Skip to content
West Is West poster
7.0 / 10(2 votes)IMDb19871h 20mUnited States of America

West Is West

Synopsis

Vikram (Ashotosh Gowariker) is an Indian immigrant from Bombay who lands in San Francisco. His happiness over his arrival in the United States is diminished when customs officers unexplainably trim his tourist visa from six months to one. When he arrives at the home of his sponsor, he finds that the building is abandoned, and his application to study at the University of California has been rejected. He later meets Sue (Heidi Carpenter), a punk-rock femme who works at a late-night theater specializing in horror films, and Vikram becomes very fond of the woman, proposing marriage in hopes of starting a new life in the United States.

Check streaming options on JustWatch

Release History & Theatrical Window

Theatrical Premiere

May 30, 1987

Wide Cinema Exhibition

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
David Rathod
Original Title
West Is West
Country of Origin
United States of America
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
1h 20m

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

David Rathod

Department Leadership Roster

David Rathod

Director

Official cinematic photography and background stills for West Is West.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring West Is West.

Criterion US - Romance Movies

Curated list of Most Popular on Criterion (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.

111 titles

Criterion US - Romantic Comedy Movies

Curated list of Most Popular on Criterion (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.

43 titles

More Like West Is West

Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.

6.3
6.3
8.4
5.9
6.0
6.1
6.4
6.5
7.8
6.1
5.9
6.0

Frequently Asked Questions About West Is West

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is West Is West about?

Vikram (Ashotosh Gowariker) is an Indian immigrant from Bombay who lands in San Francisco. His happiness over his arrival in the United States is diminished when customs officers unexplainably trim his tourist visa from six months to one. When he arrives at the home of his sponsor, he finds that the building is abandoned, and his application to study at the University of California has been rejected. He later meets Sue (Heidi Carpenter), a punk-rock femme who works at a late-night theater specializing in horror films, and Vikram becomes very fond of the woman, proposing marriage in hopes of starting a new life in the United States.

Who directed West Is West?

West Is West was directed by David Rathod.

Who stars in West Is West?

The principal cast of West Is West includes Ashutosh Gowariker, Heidi Carpenter, Pearl Padamsee, Rex Delgado, Bernie Segal.

When was West Is West released and how long is it?

West Is West was released in 1987 with a total runtime of 1h 20m.