Brick Lane

Drama/Romance. Tannishtha Chatterjee, Satish Kaushik, Christopher Simpson, Harvey Virdi, Lalita Ahmed, Naeema Begum, Lala Rahman, Zafreen

Since its publication in 2003, Brick Lane by Monica Ali has inspired adulation and condemnation with equal fervour.

The debut novel was nominated for the prestigious Man Booker Prize for Fiction, the George Orwell Prize for political writing, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and The Guardian Fiction Prize.

However, some residents of the area of east London depicted in the novel were not so lavish with their praise.

They alleged the Brick Lane of Ali's rich invention bore scant resemblance to the place they call home, and that the book portrayed the Bangladeshi community in a deeply negative light.

When director Sarah Gavron announced her intention to shoot a film version on location, the media fanned the flames of controversy with reports of protests and uproar.

Adding fuel to the fire, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall pulled out of a high profile charity screening of Gavron's film.

As a result, for only the second time since World War II, there was no Royal Film Performance this year.

The story revolves around 17-year-old Nazneen (Chatterjee), who enters into an arranged marriage to portly Chanu (Kaushik) - old enough to be her father - and leaves rural Bangladesh for a housing estate in London.

Brick Lane is beautifully crafted, thanks to director of photography Robbie Ryan, who paints rural Bangladesh as a colourful, vibrant paradise of idyllic childhoods.

These dreamy flashbacks contrast with the earthy tones of London, a multi-cultural melting pot which threatens to choke Nazneen's spirit.

The rich characterisation and intricate plot strands of Ali's tome have been simplified greatly by screenwriters Abi Morgan and Laura Jones.

The tragic-comic Chanu makes the biggest impression, beautifully portrayed by Kaushik, whose boundless optimism and lack of social graces cannot disguise a pure heart.

Considering the extraordinary, topsy-turvy odyssey of Brick Lane from page to screen, it's ironic that Gavron's picture should be so cosy and languid. Indeed, it is hard to imagine this well-acted tale of yearning and cultural difference sparking fierce passions or discord - a contented sigh, perhaps.

THREE AND A HALF STARS

3:22pm Thursday 15th November 2007

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