Gurinder Chadha’s 1993 film Bhaji on the Beach, a look into a single day of the lives of a group of Indian women going on a day trip to the seaside town of Blackpool, has very similar themes of an escapism that can exist within England, a world of “comic realism,” like that of Kureishi’s (Thomas 2). Whereas Laundrette is about finding escape within oppressive, dark grey, London in for form of the neon laundrette, the women of Bhaji escape London to find brightness and whimsy outside of their oppressive bubble. Simi, the leader of this group of women sought out a location of pure whimsy because this trip is more than just a holiday: “it is not often that we women get away from the patriarchal demands made on us in our daily lives, struggling …show more content…
Bhaji on the Beach belongs to what scholars Bishnupriya Ghosh and Bhaskar Sarkar call a “cinema of displacement” (Ciecko 83). They say that displacement can be put into a series of sites or zones, and in applying this to Bhaji, the cinematic trope these women must step into is that of the road trip. It is a journey away from home, from the familiar, which “mimics the act of immigration and is motivated by a desire for economic and cultural improvement” (Ciecko 83). The women of Bhaji are already seen as displaced, regardless of generation, whether they were born here or not. Each member of the group is at different stages in feeling of belonging in their displaced home in England, for some “home is an idealized version of the country they left behind,” for the younger women, “home is their suburban neighborhood in Birmingham” (Ciecko …show more content…
We are introduced to a gaggle of sweet and funny characters (that might border stereotype just a tad), some brazen old aunties, a pair of giggly teenage girls, and Simi the leader of the center who monologues about her fierce political beliefs in a way that is earnest in the decidedly feminist point of view of the filmmakers, but is played with a comedic lightness. Chadha also drops us in on the lives of some not-so-laughable women: Hashida is introduced to us through her parents talking about her as the perfect Indian daughter, about to start medical school and become to first doctor in the family. We see her again soon breaking this vision they have of her, as we see her later moments after finding the results of a pregnancy test positive and mustering up the courage to call her boyfriend. We are also introduced to Ginder, who clutches divorce papers, she is living at the women’s shelter with her young son so as to get away from her abusive husband. She comforts her son (and herself), by telling him “we’re going to the seaside today” (Bhaji on the Beach). It’s an attitude that fills the film with an optimism akin to the irrepressible smile and spirit of Omar in Laundrette, times might be tough, but on this
Her realization that she is not alone in her oppression brings her a sense of freedom. It validates her emerging thoughts of wanting to rise up and shine a light on injustice. Her worries about not wanting to grow up because of the harsh life that awaits her is a common thought among others besides the people in her community. As she makes friends with other Indians in other communities she realizes the common bonds they share, even down to the most basic such as what they eat, which comforts her and allows her to empathize with them.
Section One - On the Beach Question 1: At the beginning Moira Davidson drinks a lot of Alcohol (alcohol). She is sad and angry because she can’t understand why the Australians have to pay for other people’s faults. John Osborne blames Moira to drink (for drinking?) too much to escape from reality.
In staging reality, setting is critical for both Chad and Undine’s performances. In expatriate fiction, Europe is associated with more freedom than Puritanical America and is used as a medium for performers to present and explore both themselves and cultural and social differences between their home in America and abroad. In Going Abroad, William Stowe suggests that Europe is a space in which higher class and non-essential laborers can “prepare for or advance their careers” (Stowe 7). As a continent with a vast collection of cultural goods, Europe conflicts with the barren American landscape. Acquiring a “Europeanized” persona helps Undine and Chad to gain experience that they employ at home, and cultural accumulation provides an advantage
The Hero’s Walk, which takes place in the fictional India town of Toturpuram, describes two journeys: the metaphorical journey of a middle aged Indian man, Sripathi Rao, from a timid provincialism to a more global consciousness, and the literal journey of his seven year old granddaughter, Nandana, who comes from Canada to India to live with her grandparents after the death of her parents in a car accident. For both Sripathi and Nandana, the Journey involves a kind of culture shock, followed by a gradual opening out towards otherness. Sripathi‟s self enclosure is symbolized in his residence, Big House on Brahmin Street whose “dean strong walls” stand as a monument to a world in which caste and colonial structures guaranteed that everyone and
“When I was young I never needed anyone/ And making love was just for fun/ Those days are gone/ Living alone/ I think of all the friends I’ve known/ When I dial the telephone/ Nobody’s home/ All by myself/ Don’t wanna be/ All by myself/ Anymore.” As Eric Carmen spoke out the monologue of the Bridget Jones in the film Bridget Jones’s Dairy, unmarried 30s women, no matter how good they perform in their jobs, how successful they are, how comfortable and enjoyable their life are, feel insecure and obscure as they don’t have male spouses to rely on. In addition, Japanese writer Sakai Junko’s novel The Lost Lady, television series My Queen in Taiwan, and Women Should Get Married on Coming of Age in China, all focus on the unmarried 30s women’s life situation and dilemma, attracting concerns as well as attentions from society; moreover, mainstream media overreact and keep emphasizing the negative consequence of being single. However, I am in favor of the hot television series in America Sexy and City which motivates the women around the world never give in and limit personal choices due to age and surroundings but seek for true love and independence by showing the life adventure of heroines in their 40s in New York city. Even though this series also had a cliché ending that all characters harbor a warm family life, neither getting married or stay in stable relationship, which bring deep thoughts. How could the classic pop culture masterpiece final give in to the mainstream social values? I am arguing this kind of ideology that use “lost lady” or “leftover women” to describe educated unmarried females over 30 years old presenting on the media is narrow and stand for the masculine-dominated ideas. More or less, however, this phenomenon ref...
The story of “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (Hoffman, 2012) focuses on a group of British retirees who decide to travel for their retirement to less costly and exotic Indian retirement community/ hotel. The group is lured by promotions for the recently reconstructed Marigold Hotel and are surprised when they arrive to find the hotel in disarray. Though the new surroundings is less luxurious than they had imagined, they are changed by their experiences.
In conclusion, I liked this movie because it showed women of very different backgrounds coming together, accepting each other, and becoming close friends during a crisis moment. In reality of today’s society, I saw that women are jealous against each other instead of working together. This movie shows the joy of overcoming differences and forming bonds with diverse women. In a very simple term, the director reminds us of the unique book of life that we each have. The other message is how the older are separate from society, because of their limitations and age. The older ladies in this movie shows us and other older people how to bloom again, and relive. In this movie they share their life, their tales, and their lessons from the past with us to change our typical mentality about older people.
as I gaily walk down the shoreline of the Outer Banks. My all time favorite
... his doorstep. As Sunny arrives, she is a miscegenation subject of an African-American GI and a Korean bar girl disappoints Hata. As Hata wish for his good heritage and his representation in the society of a pure and good family vanishes. As Sunny grows, Hata provides her with many different activities to build up a reputation for him and Sunny, but Sunny refuses to follow his wishes and goes to the margins of Bedley Run. Seeing Sunny in Gizzi's house leads to disappointment to Hata as he wants his daughter to be well educated and well represented in public. Although Hata is able to be the perfect parent in the society, with Sunny, Hata can't assimilate into the American society as he wished. No matter how hard he tries to be the number one citizen and the perfect parent.
...gh searching and preserving of their Indian culture. They find their comfort zone within their own racial group. Although they are U.S. citizen, they lose their sense of belonging in America. Nirrmala is living in her own little world while Professorji is disguising himself from the lost of dream. They do not know who they are and where they belong to in America. A wife who still keeps her Indian name and culture and a husband who attempts to fit into the American society but his ego is still drowning in his past. Mukherjee who has deserted her biological identity, she would exclaim to the immigrants that “to bunker oneself inside nostalgia…was to be a coward” (Mukherjee 185). Immigrants should abandon their cultural memory and let the American culture to transmogrify them. “Let the past make you wary, by all means. But do not let it deform you” (Mukherjee 131).
Sidhwa’s representation of characters in Cracking India serves as the embodiment of suffrage that Partition caused to the people of India. Through Lenny, the reader envisions each character having his/her own experiences and reactions to the post-colonization, which expands the focus of the affects from one group to multicultural groups of citizens. She explains that “when you put yourself into the persona of a child, in a way you remove all those blurred images-- other people 's opinions, expectations about what life is teaching you and the stereotypes which come in” (Sidhwa “Interview” 519). Lenny’s perspective shows the unveiling of biases and discrimination in her imagined community that she encounters and observes. The individual traits and transformation of personalities and relationships between the protagonist and her circle of relatives and friends symbolize how
Also, the film revealed women empowerment and how superior they can be compared to men. While demonstrating sexual objectification, empowerment, there was also sexual exploitation of the women, shown through the film. Throughout this essay, gender based issues that were associated with the film character will be demonstrated while connecting to the real world and popular culture.
The story takes place in London, England, where the Bhamra family has settled from the Punjabi region in India. The Bhamra’s are very strict, orthodox Sikhs that want the best for their two daughters: Pinky and Jesminder. The family is busy preparing for Pinky’s (Archie Panjabi) upcoming wedding, but Jess (Parminder Nagra) could care less as she more interested in playing football with the boys in the park even
Here again Lahiri displays her deft touch for the perfect detail -- the fleeting moment, the turn of phrase -- that opens whole worlds of emotion. The self- assurance and intellectual adequacy with which Lahiri handles her subject matter is peculiar to her alone. Lahiri has particularly focused on the of ‘Alienation’ which results in loss of identity turns a person into a pathetic figure, his voice being an echo, his life a quotation, his soul and brain and his free spirit a slave to things. The rootlessness of Indian English novelists tend to threaten their creative talents and force their work to follow a more or less fixed pattern giving at times the impression of superficiality and stereotypedness. Her stories reveal more sensitive issues of first and second generation immigrants. Lahiri
...reality. This is the effect of post-colonialism. Karnad’s plays provided us a picture of woman in the post-colonial society.