Blinded by the Light maintains a fresh aesthetic as it explores the power of words and self-expression in the face of social change and individual growth, with music and imagination shining from the factories of New Jersey to the car assembly plants and the emerging new communities of South Bedfordshire. Blinded by the Light is now showing in cinemas nationwide.
Inspired by the teenage life of writer Sarfraz Manzoor (Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock’n’Roll), Gurinder Chadha‘s Blinded by the Light is a delightfully warm and affectionate social commentary on 80s Britain that fizzes with the musical energy of Bruce Springsteen. Blinded by the Light reimagines the story of Manzoor’s youth in Luton, creating a coming-of-age journey that takes clear inspiration from Billy Elliot in its narrative structure and design.
Javed (Viveik Kalra) is a young British Pakistani man living in Luton during the turbulent social changes of 1987. Javed longs to further his ambitions of becoming a writer, working on poetry while writing song lyrics for his best friend, Matt (Dean-Charles Chapman). However, no matter how hard he tries to build a portfolio of work, his journalistic ambitions remain stifled by his father, Malik (Kulvinder Ghir). Malik is deeply proud of his Pakistani roots and his family’s new life in Britain, but he also clashes with his children as they embrace British culture. For Malik, Javed’s future lies in medicine or law, not writing.
Defying his father’s wishes, Javed signs up for sixth-form college to study English Literature while telling his dad he is studying law. But as Javed settles into college life, he meets fellow outsider Roops (Aaron Phagura), a devoted Springsteen fan. Roops opens up Javed’s world to the power of the ‘Boss’, unleashing his creativity and internal desire for change.
Set against the backdrop of the National Front protests of the 1980s, where violence and racism led to the further oppression of new communities in the UK, Blinded by the Light never shies away from the social upheaval present in towns like Luton.
Its social commentary dovetails themes of generational change with individual aspiration, much like Billy Elliot. Javed’s journey into writing echoes Billy’s into dance while exploring class and community. However, despite these similarities, Blinded by the Light maintains a fresh aesthetic as it explores the power of words and self-expression in the face of social change and individual growth, with music and imagination shining from the factories of New Jersey to the car assembly plants and the emerging new communities of South Bedfordshire.
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