286. Es Jahano Door Kitte Chal Jindiye; movie review

 

ES JAHANO DOOR KITTE CHAL JINDYE

Cert 15

134 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong violence

"What must it be like to live thousands of miles from your nearest and dearest?" I asked Mrs W on a recent holiday to Canada.

We love it and see many attractions in living there but could never leave our roots behind.

Neither of us could believe such a massive life change would come without significant complications.

Such an upheaval is the subject of Es Jahano Door Kitte Chal Jindiye, a movie that examines the turmoil faced by five immigrants from Punjab to the UK.

It stars Kulwinder Billa and Aditi Sharma - two young lovers who arrive illegally and hop from place to place to avoid the authorities.

Almost every day, they find themselves having to find places to sleep and food to eat.

They are also desperate for work and are fortunate to meet a benevolent, traditional Punjabi restaurant owner (Gurpreet Ghuggi).

He comes to their aid despite having having problems in his home life - specifically his two appalling adult children.

Neverthelss, he is helped by a pillar of the community (Jass Bajwa) who had to leave Punjab as a teenager.

Meanwhile, a desperate single mother (Neeru Bajwa) is looking for a haven for herself and her daughter to avoid those seeking to exploit her.

Thus, director Uday Pratap Singh has all the ingredients to create a gritty insight into the lives of those in Britain, legally and illegally.

However, the film suffers from trying too hard - moving too quickly from scene to scene and not allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the characters' fates.

Their back stories are recounted in brief flashbacks, but the film needs more detail about them and fewer random images of England's West Midlands.

If it had, the powerful denouement would have hit home harder than it did.

Reasons to watch: Different angle on life for Indian ex-pats in Britain

Reasons to avoid: Jumps around a bit too much

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? At 700,000, Punjabis represent the largest group among British-Indian and British-Pakistani communities. The United Kingdom is home to the largest Punjabi diaspora after Canada.

The final word. Uday Pratap Singh: "The writer of the film, Jagdeep Warring, deserves the most praise for dropping the light on such a reality that most of our dear ones generally face being away from their native land. Directing the film and working with such a dedicated and talented starcast was a heartwarming journey." Rozana Spokesman

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