The representation of Asian (Sikh)
families, especially the role of the women, is shown in the scene starting with
Jesminder ‘Jess’ Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) an 18-year-old girl playing football
as ‘one of the lads’ in the park with similar aged male friends.
She is wearing
a white short sleeved football top with red stripe detail and matching shorts
(an element of mise-en-scene) which reveals far too much flesh for her
religious culture. Her mother, Mrs Bhamra (Shaheen Khan) accidently happens to
notice the game and she is absolutely horrified at what she witnesses. Jess is
being lifted by one of her friends who isn’t wearing a top and he is holding
onto her leg. The males accept Jess for who she is, a mate or possibly as a
younger sister figure and not as someone of a romantic nature.
Within their
front room Mrs Bhamra gives Jess a huge ticking-off - displaying an angry
expression, baring her teeth, frowning and she raises her right hand with
gestures directed at Jess. She is wearing a traditional navy patterned sari,
matching silk trousers and a white long silk scarf; she has a bindu (red spot)
on her forehead and her black hair is scraped back and tied up neatly which are
all elements of mise-en-scene. A framed picture of their Sikh God, Guru Nanak
is positioned on the wall behind her displaying a similar pose; his is a kind positive
gesture whereas hers is a livid negative one. Jess’s Mother reels off a whole
list of bad points: he had his hand on her bare skin (apparently this is acceptable
if she was a young girl); she was showing the world her scar - [Mr. Bhamra
(Anupam Kher) joins the conversation and there are references to her sister
getting engaged] - Mrs Bhamra is frustrated that she was married at her age and
Jess doesn’t even want to learn how to cook dal. Jess says that she won’t be playing
with the boys anymore and then says she’s joined a girl’s football team. The
Mother is ranting about traditional expectations and Jess is calm talking about
more modern things.
The camera
is angled down on Jess to make her seem inferior and angled up at Mrs Bhamra to
provide an air of power and superiority. The Mother tries to emphasise that
Jess was allowed to play as a child and that should be enough. All the time she
is not listening to Jess’s point of view as it goes against her religious beliefs
and culture. She’s observed that Jess has caught the sun which is not an
attractive feature for a future husband plus she can’t cook a round chapati. She
points her finger and demands that she learns how to cook a full Punjabi dinner,
both meat and vegetarian and to forget about the idea of playing football.
The Father
seems quiet and submissive whilst the Mother appears to be the dominant parent
by her tone of voice towards him plus she points her finger overriding what he
says by commenting about other family members that have strayed from the ‘Sikh
traditional path’ and she doesn’t want that shame on her family. When Mrs Bhamra
leaves, he speaks calmly to Jess requesting that she must start to act like a
woman which makes us believe that he agrees with his wife’s opinions, but he
delivers them in a kinder, compassionate manner.
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