MovieChat Forums > It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2021) Discussion > Stereotype (Spoilers)

Stereotype (Spoilers)

posted 14 years ago by MacbethMacbethMacbeth
6 replies | jump to latest

Before anyone gets too defensive, this is just my opinion.

I watched this film recently and all the way through it I felt myself cringe. Gurinder Chadha seems to re-use the British Asian stereotypes in every film. The usual storyline: girl has pressure from her parents (in this case parent) to get married or undertake a certain profession. Throughout this film it was constantly expressed by the mother that she wanted her daughter married off before she dies. After the third time it was said I wanted to pull my hair out.

I wish British Asians were portrayed in a way that we are not completely hell-bent on marrying our children off asap. As a Brit Asian my parents would be worried if I said I wanted to marry as soon as I can, they want me to live my life first. The accents in this were another put-off. Also, Chadha set this film in Southall which was similar to the settings in Bend it Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice. Roopie and Detective Murthy were not given enough time to realise their growing feelings for each other.

*** Spoilers ***

At the end when Roopie runs towards him and they embrace and kiss, I felt as if I had been robbed of a potential romance. There was no realisation from Murthy that he might be falling for her despite his "task".

*** End Spoilers ***

What do you guys think?

[–] FortySecondStreetFreak 14 years ago

The strongest cliches are based on the strongest facts. Deal.

Does not mean the cliche is all encompassing....but the facts are there for the basis.

Just be happy it's basically a horror comedy and not another serious drama based on endless race based whining
I call that a break from the cliche 'Asian' Brit film.

[–] DryIce7 14 years ago

Agree.

Once was okay (Bend it Like Beckham) - but the same tired crap in all her films after that?
Poor.

[–] kyzasoze2003 14 years ago

I totally agree with your criticisms. Gurinder needs to make different kinds of films, because her formula is getting tiring. She should take a lesson from Mira Nair who at least attempts to make different films, rather than re-hash.

Gurinder Chadha seems to re-use the British Asian stereotypes in every film.

Yeah, that's like now expected from her films. She only shows the sort of Asians she knew about when she was growing up. She doesn't seem to realise that Asians have changed and her steroetypes/portrayals of British Asians are not so accurate these days. Have you noticed the same pattern in her films Bend It, Angus Thongs and now Wonderful Afterlife? The female lead is always not popular and not as good looking as her friend, male lead is always attractive, female lead goes through some stress during the film, in the end the unattractive female lead gets the attractive male lead. I believe Gurinder is trying to say how she wished things were for her when she was younger.

The accents in this were another put-off. Also, Chadha set this film in Southall which was similar to the settings in Bend it Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice.

I'm glad you mentioned the accents being off-putting. Southall is a working class area where Gurinder grew up. Despite that, I doubt you have people there who talk with that upper Middle-class English accent that Sendhil put on. Jimi Mistry's accent was also over-done. Only Ray Panthaki who played the brother got the accent right, maybe because that's how he normally talks.

[–] iheartthetalkies 14 years ago

Apparently Gurinder Chadha's next film will be a historical drama, a positive thing because these stereotypes were getting tired...

Here's my review: http://iheartthetalkies.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/film-review-its-a-won derful-afterlife/

http://iheartthetalkies.wordpress.com

[–] MacbethMacbethMacbeth 14 years ago

About time! Lol, throughout I could tell Roopie represented Chadha herself :P

Well I may have just critised her method of story-telling but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt for this next project. :)

[–] 14 years ago

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