Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Guru

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Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 02-15-2003, 11:26 AM:

AMC Hamilton, 2/14, 8 PM show. Hall #7, attendance ~75 -- there were a lot of stragglers yet it came 2 full rows short of a sellout. Picture OK; dirt at the reel changes and all the way through R6. Sound excellent (SDDS of course).

Combine a Bollywood musical, an "American Dream" movie, a "fish out of water" picture and a sex comedy. Mix thoroughly and serve. That's what you get in The Guru -- 90 minutes of pure pleasure.

You know you're in for a treat after you see the opening sequence: Boy in Bombay cinema, seeing this formula Bollywood picture, sneaks his way out to another hall. Comes upon the scene in Grease where John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John sing "You're the One That I Want". Dig those Hindi subtitles!

Boy becomes man teaching Macarena to the old ladies at the dance studio. Tells his family he's leaving for America. Says his friend has a Mercedes -- which is really a taxicab parked on the Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge. Scruffs his way as a waiter, get his first starring shot -- in a porno flick [Big Grin]

Finds his true calling -- as a guru.

Here's a South Asian guy giving sex advice to Upper East Side socialites. Does the whole thing -- theater shows, TV, etc. Entangles himself with a blonde who's in one of his porn flicks and a brunette who takes up India-style spirituality. Breaks up the blonde's wedding (to a construction worker).

It's a tricky part to play but Jimi Mistry pulls it off. Casting Heather Graham as the blonde was perfect -- she was in Boogie Nights for those who remember that far back. Daisy von Scherer Mayer seems to be an underappreciated director; she did the kid flick Madeline [Smile]

when France won the World Cup.

Universal is handling The Guru the way IFC handled My Big Fat Greek Wedding: open limited, let word of mouth build, then expand. The Guru expanded to New Jersey this week and the AMC Hamilton got it as an exclusive. If Universal plays it right this picture will be another Greek Wedding.