Tandoori Love (Oliver Paulus, 2008): Switzerland

Reviewed by Nicole Bacher. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2009.

Tandoori Love (2008) directed by Oliver Paulus is a vibrant film about an Indian chef named Raja (Vijay Raaz) who falls in love with Swedish woman Sonja (Lavinia Wilson). This random mix of Bollywood and Swiss culture collide to make one interesting film. From the moment this film started I knew I would be entertained. With rich colors and Raja’s passion for the culinary, the movie leaves you wanting more. Director Oliver Paulus’s artistic vision is one of a kind. As a Swiss director who spent time in India and has gotten to understand the culture, you can definitely say he knows what he’s doing.

This movie is a classic depiction of an ordinary man who will do anything to win the heart of a woman, literally anything. The film starts off in the serene Bernese Mountains with an Indian film crew trying to shoot a music video.  The Swiss residents disregard the Indian film group as a bit of a disturbance.  The film crew could care less as they just want to get the next hot Bollywood music video.  Raja is the chef to the spoiled starlet Priya (Shweta Agarwal) who demands his cuisine at all times. When Raja takes a stroll to the local supermarket to stock up, he runs into Sonja. From the first moment Raja sees Sonja he is so taken back that he bursts out in song. Although some might think this is cheesy, this film depicts true Bollywood standards. Raja is soon hired at the horrible  Swiss restaurant and transforms the place into an Indian palace. Still trying to cook his way into Sonja’s heart, he faces some extreme racism from the normal customers who seem to be unwilling to change there views on Indian cuisine. It takes time for these elderly, Swedish customers to stop calling him slurs and realize how amazing his food really is.

Both lead actors Raaz and Wilson shine on screen with their up and down relationship. Sonja goes back and forth between her naive fiance and her Indian chef and eventually makes her choice. Overall, this film is full of color, surpirses and laughs and with its upbeat theme of love, it will leave you wanting for more. I recommend this film to anyone who wants to see a unique and fun movie.