the windows to illuminate the house. Soft lighting is diffused and low-contrast; hence, shadows are evident in the scene. It uses side lighting from the windows to create a sense of mystery in the film. Curtains filter natural light to create low-key, warm lighting, making the film feel more ominous. The floor is poorly lit, so it appears like a blind spot, making viewers focus more on the film’s characters and the house’s arrangement.
Ambient natural lighting is used to demonstrate the effective use of natural energy and its reliability. In the past, people used natural light during the day and artificial sources only at night. This was a method of saving the little energy produced then.
The second part of the segment is shot outdoors and uses natural lighting. It comprises hard lighting that provides the viewer with clear, sharp images. Everything seems clear and attractive from every point of view, providing a legible view of each shot. The lighting is beautiful, making everything eye-catching and pleasing to the eye.
The director used side and top lighting to create bright and well-visible images. The light source was high-key lighting, which uses low contrast to make the scene look like a dream. Cool lighting made everything look natural, giving the viewer the impression of a good living place.
Staging and Performance
Actors in this segment have been positioned in the middle of the frame. The Asian family is placed together to demonstrate their love and well-off status. In a scene, the Ugandan man is placed in the middle of the screen with his young son, while the mother breastfeeds in the background. This indicates that African women had not yet gained a voice in the family setup during that period.
The director used facial expressions throughout the segment to convey different messages. For instance, most Asians looked gloomy because they were being evicted from their places. The Ugandans, too, had sad facial expressions because they were left alone by people they were used to living with. The little Asian girl kisses a Ugandan boy on the forehead before leaving, demonstrating love. Their sad faces convey dissatisfaction and set the film’s overall mood. There were facial expressions of appreciation from the Ugandans who had received goods from their Asian counterparts.
There was no styled acting, as all characters in the segment looked natural. In addition, there was typecasting, in which the characters were expected to act according to their stereotypes. Black people are looked at as financially inferior compared to white Asians, which is a stereotype.
The director has also used type in the segment, in which the actors present a realistic portrayal. For instance, the African mother in the background breastfeeding demonstrates that home duties define the role of African women. In Asian families, the father is the breadwinner while the mother stays home to look after the children. This is the traditional role of women in the Asian world, which is very different from the roles of 21st-century women.
Actors perform systematically, without evident confusion. Everything is well-directed; all movements and performances are well-captured. This shows that the segment is directed to ensure the film’s central themes are evident.
Work Cited
Mississippi Masala. Directed by Mira Nair, Criterion Collection, 1991. Time 5;58-9:58.