Bhaji on the Beach

I found this film thoroughly watchable, and compulsive viewing. I think this was mainly because of the believable main characters, a group of Asian women.

The film itself is a compendium of stories, each person having their own set of problems.

The main cast are members of the "Saheli Women's Group" on a day trip to Blackpool. There is Ginder, a battered wife who has left her husband, a young girl who is pregnant by her black boyfriend, two old women stuck in the past, a vampish "mutton dressed as lamb", and two teenagers chasing boys.

There are some nasty reminders of the prejudice in our society, such as an encounter with louts in a Service Station. There are also some amusing scenes, the teenagers ridiculing their elders for example, yet the mood swings very quickly one way and another, as they are pursued by Ginder's husband and brothers, picnic on the beach, make friends with the locals, and visit a nightclub.

The film's main weakness is the number of issues that it tries to address, it's strength the "ordinariness" of the actors, who could each fill their roles in real life.

On a scale 0-10 7. Expect to be drawn in rather than entertained.

When I was a film student in London I was the only Scot in class which led to the inevitable question " Do you set your screenplays in Scotland Theo ? " I replied I didn't because setting a story in a specific geographical location lessens the marketability of a script because the parochial nature only appeals to a specific audience

BHAJI ON THE BEACH would be an example of what I'm talking about where a bunch of Indian women travel from Birmingham on a day trip to Blackpool . Does anyone think a bunch of women singing the Cliff Richard hit Summer Holiday in Punjabi is funny ? Have you got to be Hindu to appreciate the joke ?

Perhaps I'm being quick off the mark to condemn the movie through its small minded ethnicity because I'm not entirely sure if that's the film's problem . What is certainly a problem are the far too many issues crammed into the story . Things like domestic abuse , teenage pregnancy are touched upon and because of the characters ethnic background racism is makes an appearance too in a story that's overwhelmed by its social conscience and underwhelmed by laughter . If you want to send a message try Western Union instead of celluloid

Gurinder Chadha, in the setting of England and with people of Indian background, has made an excellent movie about racism, sexism and the difference in viewpoints among generations. It is applicable to all people. Using the device of a group of "Asian Women" going from Birmingham to Blackpool for a one-day holiday, she includes stories about wife beating, unmarried pregnancy, loneliness, religious and cultural conservatism, and the most basic: sexual attraction. One of the most striking things about the movie, other than the intensity of the stories, is that no time is wasted. Despite the rather large number of characters, all are adequately described, and the stories are completely told. There is not one moment in the movie that I would modify. It is excellent: four stars out of four. I am looking forward to more movies and stories from Ms. Chadha.

An assortment of Indian women (teenagers, middle aged and the elderly) face racial prejudice, stereotyping, generational gaps and individual inner demons on a trip to see the Blackpool Illuminations in this debut feature from 'Bend It Like Beckham' director Gurinder Chadha. The film gets off to a solid start with a surreal opening sequence in which a well cast Lalita Ahmed is trapped by contemporary British culture in direct conflict with her inner roots. Ahmed is, however, only one of around a dozen main characters, and the film varies in how engaging it is as it weaves in and out of subplots varying from an unwanted pregnancy, to a young woman who has taken her son with her to Blackpool to escape an abusive husband, to two older women who believe that something is wrong with modern youth. With solid performances all round, the film never bores, though the highlight is clearly Ahmed, whose surreal daydreams increase in frequency and intensity as she lets herself be romanced by a British acquaintance. The shots of Blackpool at night are a wonder to behold too, with the glowing lights providing an appropriate dreaminess to this tale of Indian women reassessing their dreams in life.

This an excellent 'under the radar' film that keeps the viewer interested all the way through from start to finish. A mixed group of Indian women from Birmingham take a day trip to Blackpool to see the illuminations.They each have their own issues and problems which are gradually revealed and played out as the film progresses.

The sensitivities of sexism, mixed-relationships, multiculturalism, racial bigotry and inter-generational difficulties are all explored in this film.The writer has woven some interesting sub plots into the main story and they all come together quite well. There is only so much that can be crammed into a film lasting just over 100 minutes, but the crowded story-line has been carefully thought through, and thus does not fall apart, despite the various topics and themes. It is a good film and I would watch it again.