Mississippi Masala

This blog is part of a series exploring unconscious bias through film. The world’s problems can feel overwhelming, but change begins with small steps—inside each of us. By reflecting on the stories we see on screen, we can better understand our own assumptions and start to shift them in real life.

What happens when bias isn’t simply black and white—but something in between, shaped by migration, culture, memory, and distance? That’s the question asked by Mississippi Masala, a 1991 film directed by Mira Nair. The story follows Mina, an Indian-Ugandan woman whose family is displaced to Mississippi, and Demetrius, a Black American man whose roots run deep in the South. When love brings them together, old loyalties, cultural assumptions, and unspoken prejudices rise to the surface.