Indo-Canadian writer-director Deepa Mehta has risen from the ashes as a bold and humanistic filmmaker. Her work transcends borders and challenges conventions.
Mehta has turned the tide on traditional cinema with her bold storytelling and unflinching critique of patriarchy, placing women at the heart of her narratives. She got an Oscar nomination for Water (2005) starring Lisa Ray and John Abraham. Punjab native’s journey is a testament to resilience, creativity, and breaking free from society’s norms.
Let’s look at Deepa Mehta’s top 5 movies:
Deepa Mehta’s Top 5 Movies: IMDb Ratings
Here are some of the iconic movies of Deepa Mehta that should be on your must-watch bucket list:
We Are Faheem & Karun – IMDb Rating 9.2/10
Year: 2024
Genre: Romance
Director: Onir
Cast: Akash Menon, Mir Tawseef, Sana Javeid, Bashir Lone
We Are Faheem & Karun is a sensitive story that has broken societal norms about relationships. It is about a security man called Karun from southern India. He gets posted in a remote village in Kashmir’s Gurez. Karun gets into a relationship with a young Kashmiri man called Faheem. Their romance is doomed from the beginning, given their gender, geopolitical conflicts, and families. We Are Faheem & Karun explores the intersection of love, identity, and repression.
Also Read: Top 5 Shah Rukh Khan Movies As Per IMDb Ratings
One of a Kind (Wakhri) – IMDb Rating 8.0/10
Year: 2023
Genre: Drama
Director: Iram Parveen Bilal
Cast: Sohail Sameer, Tooba Siddiqui, Faryal Mehmood
One of a Kind was originally named Wakhri. It’s about a raunchy, female Pakistani social media star who vows to change her status quo. This film was based on the real-life story of Pakistani social media influencer Qandeel Baloch, who was a victim of an honor killing. The main character, Noor, a school teacher, takes to creating a sexy and outspoken alter-ego, Wakhri, who proceeds to speak truth to power while raking in cash. This is one of Deepa Mehta’s best movies.
Water – IMDb Rating 7.7/10
Year: 2005
Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: Deepa Mehta
Cast: John Abraham, Sarala Kariyawasam, Lisa Ray, Seem Biswas, Kulbhushan Kharbanda
This movie is set in 1938 and gives an insight into the lives of widows at an ashram in India. Water is the third and final installment of Deepa Mehta’s Elements Trilogy, which included Fire (1996) and Earth (1998). It covers sensitive subjects like child marriage, misogyny and ostracism. Water received critical acclaim and high praise from the New York Times. It was named in the Toronto International Film Festival’s annual Top 10 list. Deepa Mehta’s Oscar nomination was for this film.
To Kill A Tiger – IMDb Rating 7.6/10
Year: 2022
Genre: Documentary
Director: Nisha Pahuja
To Kill a Tiger movie based on a Jharkhand family, campaigning for justice for their teenage daughter who was brutally rapped. The girl’s father, Ranjit, seeks justice with the help of activists from Srijan Foundation. According to the New York Times, interviews with villagers reveal that the tribalist, deeply patriarchal values ensnare the victim – men and women chastise her for her irresponsibility and suggest her to marry one of the rapists to restore her honor and the village’s harmony.
Earth – IMDb Rating 7.6/10
Year: 1998
Genre: Romance/War
Director: Deepa Mehta
Cast: Nandita Das, Aamir Khan, Rahul Khanna, Maia Sethna, Gulsan Grover
Set in Lahore, Earth is a periodical film before and during the partition of India in 1947. The film tells the story of this historic period through various groups – Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsees and Christians, how they lived together, side-by-side, and how things changed during the partition. Earth is a cocktail of melodrama and romance. It spotlights a nanny – played by Nandita Das who falls in love with two men – a Muslim and a Hindu.
