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BOLLYWOOD QUEEN - (Reviewed By Robeel Haq)

Producer: Michael Lionello Cowan
Director: Jeremy Wooding
Cast: Preeya Kalidas, James McAvoy, Ray Panthaki, Ian McShane, Badi Uzzaman and Lalita Ahmed

RATING: 3/10

There have been several attempts to fuse Hollywood and Bollywood movies in recent times and Bollywood Queen is the latest to join the list. The low budget British film features young British Asian star Preeya Kalidas in her first major film role (she became well known after bagging the lead role in A. R. Rahman's successful London musical Bombay Dreams). She plays Geena, a teenage girl living in East London, who makes her parents proud by studying in the local college, helping with the family business and attracting a boyfriend who her parents would lovingly welcome with open arms. However the perfect picture that Geena has created is about to be shattered thanks to a fateful meeting with a white boy called Jay (James McAvoy). Sparks fly and they soon embark on a Bollywood style love story. Unfortunately for them, their romance is discovered, forcing Geena and Jay to flee the city. However Geena soon decides to make amends with her family and returns home to face the music.

The idea behind Bollywood Queen stems from director Jeremy Wooding's short film Sari and Trainers, which released five years ago. At that time the concept was original and innovative. However with the Bollywood explosion already peaking in the UK, the delays in the release of Bollywood Queen have affected its impact. To a certain extent, the audience have 'been there, seen that' already.

The performances by the lead and supporting cast are certainly nothing extraordinary. Preeya Kalidas is a mixed bag. Whilst she shows talent during some of her scenes, she remains slightly amateur on occasions. She does manage to bring some life into her character although a better performer may have made Geena more enduring to the audience. Her co-star James McAvoy does a decent job, impressing at times, although he sometimes seems lost and awkward with the Bollywood influence in the film. His Somerset accent isn't too hot either. It may prove hard for the audience to relate to the majority of the other characters since they have not been given enough depth.

The direction by Jeremy Wooding is average. He doesn't always keep the audience interested. Also the film is almost billed as a tribute to Bollywood, however the magic of Indian cinema is not really represented. They even show a mock Bollywood film when the two main characters visit the cinema, but it's unlike any Bollywood movie I have watched over the years. However Jeremy does score in some scenes. The shot when Geena is escaping from her family shop and uses a variety of coloured materials to climb down from the second floor of the building looks fantastic - it looked great in the original short film and looks great now too.

Although the film uses a Bollywood style narrative, some of the songs appear in the film abruptly, even by Indian film standards. They are often visually appealing, but none of the tracks truly stick out, apart from perhaps the last song in the film, 'Butterfly'.

With successful British-Asian films in the past, such as Bend It Like Beckham and East Is East, the audience evidently exists for such films. However with Bollywood Queen failing to create a big impact, its chances of being remembered in years to come are slim.

RELEASE DATE: 17th October 2003

REVIEWED BY ROBEEL HAQ