Dhobi Ghat

"Mumbai Diaries" is a very, very unusual Indian film. For those familiar with Bollywood films, you might expect a lot different movie than you get. There are no song and dance numbers. There are no film clichés or formulas. And, there is no real resolution to the characters and their problems. This is NOT a complaint--I liked the film--but I just want you to understand that "Omkara" is not what you are probably expecting.

The film, not surprisingly, is set in Mumbai (Bombay). The story is about four people who are, in their own way, alienated. One is an artist who is afraid of commitment, another is a slightly out of touch American of Indian descent, another is a very poor man and the final one is a woman on videotapes--and you never actually get to see her live in the film. I could say a lot more about it, but frankly it's best to just watch the film and see it unfold. Because of excellent acting, the vague script manages to satisfy. Well worth seeing.