Blinded by the Light

Based on the memoir Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion, and Rock N’ Roll by Sarfraz Manzoor, Blinded by the Light is the story of a British-Muslim college student who discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen as he finds inspiration as a writer as well as finding his own identity during a tumultuous time in late 1980s Britain. Directed by Gurinder Chadha and screenplay by Chadha, Manzoor, and Paul Mayeda Berges, the film is a coming-of-age story set in 1987 in the small British town of Luton where a young man deals with his father’s strict upbringing as he tries to find his own voice with help from the Boss. Starring Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra, Aaron Phagura, Nell Williams, Dean-Charles Chapman, Nikita Mehta, Tara Divina, David Hayman, Sally Phillips, Rob Brydon, and Hayley Atwell as Ms. Clay. Blinded by the Light is a rapturous and exhilarating film from Gurinder Chadha.

Set in 1987 in the small British town of Luton during the era of Margaret Thatcher and the rise of the far-right fascist political party in the National Front, the film explores the life of a young British-Pakistani man whose life is changed by the music of Bruce Springsteen as it gives him inspiration to become a writer as well as make changes of the world around in his small British town of Luton. It is a coming-of-age film that begins in 1980 briefly where this boy who is given a Rubik’s cube for his birthday while his best friend received a bike as they look for ideas to get out of this small town. Then in 1987 as Thatcher continues to be in power as prime minister of Great Britain amidst economic and social turmoil. The film’s screenplay by Gurinder Chadha, Sarfraz Manzoor, and Paul Mayeda Berges that is based on Manzoor’s memoir definitely play into the times as it is told largely from the perspective of this young man named Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra).

Khan comes from a British-Pakistani working-class family who lives in the suburb where his father Malik (Kulvinder Ghir) works in a top position for Vauxhall Motors while his mother Noor (Meera Ganatra) sews and does alterations. Khan also has a younger sister in Shazia (Nikita Mehta) is a student and a cousin named Yasmeen (Tara Divina) whom Malik and Noor raise as if she was another daughter as she is to be married. Attending this small college in Luton in a school that is surrounded largely by white and black, Khan is the only other South Asian student as he would meet other South Asian student in Roops (Aaron Phagura) who would loan Khan two cassette tapes of music by Springsteen. Upon the news that his father has been laid off and work becoming scarce, Khan deals with this great uncertainty as he thinks about giving up his dreams to be a writer believing that his poems, essays, and stories won’t take him anywhere. Then by accident, he listens to those two tapes of music by Springsteen and his world completely changes as Springsteen’s music seems to say a lot of what he’s dealing with at home but also in his small town as he’s harassed by white racists of the National Front.

The first act doesn’t just succeed in establish Khan, his family, and the world he is in as the second act is about him gaining a new identity, a new sense of confidence in his writing as he would write for the school paper, and find a lot of things from Springsteen’s music. Even as he learns more about the man himself and how this man from a small town in New Jersey would write songs about experiences and such that Khan himself is going through. Khan would gain a girlfriend in student activist in Eliza (Nell Williams) as the relationship would inspire him to write lyrics for his friend Matt (Dean-Charles Chapman) for his synth-pop band who lives in the same neighborhood. The script also showcases the struggle that Malik endures in finding work but also holding on to his pride and maintaining his identity as a Pakistani as he would help out fellow Pakistanis in real estate deals without taking any money. He is a flawed man who means well but is also someone who seems to be lost in the ways of the world as it is something his son would realize more about during the film’s progression.

Chadha’s direction is largely straightforward in terms of the compositions that she creates though the setting of it does add an air of realism to the film as it is shot on location in Luton. Set in the 1980s during this period of Thatcher and a music culture that was more akin to slickly, over-produced pop music than the more earnest music of Springsteen. Chadha does make Luton a character as she focuses on certain locations including its mall, the neighborhoods, the college, and other parts as the usage of wide and medium shots play into this world that is unique but also filled with problems due to the growing unemployment and chaos that involves the National Front. Chadha’s compositions do help play into Khan’s growth as a person such as the scene where he listens to Springsteen for the first time in the song Dancing in the Dark as the lyrics would appear on the screen as it says a lot of what Khan is going through.

Springsteen’s music in the film definitely help drive the story as many of the songs used are from Springsteen’s first album in Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. to 1984’s Born in the U.S.A. as it bear an air of relevance to Khan’s development and the way he sees the world around him including racial prejudice as the music inspires him to stand up for himself. Even against the advice of his father who believes to not do anything which only made himself and other Pakistanis that he knows targets. That all comes to ahead in its third act when Khan gets the chance to buy tickets for a concert from Springsteen but it’s on sale on the day of Yasmeen’s wedding which coincides with a march from the National Front as Chadha’s direction really showcases this divergence of a young man’s dream to see his idol but also the reality that he briefly ran away from only to return to understand what is happening. Especially as it play into a clash of ideals and identity between Khan and his father with both of them being stubborn forcing the former to make decisions for himself but always find guidance from Springsteen’s music about who he is and what he’s become as well as to try and understand about his father and the frustrations his father is dealing with. Overall, Chadha crafts a touching and compelling film about a young British-Pakistani writer who finds inspiration and himself through the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Cinematographer Ben Smithard does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of lights and moods for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night as well as the usage of natural lighting for the scenes in the daytime. Editor Justin Krish does terrific work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some montage editing for one of the film’s early moments. Production designer Nick Ellis, with set decorator Lucy Howe and art director Grant Bailey, does fantastic work with the look of the college that Khan goes to as well as the home he lives with his family including his room that would transform into a shrine to the Boss. Costume designer Annie Hardinge does amazing work with the costumes from the traditional Pakistani clothes the women wear as well as what men wear in ceremonies as well as the more street look that Khan would adopt after hearing Springsteen’s music.

Hair/makeup designer JoJo Williams does brilliant work with the 80s hairstyle that some of the kids sport including Matt as well as the more guarded look of Khan before he loosens up a bit. Special effects supervisor Chris Reynolds and visual effects supervisor Dolores McGinley do nice work with some of the elaborate moments involving the music such as lyrics popping up as well as bits of set dressing to make Luton more like the 1980s. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does superb work with the sound as it help play into how music is sound through a speaker as well as the atmosphere of the locations including a day-timer club that Khan goes to with his sister.

The film’s music by A.R. Rahman is wonderful for its mixture of folk and Pakistani-inspired music as it help play into the culture that Khan is surrounded by while music supervisors Zoe Ellen Bryant and Pete Saville create a soundtrack that features a different array of music that include traditional Indian/Pakistani pieces as well as 80s Pakistani-pop from Johnny Zee & the Taz Stereo Nation and Heera as well as 80s music from the Pet Shop Boys, Level 42, Cutting Crew, a-ha, M/A/R/R/S, Mental as Anything, Danny Wilson, and Tiffany. Yet, the bulk of the music soundtrack features music from Bruce Springsteen including some rarities and unreleased song in I’ll Stand By You as the music of Boss is a major highlight as it goes into big hits, revered deep cuts, live bootleg material, and other rarities that fans of his work will enjoy.

The casting by Susie Figgis and Kirsty Kinnear is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Billy Barratt as the young Matt, Ronak Singh Chadha Berges as the young Javed, Kit Reeve as Matt’s girlfriend Emma who also works at a record shop, Lorraine Ashbourne as a regular alterations customer for Noor, Marcus Brigstocke and Olivia Poulet as Eliza’s parents, Sally Phillips as the school headmistress, Frankie Fox as the school deejay who dismisses Springsteen’s music in favor of what is considered hot as he proves to be the most uncool person out there, and Rob Brydon in a superb performance as Matt’s father who gives Javed a job for a bit while they share their love for the music of the Boss. David Hayman is terrific as the family neighbor/World War II veteran Mr. Evans who finds one of Javed’s poems as he would encourage him to write more as well as give him advice about being supportive to his friends and family. Hayley Atwell is fantastic as Javed’s English teacher Ms. Clay as a figure who finds promise in Javed’s work as well as also encourage him to find his own path in life instead of what his father wants from him.

Dean-Charles Chapman is excellent as Javed’s friend Matt as an aspiring musician that is trying to help Javed in getting girls and such while wanting to make music that matters to him despite his dad’s criticism. Nikita Mehta and Tara Divina are brilliant in their respective roles as Javed’s sister Shazia and cousin Yasmeen as two young women trying to maintain their values with the former carrying a secret about what she does at day-timers. Meera Ganatra is amazing as Javed’s mother Noor as a woman who works as well as be a mediator to the family while understanding that Javed isn’t trying to defy his father but reach for his dream. Nell Williams is remarkable as Eliza as a young student who is also active in politics as she is fascinated by Javed’s writing and his love for the Boss as she becomes a convert of his music. Aaron Phagura is incredible as Roops as a fellow South Asian student who introduces Javed to Springsteen’s music as they use the music as an act of defiance against racists and people who dismisses Springsteen’s music.

Kulvinder Ghir is phenomenal as Javed’s dad Malik as a Pakistani-born man who is proud of his heritage yet is angry and frustrated after being laid off as he tries to find work but is also upset over his son’s growing fascination with being a writer and listening to this American singer believing he’s Jewish as it is a touching performance from Ghir who creates a very complex and flawed character that is extremely relatable about the hopes and disappointments that fathers endure. Finally, there’s Viveik Kalra in a sensational performance as Javed Khan as this young British-Pakistani man who copes with his identity and the expectations from his father until he finds inspiration and solace in the music of Bruce Springsteen as he starts to find his voice as a writer as well as coming to terms with who he is and everything he wants to be but also hold on to his heritage.

Blinded by the Light is a tremendous film from Gurinder Chadha that features great performances from Kulvinder Ghir and Viveik Kalra. Along with its ensemble cast, vibrant visuals, themes of identity and pride, and an intoxicating music soundtrack that features a lot of phenomenal music by Bruce Springsteen. The film is definitely an uplifting and engaging film that explores the power of music and how it can drive someone to reach his dreams and share that with his family. In the end, Blinded by the Light is a spectacular film from Gurinder Chadha.

Gurinder Chadha Films: (Bhaji on the Beach) – (What’s Cooking?) – (Bend It Like Beckham) – (Bride and Prejudice) – (The Mistresses of Spices) – Paris Je T'aime-Quais de Seine - (Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging) – (It’s a Wonderful Afterlife) – (Viceroy’s House) – (Beecham House)

© thevoid99 2020