Product Details

• Actors: Naseeruddin Shah, Raj Babbar, Om Puri, Deepti Naval, Supriya Pathak
• Format: Color, Subtitled
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000UB836M
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,160 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Following its commercial release in New York this became Mehta's best-known film outside India. Intended as an allegory of colonial oppression but presented as a sex-and-violence drama, the film is set in pre-Independence Saurashtra. The despotic tax collector Subedar (Shah), dressed in a way that evokes British 19th C. catchpenny prints and Daumier's cartoons, imposes his rule on a village. All the villagers try to satisfy his every whim, except for the protesting schoolteacher (Gilani). the drama starts when the beautiful Sonbai (Patil) is to be surrendered to the lecherous Subedar. She takes refuge in the courtyard of a spice factory run entirely by women and is proteted by an aged watchman (Om Puri) who closes the gates to subedar's men. Although made in Hindi, the film draws on Gujarati verbal and performative idioms. Mehta explicitly deployed stock literary melodrama characters, but these cliches from contemporary popular culture lack the historical resonance achieved by the more complex figures Mehta used in his extraordinary Bhavni Bhavai(1980).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good commercial movie with a social message, July 26, 2009

By 

Satya Shodhak "Truth Seeker" (Chicago USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mirch Masala (Smita Patil) (DVD)

Great movie. Follows the trend made in the late 70's in the Indian movie industry ( though the movie was made mucg later than that period). Some 'art movies' tend to be heavy and moralizing. This one is a good drama and doesnt easily fit any category. It shows: how effete people are when it comes to facing the rogue policeofficer ( Shah); a devout righteous watchman ( Om Puri); and a bunch of semi-literate women who decide to take matters in their own hands when the men-folk are busy appeasing bestial policeofficer. Thus it reflects reality when people turn a Nelson's eye to injustice or cower in front of a tyrant - be it the American media not standing up to WMD lies, and fear unleashed by Bush; or cowardly people of Bombay who will look the other way as hoodlums attack poor defenseless people. Finally I like this movie because it ends on a note of hope and courage shown by ordinary people ( women in this case)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SEE THIS FILM!, March 29, 2004

By 

ixta_coyotl (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spices [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I did not want to watch this, but after I did I will never forget it. It starts out slowly, albeit with some beautiful imagery (even on the slightly grainy VHS image). But once this film gets started with its principal event (about 60 minutes in), you won't look up again until its over.

This film tells a simple story but it explores important universal human themes: the nature of civilization, taxation, liberty, honor and dignity, and power (over others). Perhaps you will only get out of this film what you bring in, but even if you only get a little I think it will be worth your time. A wonderful film that keeps you wondering right to the end.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Power of a Woman!, October 9, 2006

By 

Rizzo (Nowhere) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Spices [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This 1986 film set in the deserts of India takes place in the 40's and it has elements of music, a lengthy dance number and the occasional beating. I won't say the violence comes across authentic, but regardless, it is visible including violence against women. With the desert isolated landscape, you will also see mounds of red chili peppers everywhere.

It is a small village and the sudebar (tax collector) had the power to collect assessed taxes from villagers and, in his evilness, he sets out to collect more than taxes. He charms the villagers with his phonograph. When his advances are spurned by a beautiful Indian woman, Sonbai, the sudebar is out to capture her. She takes refuge in the Spice chili pepper factory. An old guard is her protector and the men finally force their way into the factory.

The video format with its English subtitles, are often very difficult to read. The titles are white and often up against light background. The music can be grating and so can the sound effects of horses clomping around. .....Rizzo