Powerful and uplifting, Blinded By The Light is the newest film by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Viceroy’s House), a tale of self-discovery and the life-changing power of music.
Javed is a British teenager of Pakistani descent growing up during a time of political and economic unrest in 1987 England. Torn between the idea of who he has to be and the person he wishes he was, Javed writes poetry to escape the idleness of his everyday life. When a classmate introduces Javed to the music of Bruce Springsteen, his world is turned upside down, giving him the bravery to stand up for himself and the strength to pursue his dreams.
Javed’s troubles and victories are set to the beat of Springsteen’s greatest hits and Chadha is not afraid to bring the music to the forefront, creating full song scenes that play out as if the film were a musical. Giving an interesting juxtaposition to the dreary reality of Luton in the late 1980s, the scenes are also a great insight into the way Springsteen’s music makes Javed feel.
The task of portraying those feelings falls on Viveik Kalra, whose big-screen debut is nothing short of a smash hit. He captures the raw emotion of a teenager trying to break free and find his voice with such genuineness, that you constantly forget you are sitting in a cinema complex and are instead transported straight into his world.
With Blinded By The Light, Chadha brings back the wit and sharpness that we saw in Bend It Like Beckham. She keeps the bleak reality of poverty and racism omnipresent throughout the film, however, uses it more as a backdrop against which Javed’s story unfolds. It is Javed’s earnest pursuit of his dreams despite all odds that is the real hero and focus of this story.
Based on a true story and just like Springsteen’s music, Blinded By The Light is fist-pumping and energising yet soulful and profound, a film about finding your voice and being brave enough to speak up.
Blinded By The Light is released in cinemas on 9th August.
