Mistress of Spices with Aishwarya Rai: DVD Cover
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Mistress of Spices Director: Paul Mayeda Berges Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Dylan McDermott, Nitin Chandra Ganatra, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

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  • DVD Release Date: 05/22/2007
  • Original Release: 2005
  • Rating: Rated PG13
  • Sales Rank: 12,080

Viewer Rating: (5 ratings)

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  • Customer Reviews
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Features

Making The Mistress of Spices; Theatrical trailer; Language: English; Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

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Scene Index

Disc #1 -- The Mistress of Spices
1. Magic Powers [5:09]
2. Sandalwood Powder [4:33]
3. Rules of the Spices [5:30]
4. Helping Customers [7:00]
5. Premonitions [6:09]
6. Tilo's Desires [6:56]
7. Distracted [7:07]
8. Failure [6:48]
9. Reminder [5:09]
10. Deep Secrets [1:16]
11. Betrayal [5:17]
12. Leaving the Spices [7:45]
13. Different Rules [5:27]
14. One Last Night [5:28]
15. Devotion [5:37]
16. End Credits [5:29]

Scene Index

Editorial Reviews

Director Paul Mayeda Berges adapts author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni magic realist tale about an enchanting Indian orphan who has leaned to harness the magical properties of spices. Orphaned by regional strife in her homeland of India, Tilo (Aishwarya Rai) is subsequently kidnapped by a vicious gang of bandits. A daring escape is quick to follow, and soon after washing up on mysterious shores the traumatized girl is sheltered by a benevolent old woman (Zohra Segal) who reveals to her the remarkable powers of common spices. Later, after moving to Oakland, California and opening her own spice shop, Tilo is compelled to follow three strict stipulations is she is to retain her ability to harness these magnificent powers: she must never use the powers for her own gain, she can never venture outside of her store, and she must never make contact with the skin of another person. When a handsome architect (Dylan McDermott) crashes his motorcycle just outside of the shop and the kindly proprietor rushes to his aid, the instant chemistry between the pair soon finds Tilo's resolve put to the ultimate test. Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Customer Reviews

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  • Ratings: 5Reviews: 2

Horribleby Anonymous

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September 02, 2007: I can't believe Aishwarya Rai chose to be part of this stinker. Good God, it was beyond painful to watch.

Visuals 5, Story 3, But a Pleasure to Watch!by Anonymous

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June 21, 2007: THE MISTRESS OF SPICES has some of the most beautiful use of color and texture in the form a magical Spice Bazaar that has graced a DVD. It also has as its protagonist the very beautiful Aishwarya Rai and the love interest of the always-reliable Dylan McDermott. The story was created and directed by Paul Mayeda Berges (with help from Gurinder Chada) who has given us such fine films as "Paris, je t'aime', 'Bride & Prejudice' and 'Bend It Like Beckham'. So the question arises as to why this film just doesn't quite make it: the reason may be the tough marriage of fantasy with reality, assigning more importance to dialog between the Mistress and the spices than to the development of storyline. Tilo (the ravishingly beautiful Aishwarya Rai) was taken in as a child by a spiritually inclined First Mother (Zohra Sehgal) who trains young girls the mysteries of spices - their magic, their meaning and their rigid life style imposed on the developing Mistresses. Those who gain the secrets of the spices are sent into the world, warned never to use the magic for them selves, never to touch human skin, and never to leave the shops where their spices are shared to help mankind. Tilo moves to the Bay Area and does good deeds for her customers until she meets Doug (Dylan McDermott) who needs her care after a motorcycle accident. They touch, their eyes speak of mutual desire and Tilo is thrown into conflict of being a mistress of spices or of having a love life. How situations and destiny work through the story is the meager line of the tale, the majority of the script is Tilo communicating with her spices! The cast contains some fine character actors such as Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Caroline Chikezie, Anupam Kher, and of course Zohra Sehgal. And there is enough statement about immigrant status in America to keep the story topical. THE MISTRESS OF SPICES entertains and that is a pleasure. Just don't expect a film on the level of director Paul Mayeda Berges' other works. Grady Harp