CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

UK, 2005, 89 minutes, Colour.
Chris Bisson, Saeed Jaffrey, Peter Ash, Sally Bankes, Zohra Sahgal, Jamila Massey, Katie Clayton.
Directed by Harmage Singh Kalirai.

There has been quite a spate of films and plays about Asian communities, especially Indian, in the United Kingdom (East is East, Anita and Me, Bend it Like Beckham). This one is a very broad comedy, with touches of farce, set in Lancashire. Judging by the prolific end credits, it seems as if this film had great community support in Preston both from people and businesses.

The screenplay is credited to the 18 year old Roopesh Parekh. However, movie fans will realise that they have seen it all before in Ang Lee’s 1993 The Wedding Banquet. While it is a comedy about the problems of arranged marriages, it is also a comedy of an arranged marriage where the potential groom is gay and already in a relationship.

Everything here goes as might be expected although the treatment is light, farcical and good-natured. It is not exactly the most sophisticated British comedy. However, it does not overly preach its messages. Rather, it shows how harmful arranged marriages could be. It does not make caricatures of homophobic attitudes. While the characters are generally quite genial, they tend to be variations on the stereotypes, especially interfering grandmother, visiting Indian who wants to go to a lap-dancing club, fussy relatives. Most of the cast come from British television series and serials, including Coronation Street.

For the broader British audiences, Sally Bankes is a literally larger than life barmaid who has not really had much to do with Indians and their customs and who turns out to be a good sport in pretending to go through the marriage ceremony to save face all round. It is all cheerfully ordinary.

1. A popular film for British audiences? British Indian audiences? The universal appeal?

2. The familiar plot – and the Chinese film, The Wedding Banquet? Similarities of plot? How well adapted for the community in Preston?

3. The Lancashire settings, the town of Preston, the collaboration of people and businesses in Preston in the making of the film? Authentic atmosphere?

4. The Indian background, Indians settling in England, accepted in the community? Becoming English? The Indian traditions, preserved in England? The visitors from India?

5. Arranged marriages, the decisions of parents, the emotional blackmail? The trapping of the children, their being forced to please their parents rather than themselves? The nature of arranged marriages, the preparation for the celebration, the engagement party, colour, costume, music, food, dancing? Celebration?

6. The focus on Jammi? His place in the family, the only son, his studies? Seeing him at work? His living with Vanessa and Hannah? The relationship with Jack? The emergence of his being gay? The film not making great fuss about the sexual orientation? Taking it for granted? Yet the challenge to his parents and to the community? Jammi as a character, genial, not wanting to offend anyone, Jack’s reaction and being hurt when hearing of the engagement, his relationship with his parents, with the intended? The domination of his grandmother – and her phone call at work and interpreting that he was willing to get married? His handling of the situation, growing desperation, the lies, his forcing Vanessa into the deceit? The situation for farce as well as for the revelation of the truth?

7. Jammi’s parents, the old traditions, the father’s illness? Their wanting their son to be married? The arranged marriage, taking this for granted? Knowing Jack as Jammi’s friend but not making the connection? The engagement, Jammi being late? The parents of the bride, saving face with Jammi’s absence? The phone call? The celebration? The happiness? The later complications, the information about Hannah, Vanessa’s status, her drinking, the going to the house, inviting her? Making do with the different wedding? The father and his finally realising the truth? Acceptance? The happy ending?

8. The grandmother, her dominance, the Indian traditions, her love for Jammi, forcing him into the decision? Her dislike of Vanessa? Antagonism? The visits, the celebrations, the happy ending?

9. The fiancee, nice, in love with Jammi? The possibility of a happy marriage despite the arrangement? Her being out with her friends? Hannah and the photo, her shock? The discussion with her parents, with Jammi’s parents? Her acceptance of the situation? Her parents, their comic touches? The father and his style, manner, getting things mixed up? Going to the topless bar, his excitement? The cousin and his taking the group? The English style and the lap-dancing? The resolution of the situation?

10. Vanessa, her drinking, her relationship with the doctor? Her love for her daughter, her daughter looking after her? Her work at the bar? Her girlfriend there and her eccentricity? The insults from the Indian family, her reluctant going along with things, reluctantly preparing for the wedding, the visits, dressing up? The dancing? The revelation of the truth? Her experience of Indian styles and having to learn, adapt? Hannah and her being there? Hannah telling her the truth? The final resolution – and the final credits with them dancing?

11. Jack, the relationship with Jammi, his being hurt, going along with the deception, the marriage? His being best man? The revelation of the truth and the relationship between the two?

12. The wedding ceremony, the lavish style, costumes, dance? The plan for the alarm to go off – the delay, its finally going off?

13. The film’s attitude towards arranged marriages, towards Indians in Britain, towards adaptation to English style? The issue of marriage, relationships? The issues of sexuality, homosexual relationships – and acceptance by the Indian community?