INDIA SWEETS AND SPICES

While the focus of 'India Sweets and Spices' does appear to shift with each half-hour that passes, the primary conflict is the cagey hostility Alia's mother (Manisha Koirala, '99 Songs') shows towards Bairavi at the very first party, each of which is treated as a chapter in the film and the main stomping ground for more secrets to be formed - or to worm their way out into public knowledge. When they do come out, the film finds the momentum to work towards a meaningful commentary on class and women's rights in India, but it never takes these ideas as far as they can or should go.

Director Geeta Malik's casting is by far the best part of 'India Sweets and Spices'; everyone, with one notable exception, tries their best to wade through a script that never allows their characters to progress past caricature status. One would expect such interchangeability for secondary characters, and while they are also victims of underwriting here, it's far more excusable than in the lead cast. It's no surprise that Ali's performance is the strongest, her charisma shining right through a character who is downright unlikeable. Alia tries her best to insist that she is better than everyone in her hometown by being able to point out its imperfections - when in reality she is just as entitled, spoiled, and bitchy as her "aunites". Ultimately, 'India Sweets and Spices' reinforces just as many Indian stereotypes as it tries to critique.

That's not to say 'India Sweets and Spices' isn't entertaining; there are moments where an unexpectedly great joke would land just as my attention was waning. It's a real shame that the film also looks so flat and unappealing. Shot on Sony digital cameras, the film's washed-out aesthetic is a real disservice to the beautiful, colourful traditional Indian costumes worn by Alia and her family.

'India Sweets and Spices' has the exact feel of a telemovie one would catch at 12pm on a weekday, but you could do far worse than the typical cinema that timeslot serves up. The satire just needs a bit more spice, and the script just needs a bit of sugar to really make this film shine.