Hi,
If you have enjoyed Gurinder Chadha's "What's Cooking" and "Bend it like Beckham" (and detested "Bride and Prejudice" the way I did!), then
you should definitely check out Mira Nair's movies. She is an Indian movie maker, who grew up in India but is based in US with an East African husband. She incidentally, studied in my university, my college (Miranda House, Delhi Uni) before moving to Harvard.
Some of her movies are out and out Western, some Indian, and some hybrid but most of them highly-praised and awarded movies. You can check out the names and v brief synopsis of her movies at her web site:
Mira Nair's Movies Some of her Western movies that I would recommend are "Mississipi Masala", "Perez family" and to a small degree "Vanity Fair". My all-time favourite Mira Nair movie is "Monsoon Wedding". It is a US-Indian co-production set in India with Indian cast but is in English language. This movie does not show America at all but has a lot of reference to it. It is the kindof movie anybody, from anywhere can feel a sense connection with.
Hope you enjoy!
Sara