Dev Raman (M. Night Shyamalan) is an Indian-American who goes to India as an exchange student. His father passed away and they didn't have a good relationship. He stays with the Mojan family and becomes friends with Sanjay (Mike Muthu) and Rupal (Richie Ahuja Badami). Dev only speaks English and he learns about the importance of religion in India.
Dev sees a pretty girl in class and Sanjay tells him not to pursue her. He walks up and touches her shoulder, causing a gang fight to break out. Dev tells Rupal about America and free love before her father takes her away and punishes her for talking to him. Dev is kicked out of class for not understanding. He visits a famous saint after changing his attitude towards India.
A gang forces Dev to ask girls inappropriate questions. Rupal is punished for wanting to be with a man of low status. Dev is beaten up by the gang, forcing him to get drunk and cross a busy road. Dev finds out his father loved him. He and Sanjay are robbed on the road. They go to work cutting up fish so they have money to get home. Dev plays football with a group of kids. They find out they missed their exams.
A drunken mob breaks a window and Sanjay wants revenge. Dev fights a guy who almost kills a man. Dev throws gasoline on the mob and threatens to light them on fire. He gets them to disperse. Dev and Sanjay passed their exams. Rupal tells Dev she's engaged to a guy she's never met. Dev tells her about the book he's going to write. Dev confesses his love for Rupal. After three months in India, Dev is heading back to the states. He felt more love and hate than ever before and comes to terms with his heritage.
Shyamalan's character is a foreigner in his native country of India. His Western culture ideals clash with the traditional ways of life in India. He doesn't understand the separation of genders until he gets attacked by a group of guys for touching a girl. Dev is the only character with any depth in the story. Sanjay acts mostly as a guide who knows the rules of the country. Rupal is only significant because of her limitations as a woman. Shyamalan wants us to put ourselves in her shoes and imagine what that life is like, being forced into a blind marriage.
Praying with Anger is Shyamalan's first attempt at film making, showing his potential. It deals with powerful themes and vastly different cultures coming together. It's far from a great film, but I recommend it to fans of M. Night Shyamalan.
2/4
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