Bhaji on the Beach [Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - British Film Institute
Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (7th October 2025).
The Film

"Bhaji on the Beach" (1993)

Simi (played by Shaheen Khan) heads a community group for South Asian women and plans a road trip to the coastal town of Blackpool for the day. The women scheduled to join range from young teens to the elderly, all ready to take in some fresh air and time away from their daily routines. Ladhu (played by Nisha Nayar) and Madhu (played by Renu Kochar) are teens that are hoping to find some fun with local boys. Hashida (played by Sarita Khajuria) is a university student who finds out that she is pregnant and is unsure about her future with her studies as well as with her relationship with boyfriend Oliver (played by Mo Sesay). Asha (played by Lalita Ahmed) is a middle aged housewife who has daydreams and nightmares of Bollywood musicals and Lord Rama, who wonders if her life had gone in the right direction. Rekha (played by Souad Faress), a woman in her 40s who is unafraid of sexiness and dressed in bright pink. There is also Ginder (played by Kim Vithana), who is having trouble with her abusive husband Ranjit (played by Jimmi Harkishin). Will their trip to the seaside bring them a good time, or will their realities at home come along with them?

“Bhaji on the Beach” was the first feature film by director Gurinder Chadha, and it was the first British film directed by a woman of South Asian descent. Her works have received universal praise worldwide and commercial recognition, with features such as “What’s Cooking?” (2000), “Bend It Like Beckham” (2002), “Bride and Prejudice” (2004), “It’s a Wonderful Afterlife” (2010), and “Blinded by the Light” (2019) showcasing British-Asian identity and culture – something that was neglected in media. Though there is a sizeable population of British Indians in the United Kingdom, their representation on television and film were minor at best, and for women it was basically non-existent. “Bhaji on the Beach” made quite a challenge, by placing not just British Asians, but British Asian women as the main characters of the story, with the characters representing different aspects. Some are older and are strictly conservative with religion and tradition. Others are younger and have a stronger connection to western ideals. There are also some in the middle who are torn between the old and the new. While the women share some things in common with each other, the film gives each unique character traits and dilemmas.

The story might be lighthearted in nature with it being a road trip film and having quite a lot of humor and fun, with the male strip club segment being a highlight for the women, there are a lot of serious issues to be shown. Racist behavior is shown from large to small. A group of white men throwing things at their bus and calling names is troublesome. Even a minor remark by a white delivery man saying that the scorching weather is probably something they would be used to instead of a typical Brit can be taken as a racist remark. But it’s not just from the whites, there are mentions of racism from within, with comments about darker skin tones and what that represents. Race relations is also an issue, as Hashida has not told her parents about Oliver, who is of Caribbean descent, even though they had been seeing each other for a year. Sexism is also shown, from comical moments like the bus of men mooning the women, to the women’s harrowing discovery of seeing Ginder’s bruises on her arm. The generation gap also creates some tension, with the older characters such as Pushpa (played by Zohra Sehgal) being shocked at how the younger teens are acting, or how she reacts to Hashida being pregnant.

While women are at the focus and how they must overcome their obstacles, there are significant supporting male characters as well. Oliver might first come across as a careless and carefree young man, the scene with his father (played by Rudolph Walker) shows that he is just as confused, but is looking for advice. When Asha meets Mr. Ambrose Waddington (played by Peter Cellier), a local actor and a gentleman who is nice enough to buy her a new pair of shoes and strolls with her as they talk about movies is like a dream for her, and there are no catches or strings. He is truly just a nice person having a nice time with her. But then with Ranjit and his brothers Balbir (played by Tanveer Ghani) and Manjit (played by Akbar Kurtha) chasing Ginder and her young son Amrik (played by Amar Chadha-Patel) and trying to get her to come back home by force is a disturbing segment, with stalking and violence placed in the story. The film shows the differing sides of men in relationships, from the nice jolly gentlemanlike behavior on first dates, the confused boyfriend when things start to get serious, as well as the hateful and controlling men who do not use logic or reason to get what they want. There is a bit of hope when the youngest brother Manjit shows that he disapproves of his older brothers' actions and is an example of positivity and change.

While many of the themes shown are universal, there are many aspects that are specific to British Asians, from the mix of English and their native tongue in conversations – in this case Punjabi and English spoken together, the religious touches, and the differences between eastern and western cultures colliding. Chadra and co-writer Meera Syal decided not to hold back with the themes that they both knew from experience in life and wrote a script that gave voices to the women rarely heard. There was no guarantee that Chadra would get another opportunity to make another film, as there have been numerous instances of minority filmmakers being basically silenced due to lack of supposed appeal, whether in Britain or in Hollywood or around the globe, but thankfully Chadra would continue onto grander works in her directing career.

“Bhaji on the Beach” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival n September 11th, 1993, followed by festival appearances at Cinefest Sudbury and Chicago International Film Festival before the theatrical release in the UK from January 21st, 1994. The film received positive notices and won awards at Locarno and from the Evening Standard, and was nominated for Best British Film by the BAFTAs, but lost to “Shallow Grave”. Not only was it a landmark for representation, the film is a highly enjoyable and eye-opening feature with colorful characters and tackling serious subjects in a lighthearted comedy-drama. But as for home video, the film has not had a particularly good release for all these years. The BFI has given the film its first Blu-ray release, with a good selection of extras included.

Note this is a region B Blu-ray

Video

The BFI presents the film in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio in 1080p AVC MPEG-4. The HD transfer comes from rightsholder Channel 4. There is no mention of what elements were used for the transfer, though The image quality is quite good, with the vibrant colors of the costumes and the Blackpool pier area looking very nice having a natural palette. Detail is very good and damage is quite minimal, with no major signs of scratches or debris to be found. The framing is in the HD standard rather than the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1, though it seems this is opening the matte slightly at the top and bottom rather than being cropped. There is a healthy amount of film grain to be found and is a fine transfer to say the least.

The film's runtime is 100:37.

Audio

English/Punjabi LPCM 2.0 stereo
The original stereo track is presented in uncompressed LPCM. The film is mostly dialogue driven and is center based, though the occasional music cues use the stereo separation very well. The Punjabi language cover of “Summer Holiday” (with a translation by Chadha herself) sounds vibrant as well as other Indian music cues sound great, as well as the booming music in the strip club sequence. Music and dialogue are well balanced throughout and there are no issues of dropout, hiss, pops, or any damage to the audio track.

There are optional English, English HoH subtitles for the main feature. Both are in a white font, are easy to read and well timed. The standard English subtitles translate all the non-English dialogue. The English HoH subtitles translate and caption all the dialogue as well as give hard-of-hearing cues where necessary.

Extras

"I'm British But..." 1989 short film by Gurinder Chadha (with optional introduction by activist and broadcaster Shani Dhanda) (31:55)
This documentary short was Chadha's first film and an eye-opening work looking at British Asian identity. As seen through interviews of various people who grew up all across the United Kingdom, from London to Wales to Belfast, they may have Indian, Bengali, or Pakistani roots by blood but have lived their lives in the British isles. Discussed are about their lives at home, their families and upbringing, their culture, as well as not completely identifying with one country, as they face racism in Britain as well as having a disconnect when visiting their parents' home countries. There are also some great examples of cultural blending, such as the mix of techno and acid house music with samples of Bhangra music and the forward thinking movement through music and new culture. The production, funded by the BFI and Channel 4 was shot on film, though this transfer seems to come from a standard definition source rather than being an HD transfer. It is still in good condition, with the image being clear and sound being clear, though colors do lack range and there are some damage marks to be found. There is an optional introduction from Shani Dhanda, the British disability activist of Asian descent on the documentary's focus on a minority that had little representation in the media at the time and still struggles in the modern day. The introduction is in 1.78:1 with clips of the short being in the original 1.33:1. Interestingly, the introduction is authored in the same title as the short film, so the runtime listed above includes the three minute intro. By choosing to watch without the introduction, it skips over the first three minutes to the second chapter, which starts the documentary short.
in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1 (short) / 1.78:1 (introduction), in English LPCM 2.0 mono with optional English HoH subtitles

"A Nice Arrangement" 1991 short film by Gurinder Chadha (10:52)
Chadha's second short was her first scripted work, which looks at a British Indian family in preparation for a wedding. Through conversations between the extended family, a lot is learned about their lives, from generation gaps, religion and even divorce, it's a hectic time that all takes place in a suburban British house in an eleven minute period. The short was written by Meera Syal who also plays the divorced auntie and would later go on to work with Chadha again in "Bhaji on the Beach" as its screenwriter, and the short film does have some similarities in tone and themes with the later feature with the relationships shown and the underlying humor. The short was shot on film, though this transfer seems to be from an analog source, so it does show some weakness with jaggies on the image and lacking detail. It is still in a watchable state and is in fair condition, with sound being clear throughout.
in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.66:1, in English LPCM 2.0 mono with optional English HoH subtitles

"First Film of Blackpool" c1898 short (1:24)
This vintage reel is the oldest known film shot in the seaside city of Blackpool, showing the tram in motion as well as the many people (and dogs) walking around the streets. There is also a great shot in the second half taken from the tram itself, looking at the city in motion including Blackpool Tower. It is unknown as to who shot the film and the exact date, though it is estimated as 1898 due to the lack of overhead wiring for the tram, which was introduced in 1899. There are many damage marks but is in wonderful condition considering the age. Some of the darker portions are crushed and lacking detail, but it is a miracle that such an old reel of film survives at all. The music used for the background is "I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside" (1907, piano roll) by John H Glover-Kind, from the Free Music Archive. The short is also available to watch for free on the BFI Player.
in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, Music LPCM 2.0 stereo

"Holiday" 1957 British Transport Film short (18:02)
This BTF short showcases tourists arriving in Lancashire for some fun in the sun, from amusement park rides and swimming in the pool, for everyone from children to grandparents. The jazzy score is also a standout with the fun images against the droll narration track. The transfer is very good, remastered from original film elements, with good sharpness and stability, though there are some instances of flickering, damage marks, and faded colors. Audio is on the better side, with the music sounding excellent throughout. Note this short is also available on BFI’s “The Best of British Transport Films Volume 2” Blu-ray set and on the BFI's Blu-ray of "A Taste of Honey", though on those releases there were no subtitles included. Here they have provided it with English HoH subtitles. Note the short is also available to watch for free on the BFI Player. An extract of the film has also been embedded below, courtesy of the BFI's YouTube channel.
in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English LPCM 2.0 mono with optional English HoH subtitles



"London Me Bharat" 1972 short (20:01)
This documentary short is notable for being the first Hindi language film made in the UK. The narrated short looks at the Indian population in London, with the daily lives of people, their thriving businesses in the communities, and the availability of Indian goods such as groceries, books, and records in the shops. The black and white image has very good greyscale and is quite sharp, though there are some damage marks, gatehairs in frame at times. Audio is also very good with the narration being fairly clear. There are both English subtitles for the Hindi audio as well as English HoH subtitles with captions including the minor instances of English. Note this short can also be watched for free on the BFI Player.
in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in Hindi/English LPCM 2.0 with optional English, English HoH subtitles

Gallery (4:55)
Presented here is a silent automated slideshow gallery of stills from the productions “I’m British, But…”, “A Nice Arrangement” and “Bhaji on the Beach” with behind the scenes stills and promotional stills as well as documents such as shooting schedules and letters.
in 1080p AVC MPEG-4


Booklet
A 32 page booklet is included in the first pressing. First is "Director’s Statement: Bhaji on the Beach and BFI New Directors", which is newly written by Chadha on the film's production.


The film had a DVD release by Cinema Club/Film 4 back in 2007, with a fullscreen transfer and no extras. There was also an Australian DVD by Shock with basically the same specs. This debut on Blu-ray by the BFI has the film in the widescreen aspect ratio for the first time on home video plus extras making it an easy upgrade. It's a bit unfortunate that there were no retrospective interviews or a commentary included, but it is still a fair selection of extras included. The first essay is "Why Bhaji on the Beach still speaks to British Asian women today" written by journalist Kohinoor Sahota, looking at the themes in the film and the timeless aspect. Next is "Seeking sun, sea and solidarity" by Jessica Boyall, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Exeter, looking at the film and the impact it has had. There are references to a Sight and Sound published interview with Chadha in 1994, which can be found here. There are also selected film credits, a family recipe for onion bhajis by the BFI's John Ramchandani, special features information, transfer information, acknowlegements, and stills.


Other notable clips:


A vintage trailer for the film, courtesy of Film 4


A clip from the film, courtesy of Park Circus


A vintage interview with Chanda from 1998


Meera Syal talks writing Bhaji On The Beach and Goodness Gracious Me in 2024, courtesy of BAFTA


2025 introduction to the film by filmmaker Clio Barnard

Overall

"Bhaji on the Beach" looks at cultural differences, generation gaps, sexism, racism, all in a road movie through the eyes of women that certainly still feels fresh more than thirty years later. The BFI's Blu-ray might not be particularly packed with extras, but there is still a good amount included, and the transfer is very good as well. The release comes as recommended.

Amazon UK link

The Film: A- Video: A Audio: A Extras: B Overall: B+

 


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