Seducing Maarya

Vijay Chatterjee is a lonely widower and a successful restaurateur in Montreal. His thoroughly Westernized son Ashish works at his father's eatery but is more interested in the rock band that he started with his friend Michael. One day, Vijay meets the elegant, strikingly beautiful Maarya, who recently emigrated from Calcutta. He immediately hires her for his restaurant and introduces her to Ashish, thinking that she would make the perfect wife. Though Maarya soon realizes that the young Chatterjee has a closer relationship to Michael than she originally thought, she plays along, keeping the secret from Ashish's dad so that she can remain in the country. When the elder Chatterjee starts to pursue Maarya and her jealous knife-wielding brother arrives on the scene, this volatile situation turns downright explosive.

Directed by Hunt Hoe, Seducing Maarya leans on a strong ensemble — Nandana Sen, Cas Anvar, Vijay Mehta — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about romance titles of 2000.