Viveik Kalra, Hayley Atwell, Rob Brydon, Kulvinder Ghir
New from British director Gurinder Chadha (Bhaji on the Beach, Bend It Like Beckham) is this upbeat comedy drama, inspired by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s youthful obsession with US rock legend Bruce Springsteen. Co-written by Manzoor, it received its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
Luton, 1987: Javed (Viveik Kalra) is a sensitive British teen of Pakistani descent who, amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, writes poetry to escape his intolerant hometown and his inflexible father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of “the Boss,” he sees parallels to his working-class life in Springsteen’s powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.
Exuberant, evocative and charming, Blinded by the Light features a winning performance by Kalra backed by a wider ensemble cast that includes Rob Brydon, Hayley Atwell, Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar. With vivid musical sequences, it colourfully explores the profound impact that popular music can have – both inspiring your dreams and pushing you to realise them.