Middling screenplay

As a sequel, West is West, a diaspora film about a Pakistani boy going
back to his roots, fails to recreate the magic of the original 

OM Puri is one of the earlier Bollywood stars to make it big in Hollywood and this could qualify a better insight into the mix of cultures. But that does not come across in West is West, a diaspora film about a Pakistani boy Sajid (Aqib Khan) going back to his roots. As a sequel to East is East, it comes 11 years too late and is set in the 1970s and is not helped by Ayub Khan Din’s middling screenplay and wishy-washy handling by director Andy de Emmony. Old Om Puri’s influence is scarcely felt, sadly.

In fact, his constant muttering of half-formed words like stupy and baster is quite annoying for starters. But George Khan alias Jehangir’s (Om Puri) problem is that he cannot get along with his son Sajid, who is downright antagonistic to the old man. So what’s the next step?

Well, take him to the motherland and the little runt is in for a culture shock. No proper toilets, language gap (he only knows the swear-words) and coping with the natives. Meanwhile, George meets the family he has left for 30 years but supported them by sending money from England. His first wife Basheera (Ila Arun) is cold to him and so are his children.

George, of course, is the original MCP as is seen by his treatment of both his wives, the English Ella (Linda Bassett) and Basheera. So when he decides to build a grand new hoe in Pakistan, he withdraws money from the English banks. The net result is that Ella is penniless and, along with aunt Annie (Leslie Nicoll), she arrives in Pakistan.

When the two wives meet, one would expect fireworks. This happens but on a jiffy there is a rapprochement. Hurrah for women’s camaraderie. Though the title is West is West, for all practical purposes, the twain have met. Why, Sajid is even manoeuvring a match for his half-brother Maneer (Emil Marwa). Oh so implausible! But there are more misnomers as the film chugs on for 103 minutes though it feels much longer.

Thankfully, there is some dramatic relief but it tends to mix genres and comedy takes over. There have been a spate of diaspora films in the last decade, some by Mira Nair but this one falls between two stools. Still it does have its realistic moments, bittersweet, where George is made to see himself in the mirror and doesn’t like the image.

Om Puri hams his way through, except for a moment of truth and Linda Bassett is more ornamental than real. Newcomer Aqib Khan is excellent as the angry young man, who is finally tamed while Ila Arun is totally wasted in a spineless role. If one looks for plus points, the music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is good in a film that raises a few questions but provides too convenient answers.

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