Brick Lane

Director: Sarah Gavron

Starring: Tannishtha Chatterjee, Satish Kaushik, Christopher Simpson

Brick Lane, based on the acclaimed novel by Monica Ali, is a story of a fish out of water. It tells the tale of Nazneem (Chatterjee), a young girl from Bangladesh. She is taken from her home and her family as a young woman, moved to a decaying housing estate in London, and married to Chanu (Kaushik), an overweight older man with as much charisma as his chronic corns. Brick Lane tells the story of her struggle, adapting to her new life, new husband and new environment.

In the wake of 9/11, Nazneem has to deal with more than just this though, as the Islam community she is now part of faces new hostility and hardship. Our heroine soon realises however that life will not be grey forever, when the young, sexy and politically active Karim comes knocking at her door. He spells trouble and excitement for her quiet and strange new life, and she is drawn to him, like a moth to the flame.

After the highly successful adaptations of other big novels like McEwan’s Atonement, this film has been hugely anticipated. With a poignant performance from the leading lady (Chatterjee) the audience is invited to share in her feelings of displacement and longing. At the same time this film raising highly relevant contemporary questions regarding the demonisation of Muslims in Britain.

This film met some political activism itself whilst being made, for originally intending to shoot on location in London’s Brick Lane, the director Sarah Gavron was met with hostility and protest, just as Monica Ali’s book had done. Yet this film, though met with anger from residents of Brick Lane, portrays a sympathetic picture of modern Britain, its immigrant communities, and of a woman frantically trying to find somewhere she belongs.

Even if the political aspects of Brick Lane don’t float your boat, this film is a damn good love story of a young forbidden love, and you can’t get better than that!

Jemima Bowers