Bollywood Queen
Encyclopedia
Bollywood Queen is an Indian
take on the William Shakespeare
play Romeo and Juliet
, directed by Jeremy Wooding and starring Preeya Kalidas
and James McAvoy
in the lead roles. Also produced by Jeremy Wooding, the film was released in 2003.
) is a young Indian
girl, a Bollywood
fanatic, from a respectable Gujarati
family. She has finished school, and is at university doing a business studies course. She is dating Dilip (Ronny Jhutti
), an ambitious computer whizz, but wants her love life to be like it is in the movies. However, Dilip only wants sex. Geena's family own Ganesh Global- a clothing company which imports materials and saris
from India
. Geena has a part-time job working in the shop. She is also in a secret band with two other girls, Anjali (Kat Bhathena) and Neeta (Karen Shenaz David).
Jay (James McAvoy
) is a young Scottish
boy, who joins his brother Dean (Ciarán McMenamin
) in London
, who also works in the clothing industry, for someone called Frank (Ian McShane
). He owns a guitar, of which he is extremely protective.
One day, when Geena is walking along the road, Jay and his brother happen to be managing some poles. One of the poles nearly falls on Geena, but Jay lunges at her and pushes her out of the way before it can crush her. Geena, disgusted at this, hurries along, leaving her phone behind. Jay sees the phone and takes it, but his brother Dean repossesses it. Jay then takes the phone back and gives it to Geena, who then thanks him for saving her life. She then gives him her phone number, and they begin to meet up regularly.
The two of them are starting to fall in love, meeting up in secret regularly and hiding from Geena's family. However, Dean comes to know of the affair and launches an attack on Ganesh Global. One of Geena's brothers also sees the two together, and Geena gets into trouble with her family. Her brother then takes away her phone. Geena's brothers then beat Jay up, leaving him bleeding. Jay and Geena then run away together and escape their family. Dean is in hospital, and Jay visits him and takes away all his money.
Eventually, Jay and Geena return to London and Jay settles his dispute with his father and brother. Geena then turns up for her relative's wedding, dressed in Indian attire, and sings with her band. She then attempts to reunite with her family, and it is revealed her brother, Sanjay (Amerjit Deu) is a criminal, and is handling illegal suits, and that her brother, Tariq (Saraj Chaudhry) is gay. Jay and Geena then leave in the bride and groom's carriage, and her mother says to her father, "She'll be back."
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
take on the William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
play Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
, directed by Jeremy Wooding and starring Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas is a British singer and actress of Indian descent. She plays Amira Masood in the soap opera EastEnders. She returned to a career in singing, with her single "Shimmy" being released in July 2010 taken from her debut album Constant Craving, was supposed to be released in September...
and James McAvoy
James McAvoy
James McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune...
in the lead roles. Also produced by Jeremy Wooding, the film was released in 2003.
Plot
Geena (Preeya KalidasPreeya Kalidas
Preeya Kalidas is a British singer and actress of Indian descent. She plays Amira Masood in the soap opera EastEnders. She returned to a career in singing, with her single "Shimmy" being released in July 2010 taken from her debut album Constant Craving, was supposed to be released in September...
) is a young Indian
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
girl, a Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
fanatic, from a respectable Gujarati
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
family. She has finished school, and is at university doing a business studies course. She is dating Dilip (Ronny Jhutti
Ronny Jhutti
Ronny Jhutti is a British actor. He has appeared on television many times, including Shameless, EastEnders, Holby City, Ideal and Doctor Who ....
), an ambitious computer whizz, but wants her love life to be like it is in the movies. However, Dilip only wants sex. Geena's family own Ganesh Global- a clothing company which imports materials and saris
Saris
Saris was a Palestinian Arab village that was depopulated during the major offensive launched by the Haganah on 6 April 1948. Called Operation Nachshon, and launched before the British had left Palestine, its objective was to capture villages between Jerusalem and the coastal plain.-History:During...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Geena has a part-time job working in the shop. She is also in a secret band with two other girls, Anjali (Kat Bhathena) and Neeta (Karen Shenaz David).
Jay (James McAvoy
James McAvoy
James McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune...
) is a young Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
boy, who joins his brother Dean (Ciarán McMenamin
Ciarán McMenamin
Ciarán McMenamin is an Irish actor who is now living in South London. He is best known for playing Matt Anderson, replacing Jason Flemyng as lead on Primeval.- Early life :...
) in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, who also works in the clothing industry, for someone called Frank (Ian McShane
Ian McShane
Ian David McShane is an English actor, director, producer, voice artist, and comedian.Despite appearing in numerous films, McShane is best known for his television roles, particularly the BBC's Lovejoy and HBO's Western drama Deadwood...
). He owns a guitar, of which he is extremely protective.
One day, when Geena is walking along the road, Jay and his brother happen to be managing some poles. One of the poles nearly falls on Geena, but Jay lunges at her and pushes her out of the way before it can crush her. Geena, disgusted at this, hurries along, leaving her phone behind. Jay sees the phone and takes it, but his brother Dean repossesses it. Jay then takes the phone back and gives it to Geena, who then thanks him for saving her life. She then gives him her phone number, and they begin to meet up regularly.
The two of them are starting to fall in love, meeting up in secret regularly and hiding from Geena's family. However, Dean comes to know of the affair and launches an attack on Ganesh Global. One of Geena's brothers also sees the two together, and Geena gets into trouble with her family. Her brother then takes away her phone. Geena's brothers then beat Jay up, leaving him bleeding. Jay and Geena then run away together and escape their family. Dean is in hospital, and Jay visits him and takes away all his money.
Eventually, Jay and Geena return to London and Jay settles his dispute with his father and brother. Geena then turns up for her relative's wedding, dressed in Indian attire, and sings with her band. She then attempts to reunite with her family, and it is revealed her brother, Sanjay (Amerjit Deu) is a criminal, and is handling illegal suits, and that her brother, Tariq (Saraj Chaudhry) is gay. Jay and Geena then leave in the bride and groom's carriage, and her mother says to her father, "She'll be back."
Cast
- Preeya KalidasPreeya KalidasPreeya Kalidas is a British singer and actress of Indian descent. She plays Amira Masood in the soap opera EastEnders. She returned to a career in singing, with her single "Shimmy" being released in July 2010 taken from her debut album Constant Craving, was supposed to be released in September...
as Geena - James McAvoyJames McAvoyJames McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune...
as Jay - Ray PanthakiRay PanthakiRay Panthaki is a British-born actor, film producer and writer.Born in London, Panthaki is best known for the roles he played on BBC soap opera EastEnders as Ronny Ferreira and as 'Hassan B' the nemesis to Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G in Ali G Indahouse...
as Anil - Ciarán McMenaminCiarán McMenaminCiarán McMenamin is an Irish actor who is now living in South London. He is best known for playing Matt Anderson, replacing Jason Flemyng as lead on Primeval.- Early life :...
as Dean - Kat Bhathena as Anjali
- Ian McShaneIan McShaneIan David McShane is an English actor, director, producer, voice artist, and comedian.Despite appearing in numerous films, McShane is best known for his television roles, particularly the BBC's Lovejoy and HBO's Western drama Deadwood...
as Frank - Amerjit Deu as Sanjay
- Karen Shenaz David as Neeta
- Lalita Ahmed as Geena's mother
- Andy Beckwith as Johnny
- Jo Cameron Brown as Anita
- Saraj Chaudhry as Tariq
- Giada Dobrzenska as Club Kid
- Ronny JhuttiRonny JhuttiRonny Jhutti is a British actor. He has appeared on television many times, including Shameless, EastEnders, Holby City, Ideal and Doctor Who ....
as Dilip - Tajpal Rathore as Family Member
- Ranu Setna as Uncle Ganesh
- Faizaan Shurai as Factory Worker
Reception
The film did not do well at the box office, and was not very well received by the public, both English and Asian communities. It received mostly negative reviews from critics.Awards and nominations
British Independent Film Awards- Jeremy Wooding- Douglas Hickox Award- Nominated