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First, the Recap:
The arena of opinion. What magnitude can we truly ascribe to the utter vastness this surrounds us with as people? For every idea, suggestion, subsequent action taken or words spoken, regardless of what platform or subject matter they herald from, there will be consistently varying views. But when it comes to how we are seeking to live our lives and find the connections we wish to possess, how far are we willing to allow said attitudes dictate our choices? For one intelligent, single woman named Juhi (Nalini Mirajkar), the current state of societal upheaval politically and socially is–a challenge. When a good friend Erin (Arlyne Spalla Benson) sets her up with successful businessman TJ (Alex Berezin) for a dinner date, her expectations remain guarded–but for good or ill?
Next, my Mind:
Charming, sweet in spirit, yet decidedly pointed in its underlying themes involving just how much we base choices in compatibility on factors that may or may not actually be as important in the grand scheme as we make them out to be, this wonderfully whimsical 15-minute short film from writer/director/editor Sri Mirajkar and executive producer Vijaykumar Mirchandani, screened as part of the 2020 Storytellers Film Showcase presented by Storytellers, delivers its romantically-infused narrative with jocular purpose, entirely relatable, grounded sensibility that assuredly allows us to both laugh at ourselves as well as so many of the convictions we carry about specific hotbed topics that, as hinted above, may end up swaying us too radically in the wrong direction when it comes to looking for love.
Now, this is by no means to say that having similar worldviews on subjects such as religion, politics, et al isn’t important, but at the same time, it really does make me wonder at points whether we get so overtly obsessed over what we’ve been “fed” by the media and other sources that it ultimately taints our minds and causes us to miss out on aspects of newly discovered relationships that could have been perfect for us. Here , this is all played out for comedic effect and entertainment value, but it doesn’t lessen the grander impact or evocative atmosphere the film creates by its beautifully executed finale that makes a definitive statement which bears high amounts of real-life applicability in this country especially, though the principals behind it are quite universal.
Add to all of this the equally hilarious explorations of blind date hesitancies, playfully awkward dinner dates, nervous anticipations, well-intentioned but nosy best friends, the accompanying “swipe right vs. swipe left” mentality, and the validity of consuming a certain spicy veggie as a means to determine eligibility and you have this all-encompassing romp so deftly illustrating the modern dating world wrapped in the aforementioned foundational themes. Again, it’s always been a facet of South Asian cinema, and the independent film world overall as well, that I so greatly admire in the community’s ability to “speak” candidly and unflinchingly about social/cultural/traditional arguments through film yet make it wholly accessible and thought-provoking while still being entertaining.
Mirajkar just elicits smiles and radiates such an apropos air of realism through her portrayal of Juhi, an intuitive, discerning woman at minimum fed up with the state of things she sees happening in the world, or at least from the perspectives she adopts as her own. Also having to whether the ongoing intent of a best friend to get her “out there” to meet someone, a blind dinner date sets Juhi on the road to an unexpectedly positive encounter and possible new romantic involvement. Even as the evening progresses and we know she is trying her best to judge exactly what TJ is all about, things keep looking up. The only question remains–will this finally be her Prince Charming? It’s an engaging, highly fun performance throughout by Mirajkar, effective and utterly transparent.
Berezin likewise comes across with that same kind of grounded, uncomplicated likability in his role as TJ, the businessman whom Juhi’s friend Erin sets her up with for the dinner date. At first being what most love to say would be “typical of a guy” at the date’s onset, moving forward his behavior is more and more attractive and his demeanor only seems to indicate his interest in Juhi is becoming more and more absolute. Even as the evening comes to a close, he treats her perfectly and by doing so gives Juhi that sense of value and desirability. Even as he finishes the date with her, whether he will ever see her again is left in question, though conjecture would speak for itself–right? Again, Berezin does a fine job here and compliments Mirajkar well in his role.
Supporting appearances are made Mathivana Manickman and Vinoth Kumar as employees of the restaurant the couple has their date at. In total, “Habaneros” is just as much about contemporary romance as it is about the outlooks, attitudes, and convictions we hold as gospel when it comes to the world around us and how we choose to let it influence other aspects of what we wish to pursue. Again, whether this is for the better or worse will also remain up to us, but frankly, I hope this film is both a cautionary tale and one that makes us consider how we treat our beliefs, not to betray them, but to at least remain flexible enough to know we CAN exist with others and enjoy connection even if we don’t always agree.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
Thanx Kirk,
Pretty well put the “swipe right vs swipe left”. It was intentional to keep the comic level alive with a girlie convo of a blind date. It really worked well and made the audiences laugh. Your pick on the film being more about beliefs and convictions is on spot. Thank you and appreciate your deep insight into the sentiments of the objective of our film.
Thank you Kirk for this detailed review and for your thoughts. Very insightful!