West is West Hindi Movie

West Is West has its own highs and lows but despite that it doesn't come across as a worthy successor of East Is East. It still is worth a watch for its humour, setting and acting. Jun 9, 2011 By Mansha Rastogi

The sequel fever is not only gripping Bollywood but also Diasporas' cinema. And when there's been a super successful crossover cinema in the past such as the Om Puri starrer East Is East, making a sequel of it is only natural. Hence after a gap of 12 years, the sequel of East Is East hits the theatre under the name West Is West. Now in the times when last week's release Ready is still dominating the box-office, it only remains to see whether West Is West will garner any traction or not.

The movie again starts in Salford like East Is East where Jahangir Khan or George (Om Puri) stays with his English wife Ella (Linda Basett) and his sons and runs a kebab shop. His youngest son Sajid (Aqib Khan) is bullied at his school for being a Pakistani which leads him to hate his father. Saddened by his son's utter disrespect for his legacy, Jehangir decides to take Sajid to Pakistan to rein him in. He lands in Pakistan after 30 years much to the dismay and annoyance of his other family in the country. Whether or not he manages to imbibe values in Sajid is something you need to find out yourself.

Unlike its predecessor, West Is West takes tediously long to come to the point. But that doesn't mean it tests your patience as the screenplay the movie is crisp and the narrative is intermittently filled with many laughable moments - usually depicting Sajid's curt reactions to the customs and old traditions. There seems a perfect blending of emotions and people's perception with humour as its base making it a refreshing entertainer.

Director Andy DeEmmony gives this sequel it's due and tries really hard to make it tight however, doesn't succeed in that. He though succeeds in bringing the right flavour in the setting. The dusty and rocky terrains of Punjab, India make for a perfect backdrop of Pakistan that adds to the film's raw desi appeal. The music is mostly folklore while the background score creates the ambience just right. Peter Robertson's frames excellently captures the rural surroundings making it feel real.

Om Puri's portrayal of Jahangir Khan or George is impressive while Linda Basette and Illa Arun make their mark. However, it's Aquib Khan who enchants you with his superb performance.

To sum it up, West Is West has its own highs and lows but despite that it doesn't come across as a worthy successor of East Is East. It still is worth a watch for its humour, setting and acting.