"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?
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