The Mira Nair Watchlist You Didn’t Know You Needed (But Absolutely Do)

There are filmmakers, and then there’s the inimitable Mira Nair, a storyteller who taught an entire generation that “desi” could be both unapologetically local and effortlessly global. Long before the word “representation” became an industry checklist, Nair was doing it with audacity and heart. From the vibrant chaos of Indian weddings to the aching tenderness of first love, every Mira Nair film feels like coming home.

So yes, Zorhan Mamdani may have won the election, but can we please take a moment to appreciate the mother of the house — the woman who gave us monsoon-soaked romances, rebellious heroines and a cinematic language entirely her own?

Here’s your ultimate Mira Nair watchlist

1. Monsoon Wedding (2001)

If you had to describe the heart of Indian cinema in one film, it would be Monsoon Wedding. A chaotic, colourful, deeply emotional family reunion where secrets spill, love blooms, and traditions clash. It’s messy, it’s magnificent, and it remains Nair’s love letter to Delhi, both its grandeur and its grit.

2. The Namesake (2006)

Adapted from Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, this film is a quiet storm of identity, grief, and generational love. Featuring career-defining performances by Irrfan Khan and Tabu, The Namesake beautifully explores what it means to belong, to a place and to oneself. It’s a film that lingers long after it ends.

3. Mississippi Masala (1991)

Before “interracial love story” became a mainstream conversation, Nair was already doing it, and doing it with Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury. Set in Mississippi, this cross-cultural romance is as bold as it is tender, asking who gets to belong when your roots are everywhere and nowhere at once.

4. Salaam Bombay! (1988)

The film that started it all, Nair’s directorial debut that shook global cinema and won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes. A raw, unfiltered look at the lives of street children in Mumbai, Salaam Bombay! isn’t just a film; it’s a piece of history. It’s where Nair’s empathy, activism, and artistry fused into one unforgettable cinematic voice.

5. Queen of Katwe (2016)

From the slums of Kampala to international chess championships, Queen of Katwe is Nair at her most inspiring. The true story of Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi, played by Madina Nalwanga with Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo, is proof that Mira’s heart has always beat for stories of hope, resilience, and brilliance against all odds.

6. A Suitable Boy (2020)

Her first major foray into long-form storytelling, A Suitable Boy (adapted from Vikram Seth’s monumental novel) brings post-independence India to sumptuous life. Lush costumes, forbidden love, politics, it’s peak Nair: unapologetically Indian, unapologetically grand.

7. The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012)

A gripping political drama that takes on the post-9/11 world with nuance and empathy. Riz Ahmed’s performance as a Pakistani man navigating the complexities of identity and perception in America is electric, and Nair’s direction gives it the depth it deserves.

8. Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996)

Long before intimacy coordinators and feminist reappraisals of sensual cinema, Mira Nair gave us Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, a film that dared to explore desire through a female gaze. Set in 16th-century India, it follows the intertwined lives of two women, friends, rivals, lovers, in a world that tries to define them through men.