UNindian (2015) User Reviews

Weak plot, clumsily executed

[grantss · 4/10 · 9 December 2016]

Meera is an Indian woman living with her parents and daughter in Sydney, Australia. Her parents are constantly trying to set her up with eligible Indian men. Will teaches "Australian English" to immigrants at a University. Will meets Meera and is immediately smitten by her. After some initial reluctance, Meera gives in to Will's charms. However, their relationship is unlikely to be plain sailing - Meera's parents wouldn't approve of her seeing a non- Indian man and are likely to try to sabotage the relationship. So they have to keep the relationship a secret. Meanwhile, Will is being followed by a mysterious stranger...

Underwhelming. Pretty basic, weak and predictable plot. The writer had some good intentions, showing the (refreshing) lack of boundaries between different cultures and ethnic groups. The movie also tackles individualism and free-mindedness over blind tradition and meddling older generations.

However, it is all so clumsily and patronisingly told, and really doesn't go anywhere you didn't expect. Characters are quite one- dimensional and largely stereotypical.

Former cricket star Brett Lee, in his first acting role, isn't too bad as Will. Not entirely convincing but some of this is due to the script and he could have been a lot worse. Best performance comes from Tannishtha Chatterjee as Meera. Other performances are a mixed bag, with the Indian parts generally being played well and the Anglo- Saxon parts played lamely. Even John Howard (not the former PM) in his small part seems unnatural and unconvincing.

Only worth watching if you're a cricket fan and want to see if Brett Lee can act. Turns out he's okay but certainly no Marlon Brando.

Brett Lee Bowls His Maiden over!

[david-rector-85092 · 6/10 · 15 October 2015]

"Too Indian to be Australian and not Indian enough for India" or words to that effect that are uttered by the film's leading lady, are aptly descriptive of 'Unindian's' likely position in both countries' entertainment landscape.

I really didn't have high hopes for this; in part due to not expecting cricket legend Brett Lee to be much of an actor, and whilst di Caprio and Day Lewis are safe, the blonde haired Aussie has a warm and likable presence on screen. I also thought the storyline has been told numerous times before: a clash of cultures; a love story between two people from different worlds who have to navigate difficult reactions from family and friends and society on the way to true happiness. 'Unindian' doesn't really break any new ground, but for Australian audiences, the chance to see the sporting superstar on the big screen dancing Bollywood and romancing the exotic Meera, played by Tannishtha Chatterjee may hold some interest. I'm not sure the movie will be that well regarded in either India or Australia; but it does have large doses of charm; albeit with a little too much sprinkling of stereotypes and clichéd ridden misadventures.

Will (played by Brett Lee) is seemingly a bit of a lost soul; a pot without a lid, and although he has his mates; amusingly played by Adam Dunn and Arka Das, he stumbles across Meera at a cultural event and for him; it is love at first sight. But of course, as there is a lengthy duration to fill; the path is not going to be smooth; with lots of interferences, misunderstandings and some plot twists that threaten to derail the romance and the film's cohesion, but somehow Thushy Sathi's co-write of this original screenplay manages to bring the film to a satisfying enough conclusion. I didn't always believe the attraction between Will and Meera, at times it felt forced; despite Brett Lee's winning smile and natural charm. He certainly does his best to bowl his maiden over!

Less successful were the storyline surrounding Will's Australiana class which felt overdone and implausible, and the subplot involving a custody dispute shifted the tone and mood of the film in the final quarter. Even with seasoned pros like Tiriel Mora (The Castle) and John Howard (Seachange), some of the dialogue felt hackneyed and simplistic. A little judicious editing might have kept the film's momentum better, but as a collaboration between India and Australia, it will undoubtedly please Brett Lee's fans in both nations, but will it hit a 6 at the box office?

Brett Lee Brett Lee ..... Legendary Blower and nice actor too ..

[sagargaur · 6/10 · 3 September 2016]

I don't know many of you familiar with Brett Lee or not, Cricket playing nations definitely knows him and for rest of the world he is bowling legend.

I saw him before in one of the Indian music videos, he is good. The movie is very simple and easy going, also shows about the life of Indians living in Australia.

"Tannishtha" is lovely and mature actress but we have also one of the very famous actor in the movie "Gulshan Grover", talented and awesome actor played a small but effective role in the movie.

Overall, I will give it 6/10 rating, go on watch this movie. Happy Ending as we all love it.

Brett Lee is dreadful

[mrjamesav · 2/10 · 7 April 2019]

This movie coukd have been passable but Brett Lee's acting ability is so terrible. Everybody else in it was fine.

Fun, Energetic, and Altogether Wonderful

[loginimdb-50700 · 27 July 2016]

I went into this film thinking I would see a "nice" film that "deserved to be seen" (which is too often code for a boring movie). I laughed my ass off, as did the whole audience. This is the most entertaining movie I've seen in months time and again the filmmakers found a way to surprise me. A tight story. Terrific performances from the stars all the way down to the tiniest roles. Perfect pacing. Graceful, muscular directing. This is not a "good little movie" -- it's a good movie. A smart, funny film. It would have been very easy for the filmmakers to fall back into stereotypes while writing and shooting this movie, but they skillfully steered clear of any pitfalls that plague so many other movies out there, especially in this genre.

marvelous effort in creating a benchmark & direction for Australian-Indian crossover cinema

[sarwalamit · 7/10 · 15 October 2015]

The story revolves around Meera (Tannishtha Chatterjee) and her daughter's complicated lives in Sydney, Australia. Will (Brett Lee) comes into their lives as a ray of hope. The complications are mostly cultural--- as Meera says: "Not Australian enough for Australia and not Indian enough for India"---This cross- cultural romantic-comedy unfolds beautifully with some brilliant punchlines especially related to the Indian culture and migrant's understanding of the Australian slang. Overall, a marvelous effort in creating a benchmark & direction for Australian-Indian crossover cinema. Brett Lee's acting is surprisingly brilliant. The mood is set by brilliant background music and capturing of great locations of NSW!

Biggest Flop Of Century-Such a awful movie- I wish rate 0

[rakinulislam · 1/10 · 16 August 2016]

Awful Movie , No Talent Of Acting Seen From Anyone Except Brett Lee. Without Him, The Movie Would Have Been Biggest Flop Of Century. I have no idea why lee would act for such a horrible movie like this bad.I usually don't write reviews but i had no choice. The movie so bad.

Short Summery Of The Worst Film I Ever Seen- Former cricketer Brett Lee, remembered as one of the fastest bowlers in the history of the sport, has made a ballsy career switcher from the oval to the big screen – starring as the male lead in a cross-cultural Australian MGM about a sweet Caucasian bloke and a beautiful Indian woman with conservative heritage.

Joining director Anupam Sharma's film UnIndian hardly suggests a cash-in of the Michael Jordan in Space Jam ilk. One suspects this deal was rather less lucrative, meaning Lee's move into acting was presumably because he actually wanted – the horror, the horror – to become an actor.

Humorous and Exotic

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 20 November 2016]

This movie begins with a young woman named "Meera" (Tannishtha Chatterjee) waking up from a nightmare and after going downstairs finds that her mother is busy lighting incense as part of a Hindu custom to help inaugurate her new house. Having become "westernized" both Meera and her preteen daughter "Smitha" (Maya Sathi) are somewhat embarrassed by the old ways but they cope as well as they can. The film then shifts to a scene where a young man by the name of "Will" (Brett Lee) is teaching a small class of immigrants how to speak English like an Australian. Needing a change-of-pace he then goes with some friends to an Indian festival being held not too far from his apartment in Sydney and happens to meet Meera. Although he becomes quite smitten with her there are a few things he doesn't know and he soon discovers that the cultural divide makes any possible romance between them very difficult. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a humorous movie which benefited greatly from the exotic Indian culture and the performance of the aforementioned Tannishtha Cahtterjee. That said, I have rated this movie accordingly. Slightly above average.

Good story let down by execrable acting

[amca1960 · 4/10 · 26 December 2022]

I'm very fond of clash-of-culture films, especially those with an Indian element. And so this film seemed like just the sort of thing I'd enjoy. And indeed it has a very good premise: an Indian woman living in Sydney (Meera) once married and now divorced, is being set up by her parents with all manner of eligible Indian bachelors. But she falls in love with - oh horror! - an Aussie bloke.

First the good. Meera's parents are well portrayed by Supriya Pathak and Akash Khurana, with acting that is not overdone, and with just the right amount of histrionics. The formidable Binky Aunty is a small part which is played to perfection by Kumud Merali. Arka Das as TK is another standout.

But none of these can overcome the wretched woodenness of Brett Lee. The man simply cannot act. He wanders through this film with a slightly abstracted air as though he was thinking of something else ("I should've put Smitty in to bowl for the second over ... should've opened the batting with Johnno ... ") and with an expression that seems hardly to ever change. Not one for any emotion on-set; the most we get is a sort of quizzical look as though wondering whether to have jam or marmalade on his toast, and occasionally a slightly pained look, as though he was going to sneeze. It's a wonder this film ever made it past the initial pitch to its backers.

I also think that Meera was miscast - she is supposed to be quite glamorous, and Tannishtha Chatterjee's portrayal seemed lacking in glamour. Maybe she was trying to bring herself down to Brett Lee's level by being ordinary. A nice contrast was a scene in which Meera is sitting next to her friend Shanthi, played by the truly glamorous Pallavi Sharda. Why was she not chosen to play Meera?

If you can stomach the non-acting, then it's not a wholly bad film. But the good actors in it, and the story itself, deserved far far better than they got.

White worship packaged as "rebellion" against Indian culture

[kingvicky-42793 · 1/10 · 27 August 2019]

To justify white worship, they always setup non-white culture as some demon which must be slayed. To represent the Indian man as some kind of unwanted obligation and the white male as 'true love'.

Light Entertainment with great cultural mix

[mpurohitmp · 9/10 · 20 January 2020]

The film is a really good combination of Indian and Australian Culture. The Lead actors have done justice to the characters Meera and Will, well portrayed. This film is a really good series of emotional which could be related to a typical Indian Family culture and Aussie trends. I wasn't very much interested in the songs but the film hold the viewers attention all the time. Overall, it is a light entertainment film with a genuine social message.

love it

[armanakbarykhan · 10/10 · 21 August 2016]

I don't care what anyone else has to say, I loved it!!!! It's easy to watch. I love the songs, they were not god awful with a lot of naked suggestive dancing like other movies. It's a really nice movie with a really strong female character lead and that is something to celebrate! All movies go along predictive plots if you have seen enough of them, so while the plot twists weren't exactly huge shockers, it was cool. The twists were practical, the kind of real world problem that women actually face. The predictable desi aunties with their desi problems were funny but not over the top or irritatingly on your face. The parents were of course typical desi parents, but hey, that's why we are suppose to love them (not). I loved both Tannishtha Chatterjee and Brett Lee. So refreshing to see such a talented artist (& dark skinned beauty) in a lead role instead of the usual Hindi movie white washed ones who can barely put two sentences together.

Really good

[loginimdb-63990 · 8/10 · 31 July 2016]

A lot of people have been saying that you will not find this movie funny unless you have lived with, or are part of a Indian family. I am neither of these cases, and I really enjoyed the film.

The plot line was genius, and gave people a real insight to Indian families, and put a hilarious spin on weddings in general, especially when the two families don't get along.

The acting was...okay, however. I think that they could have got a lot better actors in. The music fitted into the film well.

I'd recommend this film to anybody getting married, or just married, or anyone who knows any Indian - in fact, forget that, I'd recommend it to anyone with a sense of humour!

Charming and funny

[shailjatewari · 10/10 · 27 June 2020]

Watched it again after a couple of years on Stan in Australia. Seems like this film was ahead of its time in showcasing diversity in Australian films. It was not a mainstream version of an ethnic family but a real Indian family, I could relate to many things. Loved it ...cant believe its still on screens five years after it was released

Distinguished story and execution

[OliverDav · 8/10 · 23 July 2020]

This film is one of those SITCOM television series that you'd watch over a weekend, at least I will. Great combination of Indian-Australian culture and even the characters. The transformation from Brett Lee the cricketer to Brett Lee the Actor is prolific. He carries that fun element throughout the movie really well. Songs and music were great combination of Australian and Indian music directors. Dances could have been more like Bollywood but the characters overlook this factor.

delicate story bursting with affection for India

[loginimdb-25921 · 8/10 · 27 July 2016]

This movie walks you straight into the heart of India with its high family values and wonderful way of creating something functional out of anything available. It wraps its arms around the culture and lets you enter risk free as you experience the comedic elements of being immersed in the unfamiliar and the genius of creativity. This movie helps develop the capacity to see the world through a different lens. Watch it, laugh and learn. What really made this movie for though was the characters. The actor's portray strong individuals, despite the stereotypes surrounded by them. This movie had strong character growth, good acting, and didn't for one second feel cliché. It didn't feel at all like your typical romantic comedy with boring stereotypical characters. Congrats to the whole production team for using Indian talent making this even more respectfully done!

Nice comedy

[loginimdb-23607 · 10/10 · 31 July 2016]

Nice romantic-comedy about a Indian-Assuie girl which has to fight against her family's strict traditions in order to marry a non-Indian boy. I think that, for the Indian's, this movie must be full of topics and stereotypes, but for the ones who don't know about Indian way of life is pretty funny. There are all kind of weird characters , and the starring actress makes an outstanding job showing us an independent, liberated, strong, confident, successful single mother. Nice dialogues, nice rhythm... Fun, hilarious, light, enjoyable and eye opening. Just a nice entertainment for a Sunday afternoon. Watch it and you will enjoy every moment of it.

Pleasantly Surprised

[loginimdb-39671 · 9/10 · 31 July 2016]

I went into this movie with somewhat low expectations. I went on a random Sunday night and it hit the spot. I thought it was very entertaining, funny, light, fun-loving and enjoyable. The characters were likable and you were rooting for them. My husband has a big Indian family, and many of these character reminded me of my own family. Yes, they are loud and nosy and all up in each others business, but they love hard and have fun. They understand the importance of family and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. This movie can be seen more than once. I would recommend this movie to all ages and it is family friendly.

I really enjoyed this movie!

[loginimdb-34496 · 9/10 · 26 July 2016]

I am not normally a fan of romantic comedy, but I was interested to see how has cricketer Brett Lee acted. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Sit back and enjoy this movie for what it is, a fun romantic comedy, where love conquers all over obstacles across cultural lines. You will find yourself laughing along when recognizing familiar traits and the human condition as portrayed in another culture. There is very good chemistry between the two main characters, and it's a pleasure to watch them with each other. I found myself smiling a lot. This movie, to be sure, was light and fluffy, no big complications that stress you out.. I just had a good time! I would watch it again!

cute and heartwarming - and sometimes funny

[sharayubose · 8/10 · 26 July 2016]

I liked this movie more than most others did. Yeah, there are some rather obvious plot holes, but I forgave them in the interest of seeing the characters do their romantic comedy dance. They danced pretty well. Also, the family gave us some funny moments as well as an occasional touching one. It doesn't break any new ground, but what it does, it does well enough to be enjoyable. Just relax and let the movie take you on a fun spin. Some may call it simple because it won't have you on the edge of your seat with drama but it is nice movie that shows that simple love is better than all the wild life that is out there. It gives a nice refreshing feeling after watching the movie, so go see it.

A feel good family film

[digvi · 18 July 2016]

This is not a sports film as viewers might expect looking at Brett Lee. The film is a nice love story between an Australian 'Aussie language' teacher and an Indian entrepreneur based out of Sydney Australia. This is a good film to watch with entire family. Australians and Indians will love it equally. Brett Lee has done a wonderful job off the cricket field. Tanishtha has played a balanced character very well. The supporting cast is excellent. It is great to watch Australian and Indian actors working together. The new bunch of second generation Indian actors is excellent. They have performed their part effortlessly. Overall the film is delight to watch. Go for it.

Brett bowled my heart over

[ankitafacebookonly · 9/10 · 2 August 2016]

Unindian! The title says it all. A great treat for both movie and cricket lovers, in my case love for Cricketers ;). Brett has bowled over many young hearts with his cricket and now it's his turn to bowl over audience with his acting and Bollywood dancing skills :) A perfect cast for this role. He is charming throughout the movie with great expressions adding character to his role. You can easily relate to him and his situations, just what the character needed. Tanishtha who has played a strong headed, career oriented Indian woman living in Sydney portrays the true Indian women in today's world, bearing great poise with a dash of Indian girl factor. She finds herself caught in this maze of New country, new people, new culture. "Not Australian enough for Australia, Not Indian enough for India anymore" sums it all, just what every person who migrates to other country feels. As I said there are many such moments where it touches heart at right point and you start to relate it's characters with your life. Indian culture, be it pooja-archana (worshiping Gods) to Babas and his devotees, from Colorful holi to Bollywood "ESHTYLE" dance.. it's got everything. All the supporting cast has done an amazing job. A special mention would be a girl playing Meera's daughter and Will's friends add perfect support to lead characters. Supriya Pathak reminds every Indian girl of her own mother in very funny and adorable way. A perfect Masala serving us a platter of Fun, Roamance, Drama, Suspense, Emotions! Great screenplay, amazing locations, nice music, A must watch !!

Love it!

[pratimahajare · 8/10 · 26 July 2016]

This movie was so good! I absolutely loved it. The lead actor and actress did an amazing job. The story is relative to that of every girl's dream. This would be a great movie for a girl's movie night. This movie completely plays to the fantasy in a cleverly cute and funny way. If you're like me at all, you will completely fall in love with the characters and the story. I love that this girl is doing the job that she loves, goes with her gut, and goes after what she wants in life. She's cute, caring, fun, sassy, excited, a single mother and more. The characters they came up with for this movie are just as interesting as the story itself. I would really love to see more work by the lead actress!

Love it!

[loginimdb-69684 · 9/10 · 27 July 2016]

This movie was so good! I absolutely loved it. The lead actor and actress did an amazing job. The story is relative to that of many girl's who have been in the same situation as 'Meera'. This would be a great movie for a girl's movie night. This movie completely plays to the reality faced by many in a cleverly cute and funny way. If you're like me at all, you will completely fall in love with the characters and the story. I love that this girl is doing the job that she loves, goes with her gut, and goes after what she wants in life. She's cute, caring, fun, sassy, excited, a single mother and more. The characters they came up with for this movie are just as interesting as the story itself. I would really love to see more work by the lead actress!

A treat

[loginimdb-85293 · 8/10 · 31 July 2016]

sincerely do not understand the backlash against this movie. It is hilarious, warm and undoubtedly deserving the attention it got. Or you have to be Indian... Really can't say.

It not only shows us the Indian perspective but also has a message, people can learn from.

What I do know from a Indian's perspective the jokes hit right on target and yet are not offensive. The wackiness but also the warmth and love that's in Indian families comes through.

I say give it a chance not expecting to love it or hate it. You'd be pleasantly surprised.