Courtesy of Hindi Picture

Funded by the Arts Council of England as part of its Moving Image series of films about ethnic identity in Britain, Ian Iqbal Rashid's debut short film deservedly won him various industry accolades upon its release. Its sympathetic depiction of a strained relationship between a budding gay filmmaker and his conservative Muslim father, as they collaborate on a short film about the late Asian film star Sabu, is steered by exceptional performances by Suresh Oberoi and Navin Chowdry.

Generational conflict lies at the heart of the tension: armed with the arrogance of youth and an air of intellectual superiority, Amin seeks to expose his father's idol as a colonial pawn who became the unwitting victim of Hollywood exploitation. Sadru despairs of his son's lack of respect, and struggles to come to terms with Amin's sexuality and lifestyle. The ensuing drama is refracted through images of Sabu in glorious Technicolor, freeze-framed forever in his youthful prime, in marked contrast to the monochrome reality of his fall from grace.

Rita Smith

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