Bhaji on the Beach

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Bhaji on the Beach Director Gurinder
Chadha Film on Four BBC Study-Guide Project
Critical Viewing of British Films in a Variety of
Cultural Contexts. Supported by ELTeCS (British
Council) in 2004.
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• In this study-guide you will
• learn the symbolic meaning of bhaji
• understand how Indian and British culture
  co-exist in the UK
• get an insight into what makes women happy and
  not so across cultures
• look into the generation gap existing between
  the film characters
• think of what makes all teenagers in the world
  similar

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Pre-viewing. 1.1. Read the summary of the film
plot and answer the questions that follow Three
generations of Indian women take a day trip by
bus to Blackpool - a British sea resort town.
Among these women are Asha, a young woman who is
in conflict between her traditional Indian
upbringing and modern British life, Ginder who
is an abused and battered wife who has left her
husband, Hashida who is a student and has just
learned that she is pregnant by her black
boyfriend, Pushpa and Bina - older traditional
women dressed in sari, Ladhu and Madhu - two
teenage girls. After a day together the women
return home with a better understanding of each
other
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1.1. Questions 1. What do you think is the
reality that each of the women try to escape from
by taking a trip to Blackpool? Draw parallels
with your own culture. 2. What is meant by
traditional Indian upbringing? What will the
traditional upbringing mean for girls in your
home culture? 3. How will a young unmarried woman
who has just found that she is pregnant feel and
behave? Will there be a cultural difference
between young women living across the globe? 4.
How will old grannies react to male strippers in
a women-only club? 5. Why, do you think, a phrase
dressed in sari is important to describe
cultural traditions of women? What is the role of
national costumes in your own culture?
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1.2. Read the following definition of bhaji and
answer questions that follow Bhaji is an Indian
snack food consisting of vegetables mixed with
bread and spices. 1. Why has bhaji been
included in the film title? What does it
symbolise? 2. Why is bhaji used in this film
as a metaphor to describe everyday life of Indian
women? 3. Why is bhaji on the beach used in
this film as a metaphor to describe an ethnic
conflict between Indian women and a lady who owns
a sandwich bar on the sea coast. 4. How, do you
think, bhaji can be Westernised? 5. What
national dishes can be used as symbols of
different cultures? What associations do these
dishes evoke on mind?
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While-viewing 2.1. Indicate the film frames that
illustrate the similarity of situations among
teenagers of all cultures. Complete the grid
below
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2.2. Indicate the film frames that illustrate a
cultural clash between people in their middle
ages. Complete the grid below
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2.3. What kind of clashes make the situation
tense in this film episode At the cafeteria?
Indicate an episode and give your comments. A/
Past and present of Blackpool, B/ British and
Indian food, C/ Selling food for here or to
go
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2.4. Indicate the film frames that illustrate a
cultural clash between people with conservative
and liberated view on family life. Complete the
grid below
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3. Post-viewing 3.1. Match the following
film-characters and their characteristics 1.Asha
A. Concerned
with boys. 2. Ginder
B. Has visions and hears voices. 3. Ranjit
C. An abused wife. 4.
Hashida D. Is feeling
remorse. 5. Oliver
E. The oldest in the company 6. Pushpa
F. Fond of bhaji 7. Bina
G. A five-year old
child 8. Amrik H.
Fails to re-unite the family 9. Ladhu and Madhu
I. Prodigal daughter
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3.2. Supply film episodes to substantiate the
following quotations from film-reviews on Bhaji
on the Beach. A.Hashidas entire future is
thrown in turmoil. B. This geriatric lady
refuses to accept anything that threatens her
strict, conservative views of morality. C. The
final fifteen minutes are an overload of
melodrama and shocking display of violence. D.
These women struggle a double yoke of racism and
sexism. E. These girls are on a prowl for a
seaside romance. F. In the old days, before the
Asians came to England and improved the English
diet, Blackpool had been a white holiday
spot. G. The film contrasts Asian values with
the English ones.
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3.3. Who said this in the film, when and why? A.
She was too dark. You cant trust the dark
ones. B. Ive forgotten how to tell the
truth. C. It is not often that we women get
away from patriarchal demands made on us in our
daily lives. D. Its the woman who makes the
family. E. You are not like the other girls, I
am telling you. F. No shame G. Its Daddy
My son Baby boy H. You can help me change!
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3.4. Write a film review by following the
guidelines Film director and cast
___________________________________ ______________
_______________________________________ Brief
film summary _____________________________________
_________________________________________________
____ Ideas on the positive side
________________________________ _________________
____________________________________ Word of
critique _______________________________________ _
__________________________________________________
__ How the central issue was addressed
_______________________ Conclusive remarks
____________________________________