A Critical Examination of Cultural Influences in the Film Bend It Like Beckham Essay

The film Bend it like Beckham resonates with me strongly, as the dispute amongst western sandwich and Indian floriculture is all too familiar. The main character Jess Bhamra personifies this conflict in the most perfect and relatable way. Being a first generation Australian-born girl with Indian heritage, I stack in person attest to having to simultaneously maintain two actually different cultures that so often clash. Bend it like Beckham, is a film telling the tommyrot of an Indian girl whose only real goal in life, untold to her p arnts dismay, is to take to the woods professional football game game.As Jess embarks on her trying journey of self-developwork forcet in a cross- heathen space, she befriends fellow football enthusiast and player Jules who convinces Jess to draw together the local womens football team. This friendship provides an interesting perspective on the Western culture, by offering the responder an insight into the struggles of Jules life, well-nigh of which are very same struggles present for Jess. The diasporic identities that are Jess parents are non rickety intentioned, however slightly overbearing in their persistence of Jess obligations to her tralatitiously Sikh family.Thematic aspects of etic-emic distinction are raised in this film and entangle the role of women, homosexuality, stereotypes, cross-generational behaviours and integration by relational theory. All such themes are highlighted by the culture clash at play, as Jess attempts to grasp some sense of identity in an over-protected Indian space. Womens roles in some(prenominal) Western and Indian cultures are thoroughly scrutinized in the film. Jess expresses some irritation in assuming the traditional role of a Sikh charr as stipulated by her parents.This is the main source of discontent passim the film, as her ethnocentric parents truly, and somewhat naively, hold the belief that becoming a lawyer and marrying a man within their community is the key t o happiness. As was notable in Article one of Part A, the Asian culture holds verity to family-kin relationships and obedience to elders in very high esteem. In this regard, Jess Western set of freedom of choice and personal fulfilment take a backseat. This is highlighted in a conversation that occurs with her Western teammates, where hey ask her how she is able to stand getting an logical marriage to which she replies, Its just culture with a certain(a) nonchalance. In doing so Jess is demonstrating that she is culture-bound, conditioned to the Indian ethnical practiced of place marriages. The ultimate attribution error committed by Jess parents is not a result of ill-intentions, rather a protection mechanism against unknown western influences. The role of women in the Western culture is not spared of social translation in this film.It is interesting that Chadha, the Indian-born writer, director and producer of the film, chooses to examine the social constructs border the implications of a womens football team in England. As thither is no professional English womens football league, one can safely assume that football is not an appropriate past time for women. This idea is reaffirmed by Jules mother who, throughout the film, holds a very traditional English view on the role of women in society.She often expresses her reproval with sentiments such as, Nobodys going to go out with a girl whos bigger muscles than him Jess mother subscribes to the Indian tradition of a woman as a homemaker by saying, What sort of family would destiny a daughter-in-law who could play football but not cook? expressing more the same outlook as Jules mother, varied only by the individual womens contexts. Such generalisations roughly womens social placement is excessively seen in Article four of Part A.Adams et al. (2010) acknowledges the place of women in Spanish society as home-maker figures by hypothesising women to be more able in polychronic environments. It is as well as seen that the Western culture as a whole participates in the alienation of the team as a result of unfeminine associations. This is seen when Jess makes the question that Indian girls do not play football. Jules pointedly remarks, Its not just an Indian thing. How many people come out to concentrate us? The girls clearly strain an equality bear oning relationship with the mens team. The concept of homosexuality is broached in this film. While the tactual sensation is still taboo in Indian culture, Chadha makes a statement by depicting the West to be more in recoiled but evenly disapproving.This is illustrated by the undue paranoia felt by Jules mother when she mistakes the friendship regardween Jules and Jess as something more. When confronted, Jules exclaims, Mum, just because I wear trackies and play sport does not make me a lesbian The matter-of-fact feel of this conversation and take aim of homosexual awareness in the Western culture is contrasted by Jess n annas remark, Why did she call Jess a lesbian? I ideal she was a Pisces Her obvious lack of knowledge in confusing homosexuality and astrological star signs indicate her culture blind nature. As if to reiterate the secretive taboo that is homosexuality in the Indian culture, Chadha scripts Tony, Jess childhood priapic friend, as a homosexual. Jess reaction to the news is indicative of a usual first-generation non-resident-Indian, a result of cultural conditioning.Her shock is portrayed through her exclamation, alone youre Indian as if to say homosexuality is simply non-existent in the Indian culture. Jess soon recovers and displays an acceptance far greater than that of her own nanna or Jules mother and tells Tony that she is okay with him liking David Beckham. While Chadha aims to resist and prognosticate some stereotyping, the stereotyping of Indian communities as backward and conservative is still very prevalent throughout the film.Jules mother innocently typifies the Ind ian culture in her first encounter with Jess by making statements such as, I bet your parents are fixing you up with a handsome young reconstruct soon and Jess, I hope you can teach my daughter a bit about your culture, including respect for elders and the like. She soon learns of Jess involvement in Jules football club and meekly states, Ive never seen an Indian girl play football before. Jules mother exhibits culture-blind behaviour and has very fixed notions about Indian culture she exudes disbelief as Jess dispels these essentialising notions.Chadha further breaks free from the stereotyping of arranged marriages by scripting Jess sister, Pinky, as having a fare marriage. When Jess tells her teammates that her sisters marriage was a love match, the display of acculturation allows for her teammates to learn that the Indian culture is not as backward and conservative as is perceived. It seems that for an Indian family living abroad, the generational gap between parent and child is magnified by the underwrite of cross-cultural aspects. Jess and her father share the same penchant for sport and both qualified to participate in quasi-professional teams in England.When both characters are on the receiving end of racial slurs on the field, they both react true to their cultural upbringing. Jess father demonstrates an Eastern submission and interdependent self-concept by walking past from the sport and quashing any hopes of returning to the field. Jess, however, displayed a more Western lateralisation and independent self-concept by physically retaliating, costing her a red tease and a temporary suspension from playing. The Eastern mentality of obedience is also noted by Chang et al (2007) in stating anti-hierarchical behaviour is not allowed in Taiwanese workplaces.The movie culminates in Pinkys extravagant wedding, very true to Indian culture. As an unfortunate coincidence, the football Grand Finals are held on the same solar day, rendering Jess unable to attend her football match and compelling her to her sister-of-the-bride duties. Throughout the movie, Chadha depicts Jess parents in a harsh, dictatorial light however, her fathers aspiration for her happiness compassionately exceeds his own expectations, If its the only thing that result put a smile on your face one the day of your sisters wedding, go and play. Jess reluctance to leave suggests that she strongly identifies with family ties and cultural commitments. Urged by Tony, she ultimately leaves the wedding to play the last half of the football match, winning the game and landing an opportunity to play professional football in America. Through Relational Theory her parents understand that to have a meaningful social relationship with their daughter they must actively seek to understand her cultural viewpoint and schema.This feel-good film is a perfect exemplar of Contact Hypothesis whereby Chadha has brought to life some contentious issues of Eastern and Western culture an d allowed for a gradual process of cultural integration throughout the film. Concepts such as the gender roles, homosexuality, stereotyping and generation gaps are highlighted so as to demonstrate that multicultural societies should not invoke permanent differences, rather form fluid identities which enable people to accept and internalize all components of culture beneficial to their lives.