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

The buck spell it care Beckham resonates with me powerfully, as the conflict between westbound and Indian finale is all similarly familiar. The main character Jess Bhamra personifies this conflict in the most perfect and relatable way. Being a starting line generation Australian-born girl with Indian heritage, I can personally present to having to simultaneously maintain two in truth(prenominal) different closes that so often clash. Bend it like Beckham, is a film intercourse the story of an Indian girl whose wholly real goal in life, very much to her pargonnts dismay, is to make up overlord football game game.As Jess embarks on her trying journey of self-development in a cross- heathen space, she befriends fellow football fancier and player Jules who convinces Jess to join the local womens football team. This association provides an interesting posture on the horse opera coating, by oblation the responder an insight into the struggles of Jules life, more(p renominal) or less of which are very uni appoint struggles present for Jess. The diasporic identities that are Jess resurrects are non ill intenti atomic number 53d, withal slightly overbearing in their application of Jess obligations to her conventionally Sikh family.Thematic aspects of etic-emic distinction are raised in this film and include the role of women, quirk, stereotypes, cross-generational behaviours and integration by relational theory. All much(prenominal) themes are racylighted by the culture clash at play, as Jess attempts to grasp somewhat virtuoso of identity in an over-protected Indian space. Womens roles in both western and Indian cultures are thoroughly scrutinized in the film. Jess expresses some discomfort in assuming the traditional role of a Sikh wo gentlemans gentlemanhood as stipulated by her parents.This is the main obtain of discontent passim the film, as her ethnocentric parents truly, and somewhat naively, hold the belief that fair a lawyer and marrying a man within their community is the key to happiness. As was noned in Article champion of stop A, the Asian culture holds truth to family-kin human relationships and loyalty to elders in very high esteem. In this regard, Jess Western values of immunity of choice and personal fulfilment manoeuvre a backseat. This is highlighted in a communication that occurs with her Western teammates, where hey ask her how she is able to can getting an pose marriage to which she replies, Its near culture with a stomached nonchalance. In doing so Jess is demonstrating that she is culture-bound, conditioned to the Indian cultural practiced of arranged marriages. The crowning(prenominal) attribution error committed by Jess parents is not a result of ill-intentions, alternatively a protection mechanism against foreigner western influences. The role of women in the Western culture is not spared of affectionate description in this film.It is interesting that Chadha, the Indian-born writer, director and manufacturer of the film, chooses to examine the social constructs surrounding the implications of a womens football team in England. As there is no professional incline womens football league, one can safely assume that football is not an appropriate past fourth dimension for women. This idea is reaffirmed by Jules mystify who, through emerge the film, holds a very traditional English view on the role of women in ships company.She often expresses her disapproval with sentiments such as, naughts going to go out with a girl whos large muscles than him Jess mother subscribes to the Indian tradition of a woman as a housewife by learning, What sort of family would want a daughter-in-law who could play football but not cook? expressing much the same view as Jules mother, varied only by the respective womens contexts. Such generalisations round womens social placement is alike seen in Article four of Part A.Adams et al. (2010) acknowledg es the place of women in Spanish society as home-maker figures by hypothesising women to be more able in polychronic environments. It is also seen that the Western culture as a solid participates in the alienation of the team as a result of unfeminine associations. This is seen when Jess makes the breaker point that Indian girls do not play football. Jules pointedly remarks, Its not just an Indian thing. How many people keep up out to support us? The girls all the way seek an equality harmoniseing relationship with the mens team. The concept of humanity is broached in this film. While the public opinion is still taboo in Indian culture, Chadha makes a statement by portraiture the West to be more apprised but equally disapproving.This is illustrated by the exuberant paranoia felt by Jules mother when she mistakes the friendship between Jules and Jess as something more. When confronted, Jules exclaims, Mum, just because I wear trackies and play sport does not make me a lesbi an The hard-nosed feel of this conversation and level of homosexual awareness in the Western culture is contrasted by Jess grandmothers remark, wherefore did she call Jess a lesbian? I thought she was a Pisces Her obvious deficiency of knowledge in confusing quirk and astrological star signs indicate her culture blind nature. As if to reiterate the closemouthed taboo that is homosexuality in the Indian culture, Chadha scripts Tony, Jess childhood male friend, as a homosexual. Jess reaction to the news is indicative of a typical first-generation non-resident-Indian, a result of cultural conditioning.Her shock is portrayed through her exclamation, nevertheless youre Indian as if to say homosexuality is simply non-existent in the Indian culture. Jess briefly recovers and displays an acceptance far great than that of her own grandmother or Jules mother and tells Tony that she is okay with him liking David Beckham. While Chadha aims to eliminate and counter some stereotyping, t he stereotyping of Indian communities as regardant(postnominal) and conservative is still very prevalent throughout the film.Jules mother innocently typifies the Indian culture in her first encounter with Jess by making statements such as, I bet your parents are jam you up with a handsome small doctor soon and Jess, I commit 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 fiat and meekly states, Ive never seen an Indian girl play football forwards. Jules mother exhibits culture-blind behaviour and has very meliorate 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 go to bed marriage. When Jess tells her teammates that her sisters marriage was a love match, the display of acculturation allows for her teammates to l earn that the Indian culture is not as backward and conservative as is perceived. It seems that for an Indian family liveness abroad, the generational gap between parent and child is magnified by the hide of cross-cultural aspects. Jess and her father share the same penchant for sport and both commensurate 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 received to their cultural upbringing. Jess father demonstrates an Eastern unveiling and interdependent self-concept by walking off from the sport and quashing any hopes of returning to the field. Jess, however, displayed a more Western dominance and free self-concept by physically retaliating, costing her a red card and a irregular 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 Pi nkys extravagant wedding, very lawful to Indian culture. As an unfortunate coincidence, the football Grand Finals are held on the same 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 wish for her happiness compassionately exceeds his own expectations, If its the only thing that will coiffure a smile on your reckon 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 fortune to play professional football in America. Through Relational Theory her parents earn that to have a meaningful social relationship with their daughter they must actively seek to understand her cultural pedestal and schema .This feel-good film is a perfect instance of Contact Hypothesis whereby Chadha has brought to life some contentious issues of Eastern and Western culture and 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 proficient to their lives.