Deepa Mehta's Earth (released in September 1999), is set in 1947 during the partition of India. It is a romance film and tells the story of a young girl with Polio named Lenny. Lenny is from a wealthy Parsi family who wants to remain neutral in the face of brewing tensions between Muslims, Sikhs, and Muslims in their area. Lenny, however, is loved by two young men - two young men from radically different backgrounds. In the face of rising tension, instability, and violence, Lenny must find her soulmate. Regardless, though, things will not be easier for her because of her disability and because of the aforementioned instability and rampant violence.
After giving it a very respectable rating of 3 out of 4 stars, famed film critic Roger Ebert wrote: "'Earth' is effective because it doesn't require much history from its viewers, explains what needs to be known, and has a universal message, which is that when a mob forms in the name of a religion, its first casualty is usually the teaching of the religion." Steve Rhodes of Internet Reviews, offered up a decidedly negative review of the film, writing: "When bad things happen, they seem distant and unreal so that the events pack little emotional wallop." Earth is no doubt a very good film, but it is not a definitive classic. However, many film critics and film lovers alike have said that the film is one of the most important recent movies to come out of India.
