Patiala House
Prepare to be bowled over by one of the most heartfelt and poignant film releases of 2010, ‘Patiala House’, a film that perfectly unites emotion with humour in a family drama that speaks of the cross-generational conflicts that arise from migration.
Set in London, ‘Patiala House’ transcends ages, racial barriers and backgrounds, dealing with issues that resonate universally with today’s multicultural society a story about family ties and duty, a yearning to follow one’s dreams, and trying to make sense of the dichotomies that life presents when one’s family has migrated to another land.
Nikhil Advani (Kal Ho Na Ho, Salaam E Ishq) directs the affecting tale of a son trying to navigate his own way through life while still adhering to his father’s projected ideals and aspirations, but finally deciding to walk his own path.
‘Patiala House’ masterfully blends emotion with humour and will have audiences simultaneously shedding tears of pathos and happiness.
Leading the cast is Indian superstar Akshay Kumar in an on-screen avatar that’s never been presented to audiences before.
An accomplished and leading actor, Kumar juggles the contradictory role of a shop keeper from Southall respecting his traditionalist father, played by veteran of Indian cinema Rishi Kapoor, while pursuing his dream to play cricket for England.
Kumar delivers the performance of a lifetime and is joined by a stellar cast of co-stars including rising star, Anushka Sharma, veteran actress Dimple Kapadia, and British-Asian rapper, Hard Kaur.
The film also features cricketers from the India, England, Australia and Pakistan teams including three former England Captains David Gower, Nasser Hussain and John Emburey, Andrew Symonds, Simon Katich and Pakistani wicket keeper Kamran Akmal.
Set against the colourful and world-famous backdrop of Southall with its rich flavors and atmosphere, ‘Patiala House’ stands amidst the solid foundations of the local, Indian ‘desi’ community who will fight with their hearts to make their dreams a reality, and who aspire to make anything happen.
With 80 per cent of the film set in England, filming has taken place in locations such as Oval, Lords and Nottingham Trent Bridge cricket grounds, Covent Garden, Harrow and Southall, as well as in Mumbai where Southall’s infamous Broadway has been recreated, detail for detail.
‘Patiala House’ is a film that extends far beyond the cricket pitch - the game is just a catalyst, a tool adopted to touch upon the real message of the film, namely to fulfill one’s dreams and seize the second chance that life offers us, if we missed it the first time round.
Starring: Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Akshay Kumar, Anushka Sharma