Where Are You Really From? (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

When Hari Prasad Tiwari (Keshav Shree), a successful London banker, loses his British accent after having a stroke, he soon realizes that the life he’s built for himself is in danger of being taken away. Where Are You Really From? is a commentary on social expectations, as it’s clear that his ethnicity is what stands between success and failure. 

Where Are You Really From? is a wildly different approach toward tackling this idea of race and ethnicity playing a role in who we are as people (and how we are viewed by those around us). The film focuses heavily on the idea of Hari’s accent, making that the source of both his success and his potential downfall. Rarely do films stray from the physical when it comes to films of this nature, but Where Are You Really From? presents this sentiment in a way that adds a unique depth to the conversation, but also makes it more challenging for viewers to comprehend. The reality is that we often struggle to remember/comprehend things that we hear as well as the things we are able to see and touch, meaning that much of what occurs in this film requires analysis beyond those other films that exist in this wheelhouse.

It seems that Writer-Director Shree is well aware of this fact, pairing this complexity with simplistic sets. White, hospital-esque walls are the primary set design of Where Are You Really From?, and that allows the film to dial down that complexity and become more accessible to viewers. Shree seems to understand how to balance sophistication and simplicity, and in an attempt to create that balance, he does make some headway–opening the door for viewers in a way that wouldn’t have existed had the auditory aspect of the film been coupled with something similarly challenging. 

While everything I’ve mentioned is true, I feel it’s necessary to clarify that Where Are You Really From? isn’t some convoluted narrative that’s impossible to penetrate. However, it does possess a few challenges that transcend it in its entirety. 

I feel Shree is hoping to develop comedy surrounding Hari’s shifting accents–but I’m not entirely sure that Where Are You Really From? comes across as comedic. While there’s certainly intended comedy present in the film, it often comes across as too harsh–creating something dramatic rather than humorous. I don’t mind a straight drama, if that were what Shree was going for–but it’s clear that his attempt at comedy didn’t work out the way it was intended. When that comedy falls flat, Where Are You Really From? becomes slightly awkward, and it’s another challenging aspect of the film that viewers need to overcome. 

Where Are You Really From? attempts to challenge racial and ethnic stereotypes, and while I do believe it’s ultimately successful, the film doesn’t quite hit the nail on the head the way that Shree had certainly intended. The social commentary is clear, but there are levels of complexity that can become challenging for viewers–though Shree does a fair job of combating that and creating an effective balance. Where Are You Really From? has great intentions, but I’m not sure it’s executed in a way that allows viewers full access or the ability to fully appreciate Shree’s vision. 

Written & Directed by Keshav Shree. 

Starring Keshav Shree, MJ Lee, Tim Heath, Ruchika Jain, Stephen Chance, etc.

6.5/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE