Portrayal of Brick Lane

The Portrayal of Brick lane in the film is a polite retelling of the novel; however it has been made out to be a deeply offensive portrayal of a community.  Many critics have commented on its fantastic storyline and its reality as it does reflect many peoples lives today but has received  “overwhelming” criticism by the Bangladeshi community located in the east end; they feel that Monica Ali, the author of brick lane has insulted there community but producing vile representations of there community. A spokesman for the campaign against the release of the film has said “she does not no us and she will never be one of us”. This outrage which is apparent in the Bangladeshi community in the east end is questioned by many critics as they can see no reason how the portrayal of there community has caused any offence and are particularly insulted by the fact that as a result of there ignorant protests the film was pulled from the royal command performance.

Many critics are puzzled into why such an outstanding novel and film has received so much criticism by a community which by its own admission had been marginalised and not represented by the film industry. Brick lane was an exciting new film which had a majority ethnic cast surely this would come as a positive and a great step in the right direction in not marginalising  ethnic groups. The Representation of the community has come under scrutiny as people have tried to find the source of the anger held by some protesters located in the east end where the film was set, could it be the way in which the daughters of Nazneen are westernised for example Shamsa rolling up her skirt or the promotion of suicide which is seen at the start of the film, the answer is till unclear but the distaste by the Bangladeshi community is clear.

The audience may feel that there community has been westernised severely damaging there culture and representing them in a bad light for example the use of mobile phones which may not portray the life in Bangladesh or the fact that there were explicit sex scenes which involved a married women having an affair. However the film does contain subtitles as characters frequently speak in other languages and cultural music is played often as well in times when we seen  Nazneen pine form home

Overall I feel that Brick Lane is a fair and honest portrayal, I feel it is not offensive and in fact is a great success in helping to promote minority groups within the film industry, the protesters against this novel and film are detracting from this and in my view overshadows the success of this novel and film.

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