India Sweets and Spices

By: MJ Asuncion

Traditions and culture are inextricably linked. Generally, traditions originate from a family’s culture and heritage and are passed down from generation to generation. These traditions establish a foundation for family values and beliefs, providing a sense of identity and belonging. They tend to be unique to certain societies and are an intrinsic part of the culture. Not everyone agrees with cultural traditions and beliefs, which is often expressed by those in the younger generations.

The film India Sweets and Spices brings us into the world of Alia Kapur (Sophia Ali), an outspoken Indian-American student who is visiting her family during her Summer break. After the year away, Alia feels out of place in the wealthy New Jersey suburb where the families of the Indian community take turns hosting extravagant parties every week, including her own parents Sheila (Manisha Koirala) and Ranjit (Adil Hussain). Sheila is the picture of Indian values and elite social etiquette and thus Alia is constantly pressured by the unspoken rules of tradition. Everything is meticulously planned down to the smallest details from having enough crackers to not run out mid-party to making sure you aren’t wearing the wrong thing. Each week Alia must survive the incessant gossip and unwanted encouragement of her “Aunties” and “Uncles” (close family friends) with practiced grace and a forced smile. It would seem that this would be her entire summer, until she meets Varun (Rish Shah) and his parents, who run the local Indian grocery market. This chance encounter branches the story out into two additional arcs, both of which contribute to the fresh take of the classic coming of age story by writer-director Geeta Malik. Alia must navigate her way through conflicting family ideals, social decorum and personal relationships while also trying to define who she is and what she values most.

The film has the same SK Global Entertainment production team as Crazy Rich Asians and, just like the 2018 hit, the principal cast for India Sweets and Spices is entirely made up of actors of South Asian descent. Sophia Ali, who is most known for her work on the thrilling series “The Wilds,” gives a spirited and heartwarming performance as the independent Alia alongside Bollywood veterans Manisha Koirala and Adil Hussain and rising star Rish Shah. There is also a notable strong performance by Deepti Gupta, in her supporting role as Bhairavi, Varun’s mother and old acquaintance of Shelia.

India Sweets and Spices is the sophomore feature of Geeta Malik, an award-winning writer and director. Her first feature film Troublemaker premiered at the 2011 Conquest Film Festival and her most recent short film Shameless has played at over fifteen festivals and won the jury award for best comedy at the Long Beach QFilm Festival. Her other accolades include the inaugural Academy Gold Fellowship for Women and the Academy Nicholl Fellowship.

The film is wonderfully entertaining with an honest look at the lives of the Indian American community, although highly exaggerated and fictionalized. Malik uses bright vivid colors, upbeat music and lavish soirées to help ease the atmosphere when tackling some of its difficult subjects. She does a wonderful job of highlighting the core themes and weaving them seamlessly into the storyline. I only wish there were more time to develop some of the character backgrounds and main relationships, some of which left me wanting more. Overall, India Sweets and Spices is a fun watch and never once had a lull in its pace. I found myself laughing along with the comedic moments and genuinely rooting for Alia’s path of self-discovery. I also commend the film for its cultural representation and central themes.