Gurinder
Twists the Tale, and It Rains Pounds
Director
Gurinder Chadha's Bend
It Like Beckham has to
its credit rave reviews by the foreign
press. It hit millions of pounds in
shows in the UK. Although, the low-budget,
entertainment film, co-produced by
Deepak Nayar, is no comparison to
the Rs 50-cr Devdas which opened to
public in India on same day, July
12.
Autobiographical in essence, it is
the story of an Indian girl breaking
away from the shackles of persisting
sexual prejudices among immigrant
families in the UK. The locale is
Southall.
"This film is my most autobiographical
to date. Not only is the film set
in Southall where I grew up, but the
relationship between Jess and her
father is very similar to my relationship
with my dad and I made this film as
a tribute to him", says Gurinder.
Unlike her two earlier productions
- Bhaji on
the Beach and What's
Cooking, Bend
it Like Beckham
has
a wider appeal. While her parents
want her to learn cooking and settle
down like any conventional Indian
immigrant girl, Jess (Parminder Nagra),
dreams of becoming a football star
like Beckham, the role model. (There
is no real Beckham in the film). Jules
(Keira Knightley) draws her into the
women's football team and they go
places. But Jules is after one man,
Joe (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), the team
coach.
Gurinder says, "She (Parminder) has
innocence on the screen that is completely
arresting and she worked harder on
preparing for the role than any actor
I'd ever worked with".
Although the film has its faultlines
along technical inadequacies, performances
like that of new-comer Parminder bring
laurels to Gurinder's efforts.
It was hard task for Simon Clifford
to train the girls to look like genuine
footballers, though the rest of the
team is made up of experienced players.
A difficult job, indeed, to make football
scenes look authentic on the screen!
-by
Our Film Critic
July 12, 2002
Shararat
- Another Setback to Abhishek
Coinciding with Devdas
comes Shararat's
belated release, another box-office
setback to poor Abhishek. First day's
response of the audience has already
rung the alarm. It's one film more
failing to lift his sinking career.
We are all awaiting a take-off by
Big B's handsome gift to the film
industry.
Shararat
is one of the most purposeful films
made recently. The story centres on
the problems of old age or, in other
words, the elders of the family. Most
of them become unwanted and their
sons, daughters-in-law and daughters
prefer them as inmates of an old people's
home.
The character Abhishek plays is not
very positive: it is sketched rather
casually. An irresponsible, happy-go-lucky
brat from a wealthy family is sent
to an elder's home as punishment.
Changes come over him as an unexpected
crisis grips everyone and he feels
compelled to do something about it.
A simple love story is also woven
with the main plot.
-by
Our Film Critic
July 12, 2002
