By: Kalpak Sonawala

Universal Pictures` "The Guru" is about an Indian dance instructor from Delhi, India, named Ramu (Jimi Mistry) who wants to become a Hollywood star. Ramu is influenced by the enticing letters of a seemingly rich and successful friend in New York City and leaves his family to come to the United States.

Arriving in New York City, both Ramu's expectations of abundant opportunity and his friend's claims of being rich fall short of reality. To pay the bills, he finds employment in an Indian restaurant and begins his dream toward making it big in Hollywood by working for Dwaine (Michael McKeen) who is, unknown to Ramu, an adult film director. Having no experience in the adult film business, Ramu's adult film co-star Sharonna (Heather Graham) offers him advice on God and sex. Through a series of coincidences, Ramu is required to pose as an Indian Guru and, unbeknownst to Sharonna, uses her lessons in sex to impress a rich, neurotic, Manhattan socialite Lexi (Marisa Tomei) into believing that he is indeed a Guru. Lexi is convinced and begins to market Ramu as "The Guru" of sexual healing, not just making him an overnight sensation but rich and famous too.

The traditional drama begins when Ramu falls in love with Sharonna despite knowing that she is set to marry boyfriend Rusty (Dash Mihok), who believes Sharonna to be a God-fearing Christian and a virgin, rather than a porn star. The resolution of the love triangle is the essence of the film.

Not an intellectual film, "The Guru" is a romantic, multi-cultural comedy which is held together by a well-written script with the excellent direction of Daisy von Scherler Mayer. The successful director of "Madeleine" and "Party Girl" manages to create this Hollywood film in true Bollywood tradition. Bollywood (a nickname for the Indian film industry which asserts itself as the Hollywood of Bombay, India) is well known for films with expensive and colorful sets that are shot at scenic locations; most importantly, they contain suspenseful love triangles that go on for hours and hours.

An important staple of Indian films is music. "The Guru" sports two songs (both sung in Hindi), choreographed by Mary Ann Kellogg ("Clueless") in true Bollywood tradition with hundreds of extras and all the actors joining in a large dance ensemble. Seeing Heather Graham don authentic Indian garb, dance and even lip-sync to a Hindi tune, all while presenting overdramatic facial expressions, was as authentic as Indian films get, hence "The Guru" manages to deliver.

Co-produced by Shekhar Kapur ("Elizabeth", "The Four Feathers"), Michael London and Eric Fellner ("Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Fargo"), "The Guru" is an amalgamation of East and West. It portrays Eastern tradition and culture transplanted into Western society and the excellent ensemble cast cements this film together. Heather Graham ("Boogie Nights", "Bowfinger") receives top billing in the film and while her role seemed to be an extension from her "Boogie Nights" role, eventually her character as Sharonna in "The Guru" is warmer and emotional. The newcomer to American cinema is Jimi Mistry; a British-born Indian who is well known for his work in a British film called "East meets East." Portraying the central character of the film, Mistry gives a hearty performance and manages not to overshadow his equally talented co-stars. Marisa Tomei's ("In the Bedroom", "My Cousin Vinny") portrayal of Lexi as a rich, neurotic Manhattan socialite is yet another departure from her previous roles, and she is convincing and fresh. The ensemble cast is rounded off with Christine Baranski's ("How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "The Birdcage") role as Lexi's uptight, critical mother, Michael McKeen ("Best in Show", "Auto Focus") as the adult film director and Ramu's best friend Vijay played by Emil Marwa ("East is East") who keeps the humor flowing with his one liners.

The fusion of Eastern and Western cultures is becoming prominent with the emergence of films like "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and now "The Guru," which is a simple story about making it big in America. The film stays true to its Indian roots, while at the same time, doesn't seem too far-fetched a story for a Hollywood audience. "The Guru" is a funny, lighthearted film that leaves the audience with that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

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"The Guru" is a funny, lighthearted film that leaves the audience with that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.
Courtesy filmstew.com