UnIndian: A Cross-Cultural Comedy That Misses the Mark

A Clumsy Cultural Encounter

The film UnIndian could easily be renamed ‘There’s a White Naked Man In Our Daughter’s Bedroom,’ as a pivotal moment unfolds when Brett Lee emerges from Tannishtha Chatterjee’s bedroom, only to confront her astonished parents in the living room.

In a moment of awkwardness, he accidentally drops his towel.

The humor doesn’t stop there. Mira’s father looks at Brett and bluntly states, ‘You are not wearing a chaddhi.’

This kind of obvious humor is a recurring theme in this light-hearted yet shallow film. Characters continuously present mundane truths, leaving viewers yearning for relief. Yet, everyone, regardless of background, seems engrossed in Bollywood tunes crafted for global appeal.

From the initial scenes featuring Mira and her sandalwood-loving family in Melbourne to the finale where she rushes to the airport to stop her boyfriend from leaving, every line and scenario in UnIndian pays tribute to the most clichéd tropes of Bollywood.

A Bollywoodized Romance

This might have been somewhat engaging if approached as a parody. However, the writers and director are earnestly committed to Bollywoodifying Brett. Much like Abhishek Bachchan in Kuch Na Kaho and Salman Khan in Partner, Lee’s character, Will, must earn the trust of Mira’s daughter. We learn that Mira’s ex-husband is both gay and unpleasant.

“I tried to help him come out, but he thought I was tarnishing his family’s reputation,” Mira confides to Will. Tannishtha Chatterjee, who recently portrayed a lesbian in Angry Young Goddesses, is well-suited for her role.

Gulshan Grover, dressed in a pink shirt and tie, kidnaps his daughter, leading to a chase with Australian police. The film is rife with stereotypes, warranting a book on the various communities and cultures it caricatures in this overly sweet narrative.

Brett Lee's Acting Debut

The most charitable observation about Brett Lee’s acting debut is that he doesn’t attempt to act. He mostly portrays himself, except during intimate scenes, which seem to create discomfort for him.

Tannishtha and Brett’s chemistry is as mismatched as Michelle Obama and Donald Trump. They appear to belong not just to different cultures but to entirely different worlds. Thus, when the poorly scripted plot has Lee’s character suddenly infatuated with Tannishtha’s single mother, one wonders what prompted such a shift.

What was the director thinking when crafting this formulaic cross-cultural romance? It resembles an immigration guide on how to attract an Australian partner for citizenship or a cricket manual on how a retired cricketer can transition into Bollywood.

In any case, UnIndian fails to impress.

Stereotypes and Miscasting

The film’s reliance on trite and corny stereotypes is disheartening, seemingly aimed at fostering India-Australia relations. Tannishtha, a talented actress, is poorly cast as the struggling single mother raising her increasingly demanding daughter, Smita (portrayed with charm by young Maya Sathi).

Interestingly, everyone in the film refers to Smita as ‘Smitha.’ It seems one cannot escape their cultural roots, even in a foreign land. UnIndian is filled with lazily crafted scenes and dialogues that lack depth. The love scene between Brett and Tannishtha, heavily edited, lacks excitement from both parties.

The performances vary from the bizarre (Supriya Pathak as Mira’s mother is overly exaggerated) to the acceptable (Tannishtha attempts to inject some depth into her one-dimensional character) to the genuinely enjoyable (Arka Das, as Brett’s friend, brings some energy to the otherwise dull script).

A Missed Opportunity

Brett Lee, like his cricket counterpart, seems to enjoy playing to the audience. In one scene at a Bollywood screening, he fantasizes to the tune of Salman Khan’s Kick. What could have been a humorous parody turns into a clumsy effort to incorporate ‘Bollywood’ into this bland film.

No amount of chutney can salvage this peculiar concoction.

UnIndian, directed by Australia-based Indian filmmaker Anupam Sharma, celebrated its 10th anniversary on August 19. The film is a cross-cultural romantic comedy featuring Tannishtha Chatterjee and Brett Lee.

The couple had numerous intimate scenes, prompting the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to request cuts to the love scene and the removal of a butt shot of Brett Lee. The sequence, which interspersed shots of the couple making love with a guru chanting mantras, was ultimately cut entirely by the producer-director.

Tannishtha fondly remembers Brett Lee as a wonderful person and a consummate professional with a great sense of humor. “I had a fantastic time working with the entire team,” she shares. “Martin McGarath, who shot the groundbreaking film Muriel’s Wedding, was the director of photography. Anupam was an excellent director and a great leader. Everyone from the Australia India Film Fund was truly wonderful.”

A Unique Experience

Tannishtha participated in a Bollywood song with her co-star. “It wasn’t a typical Bollywood song-and-dance routine. Neither Brett nor I performed the usual Bollywood moves, but we did have some fun dancing together,” she explains.

The song, composed by Salim-Suleiman, served as the title track for UnIndian.

Having worked with notable actors like Jude Law and Keira Knightley, Tannishtha found her experience with Brett enjoyable. “He is very much in tune with India and loves Bollywood. He is one of the most enjoyable co-stars I’ve had,” she adds.

For Tannishtha, who often portrays rustic characters, UnIndian represents a shift to a more urban role. “For once, I’m playing a central urban character. It’s a fun space to explore,” she remarks.

The director, Anupam Sharma, encouraged Tannishtha and Brett to spend time together before filming.

Tannishtha plays Meera, a single divorcee rediscovering love in a foreign land, sharing many intimate moments with Brett Lee. The closest comparison to such intimacy in an Indian woman’s love story might be Mira Nair’s Mississippi Masala, where Sarita Choudhury had a passionate connection with Denzel Washington. In UnIndian, Tannishtha shares unabashed intimacy with Brett.

Tannishtha has appeared in international films like Brick Lane and Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain, as well as in the Hollywood film Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law.