Hyderabad Blues

Made in just 17 days in the wake of English, August's unprecedented commercial success, Nagesh Kukunoor's romantic comedy explores a side of India rarely seen in Bollywood's more shamelessly escapist entertainments. The director also stars as an exile who returns home after 12 years in the United States to feel as much an outsider in India as he does abroad. With effective support from Vikram Inamdar and Rajshri Nair, this remains enjoyable, while also questioning arranged marriages, the wisdom of upholding homeland traditions and India's role in the modern world.