The Evolution of South Asian Women in British Film and TV
From "Bend It Like Beckham" to "Polite Society," Here's How South Asian Women Have Evolved On Screen
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Also from the mind of Meera Syal, "Anita and Me" is a film adaptation of her first novel, which was adapted from elements of her own childhood growing up in multicultural Britain in the 1970s. Main character Meena (Chandeep Uppal) is a 12-year-old Indian girl from the Midlands who becomes obsessed with cool, blonde, school gang leader Anita (Anna Brewster). The film shows the reality of life in the 1970s for South Asian immigrants, with regular instances of racism and a lack of political correctness. However, it also taps into the desire of young British South Asians to be more like their white Western counterparts. At one point, Meena says, "I wish I was called Sandra and had blonde hair." Her actions in the rest of the story reflect this desire to fit in, even as she struggles against hateful comments, peer pressure, and even racial slurs.