Just watched the movie, anybody else have seen it?
In my opinion, a damn good movie. Om Puri’s performances were like always good. I most definitely rocommend it.
What movie are you talking about Roman. And I kind of miss Ghazi, can you bring him back,
please
Yeah Roman. It was very well done. Although it is not one of Kureshi’s top jobs. Om Puri is excellent. I am waiting to see East is East. Om Puri has gotten excellent reviews for his role. It was written up in the NYTimes a couple of days ago.
In My Son, I like the scene where Om Puri has placard waiting at Heathrow for “Mr. Shitz” to arrive from Germany. I think that was deeper than Kureshi has ever gone before.
Umair,
My son the fanatic is a British movie starring Om Puri.
I miss Ghazi very much too. Ah, my dearly!
Ahmadi,
I haven't seen or read any of Hanif's work, but have heard his name a lot in desi net circles, how is he? Which of his works do you recommned? Yes, I'm waiting for East is East as well.
You know one of the things I liked about the move was mother's role. I thought it was a very true depiction. Very balanced one.
The scene you mentioned was truly funny one. I also liked the ending very much... when he comes home, picks up bottle of liquor and (notice how every room is dark) he turns on the lights of every room.
Pretty good.
Rom Yar, the best of his work is perhaps “My Beautiful Launderette” a story about a desi gay guy. He usually writes (short stories) about issues confronting desis growing up/living in the UK, with a very eccentric touch. His works gets excellent critical reviews in the West, but in Indian press he gets mixed reviews. His work tends to be very intense and controversial.
The other movie “Sammy and Rosie get Laid” was also a brilliant work (Shashi Kapoor was flaming). He views cross-cultural idiosyncrasies through a very Western paradigm, being that he is a product of East and West (His dad is Indian and mom English). He is fairly young, and I met him once at LSE over 15 years ago, when he was working with Tariq Ali of the Bandung File (I am sure Fraud knows about Tariq).
If you enjoyed My Son, you will love the other movies by Kureshi.
Thanks man, I will definitely chech'em out.
correct me if i am wrong, but isn't that a movie abt a guy whose son is a strong muslim and he doesn't care for it, and he is a cab driver who helps a whore then sleeps with her? hmmm... that makes muslims and pakistan look great!!!!! especially for the american public
"Dil hai ki manta nahin"- always 714
Dear 714,
There was a terrorist attack yesterday at a Shia mosque near Islamabad, 10 killed, 20 fatally injured. That is a good impression of Pakistanis and Muslims for people in the US.
My Son the Fanatic is a movie, it discusses a very sensitive issue that many Pakistani families living in the UK are facing. It is about cultural dissension and confrontation between the old and the young. Sometimes it is religious extremism, other times it is just arranged marriages. What did you think of the scene where the house of the “woman” was set on fire by the young Muslim mob?
dear nyahmadi-
sorry i shouldn't have been so quick to respond, i haven't seen it. i have just read about it. and i didn't hear that news, very sad indeed. pakistan and muslims in general have been making fools of themselves.
that sound like an awful scene to watch.
"Dil hai ki manta nahin"- always 714
[This message has been edited by 714 (edited April 13, 2000).]
Where do you get these movies, are they available at BlockBuster? I don't know, I live in this small city where if I walk around wearing Dhutti, everybody looks at me like I am a foreigner or something. Please Help..
John,
I rented it on DVD from the web. They have site, www.netflix.com where you can rent DVDs. I’m not sure if there is a similiar place for renting videos as well on the web.
I walk around wearing Dhutti, <<<<<
Johny Yar, when people in your town have that kind of entertainment, who the hell needs a Video Rental Store. Flash on Brother. Do you have a sign reading “Look only, no Touching”.
Do you have a sign reading “Look only, no Touching”.
No I think it says 'Bad moon rising' on the back.
Assalama-allakum My brothers
Thank you vary much.
Brothero actually mothers are using me to scare their kids.
Thank you for help.
Dear Brotherem JohnD,
Your modesty and humbleness in experssion has made my heart go aabdida, aabdida....
ps: cool hat.
Roman bhayee yaar just watched the movie. I didnt like it at all. I dunno, Films produces by desi directors in English dont do the thing for me. I mean may it be Kamasutra, fire, Bhaaji on the beach or Hyderabad blues. I hated 'em all. I mean desis are not like this in real life.
Especailly in this movie I didnt like the way they portrayed that its alright having sex with a prostitute and made fun of the way they were doing "khidmat" of the maulvi. I dunno I am a perfectionist when it comes to movies (except hindi masala movies). First of all the punjabi spoken in the movie had to much of a "Bombay" touch in it. The Shalwar kameezes were Indian style not worn in Britain right now. The role of the mother was I dunno to blande. I mean when a father hits actually beats the S*** out of his son, a desi mom would not shout " you killed him" (I dunno why this dialogue was used) and then doesnt even shed a tear. She spoke to much for a desi house wife. Om Puri made a good Pakistani but should have worked on his Punjabi, but oh my God! the role by Fizzy was terrible. He doesnt look like a Pakistani immigrant to the UK at all. And I dunno much about Germans but that German guy had to much of a British accent.
All I felt was sorry for the British Pakistanis living in the UK. I mean it shows that lives are really bad there. And another thing was that the image of the "tableeghi Jamaat" was portrayed as a real bad one! The Jamaatis shown in the movie dont go hitting prostitutes, I mean that is not right, Islam is the first deen which tells to respect women. I think it was a Hindu director thing.
Now I am waiting for East is East. I hope its not as bad as this one!
Interesting points Ali!
I am not sure how Pakistani immigrants would be like in UK, but I feel agreeing to your point about Fizzy.
I don't think that movie, by any means, promotes that it's alright to have sex with a prostitute, specially when it shows that the mother leaves the father due to the very reason.
I can see how many Pakistani Muslim people may find the overall portrayl of the movie to be incorrect or unjust, however, I personally believe that it should be looked upon a story of a middle aged Pakistani immigrant going through certain unsettling issues in his life. Some of these issues deal with his cultural/religious background, others simply with his weaknesses as a human being (the prostitute scenario).
I think his act of having sex with a prostitute does not have anything to do with his being Pakistani immigrant or astray Muslim. Many of the Pakistanis will drag culture and religion into this scenario but it has nothing to do with it. Any middle aged man from any religious, ethnic, or cultural background can get into such situation.
The whole movie isn't meant to be taken as a portrayl of reality. Some parts of it, yeah, but not all. One has to keep in mind the fictious storytelling element in the movie as well.
For Punjabi part, there are a lot of variations, both in language and accent, among Punjabi speaking population both in India and Pakistan. Keeping that in mind, I think it can easily be attributed as a minor factor in deciding overall moviemaking of the movie.
I can see how religion fanaticism can be dramatized on the screen but if talking specifically of Tablighi Jamaat, then I agree with you that it was not the correct portrayl (based on my personal experience and stories I have heard about Tablighi Jamaat).
One of the things you did not notice was German's contemptous behaviour towards Om Puri when he calls him little man and kick him to fetch the liquor bottles. It shows that the movie wasn't particularly biased towards any side.
For mother's role, I disagree with you. I thought the role was pretty well presented and depicted some of the typical Eastern household wife characteristics. Same is the case with 'molvi khidmat'.
wrong thread sorry
[This message has been edited by Capt Gulsher Khan (edited April 17, 2000).]
I think Alibeta has some very valid observations (and a few misconceptions as well). Firstly, Hanif Kureshi is a British, more English than Tony Blair – Born, Breed and Raised in the UK. This is how English of a South Asian ancestry views his/her own ancestry. Right or wrong, that’s the way it is.
Secondly, it was not a portrayal of Tablighi Jamat, but just an ordinary religious fanatic group. It is very real and in the neighborhoods of Birmingham and Manchester it is much too common. The new generation is trying to find their identity and religion is one way of filling that void, which was left unfilled by the earlier immigrants who were more concerned with bread and butter. Many youths find solace and comfort in going the religious way. So there is nothing wrong there either. I agree that it might have been a bit too harsh a portrayal of a group, but certainly not an effort to stereotype.
I agree with Roman on Punjabi part. Om Puri is a Punjabi, and Punjabi has many variations.
Boozing and hookering is global and no one culture is amune to it. Om Puri was simply confused about his being somewhat caught in the middle of two conflicting cultural forces. It is a reality. And it happens with all immigrants. I think Mr. Shitz (German) was probably portrayed the worst kind of a Human Being, and his accent being English is not so uncommon. In fact, many Europeans who learn their English in England sound like him.
I thought the movie was very well done. I plan to see East is East this weekend.
I will disagree with AliBeta about the Desi directors/producers not doing such a good job when making movies in English. I think all movies that he mentioned are excellent regardless of who directed these.
One more thing. Hanif Kureshi has always touched upon very sensitive issues, and I agree that most of his work in only “half-real”, but that’s what he is good at. He tells a story from a very unique perspective. I think he is daring.