144. Angrezi Medium; movie review

ANGREZI MEDIUM
Cert 12A
145 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate bad language, violence, drug references

Angrezi Medium took on a whole new dimension when I learned that its star, the splendid Irrfan Khan, has been fighting a brain tumour for the past two years.
Not that anyone would have known. Khan is at his best despite the tiredness caused by his condition and treatment.
Much of the movie is based in London where the Life Of Pi actor has been facing his most intense real-life battle.
It is a heart-rending comedy-drama in which a single-parent father (Khan) is trying to put his teenage daughter (Radhika Madan) on the right path.
She has a dream of being one of the three pupils from her school to win a place studying in London but her doting dad is not keen, having brought her up on his own since she was a baby, he is afraid to let her away from his protection.
And then she discovers the three perils of growing up - boys, drink and the need for her freedom.
As I have a grown-up daughter, I felt much empathy with Khan's character who is desperate to do and say the right thing but consistently puts his foot in his mouth.
The relationship between the pair is both loving and fractious - at times, she is embarrassed about him while also loving him and sometimes he is shocked by her and struggles to keep his counsel.
Obviously, Angrezi Medium is a movie so everything is exaggerated and their ups and downs play out to the backdrop of a traditional Indian village and neighbourly dust-ups over entitlement to a traditional sweetmaker's name.
Deepak Dobriyal plays a shopkeeper who winds up his neighbour daily and makes it up over drinks at night. The pair fight and forgive like brothers.
And then the action transfers to London where the farcical comedy really takes root with Kareena Kapoor entering the fray as a headstrong police officer and Dimple Kapadia as her stern mum.
The London action. is far-fetched and there are several huge factual errors concerning the English university admissions process but  Khan's performance as a dad who cares too much had me right on his side and Madan dovetailed with him splendidly.
To see Irrfan Khan giving his all after his health concerns is worth the time in itself but, thankfully,   Homi Adajania has also created a decent movie to boot.

Reasons to watch: Charming dad and daughter movie
Reasons to avoid: It's all a tad convoluted

Laughs: Chuckles rather than laughs
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? According to the latest UK Immigration Statistics, published on the 28th of November 2019, more than 30,000 Indian students received a study visa for the year ending September 2019 compared to the previous year's statistics which were down to 19,000.

The final word. Kareena Kapoor: "The reason why I chose to work in Angrezi Medium is that I wanted to work with Irrfan Khan. I have worked with all Khans hence all boxes had to be ticked. The director and cast have created a stellar dynamic which worked really well. I am happy to have shared frames with such fantastic actors who are in their top form." Masala!

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