BHAJI ON THE BEACH Movie Review

This gentle and pleasingly shaped picture is part of a new subcategory in British cinema that deals with the specific problems encountered by many of the nation's Indian immigrants—in this case, women. Bhaji is the story of a group of women linked by family and friendship who decide to travel by bus from their Birmingham homes to spend a day together in pure sisterhood at the seaside resort of Blackpool. They're determined to have what they demand on the bus: “a female good time.” Their men, however, will not be denied, and as they've got various axes to grind, vendettas to visit, and posturing male face to save, they're determined to manipulate this “girls’ day out” for their own controlling purposes. (It's true that the men are all stereotypes, but who cares? The movie's not about them.) Bhaji on the Beach is perhaps a bit too neatly worked out and states its political position a tad too clearly, yet the movie is for the most part a joy because of the unforced and thoroughly fresh performances of its female cast members, notably Shaheen Khan, Lalita Ahmed, and Zohra Segal. A promising and generally charming debut film from director Gurinder Chadha.

NEXT STOP … Fire, Bandit Queen, Antonia's Line

1994 (R) 100m/C GB Kim Vithana, Jimmi Harkishin, Sarita Khajuria, Mo Sesay, Lalita Ahmed, Shaheen Khan, Zohra Segal; D: Gurinder Chadha; W: Meera Syal, Gurinder Chadha; C: John Kenway; M: John Altman, Craig Preuss. VHS, Closed Caption COL