There has been great buzz surrounding Foreign, mostly because of its taboo subjects that it covers and also of the highly praised performances of the cast that includes British born Rahul Nath, America’s Puja Mohindra and India’s character actresses Ananya Khare and Shruti Tewari. The story unfolds around an Indian born girl Radhika who is about to set sail to the other side of the world to join her newly wed husband and his mother. Unaware to her, she is about set foot in an abusive relationship and suffers humiliation at the hands of her mother in law. As a rescue she seeks advice from a local doctor who attempts to console her, but he is later shocked to find out that Radhika is HIV positive. Radhika then discovers that the doctor and the husband have been in a previous sexual relationship and that her mother in law is unaware of her son’s promiscuous activity. As part of her revenge and justice she sets up a false dinner and poisons her husband, her mother in law and the doctor for the betrayal of her trust
The film has pulled through several festivals for its bold nature, but critics have really been smitten by the performances of Rahul Nath and Puja Mohindra, who combined together have given an explosive combination. Nath who has is known for his key in drama pulls off a gut churning performance as a closeted doctor attempting to keep his love going at any cost. A major risk for the Indian market, Nath has been praised for being one of the few to play such a gutsy role and that too in the lead actor category. His performance is one that fools you at the start of the movie, but slowly his real nature is given light as the movie unfolds. He has been awarded for such courage at several film festivals. Mohindra on the other hand has played a role that allows the woman to fight back, again a rarity for the cinema. Mohindra has been given nothing but showers of accolades for taking on and playing so well the role of Radhika
The supporting cast has had a lot to offer. In a movie based around women, you would think that too many cooks would spoil the dinner, but the styles that Ananya Khare and Shruti Tewari have given us, sets them apart in their own way. Shruti Tewari is perfect as a mean spirited and vindictive women who likes to bully and trouble her new daughter in law, but also likes to dress like she is about to walk down a Mumbai catwalk. She is so Bollywood that it is difficult not to laugh at characters like her. Ananya Khare, in a complete role reversal, plays a down to earth and sweet sibling, a first seen for her.
Foreign is now making its way to the Canadian market as it is now in consideration for Filmi Toronto, the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Calgary International Film Festival and with a large following of East Indians in Canada, there is no doubt that Foreign will find a home here
The movie which was written and directed by Nath, has opened to great reviews and box office collections in India, and with a recent visit to Mumbai to promote this and his new venture Compromise, Bollywood directors are trying their best to woo Nath over to India to be a part of projects with directors like Shyam Benegal and Mahesh Bhatt
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