Big day, today! Not only did I discover (again) that Jim Carrey can really act – I watched The Number 23 which was quite entertaining – I also scheduled my late activities so that I could watch East Is East a dramaesk comedy about a Pakistani/English family whose patriarch is trying to force his sons into arranged marriages. The film has its highs and lows and reminded me of my time in India and the few occasions I got the locals to chit-chat about their matrimonial customs. Note that in todays India arranged marriages are still very common.
The movie takes place in England of 1971 – the time of the Indo-Pakistani War – which makes the father rant and enrage even more. Even today the divergence between the two countries – I am not gonna say ‘cultures’ because to us Whiteys it’s just one – is still noticeable and hostilities are the rule rather than the exception. A Pakstani friend who grew up in London wouldn’t get an Indian business visa for more than 3 months, so his company thought about sending him back to England. He continued his stay but I was surprised that prejudice, anger and stupidity really know no boundaries, skin colors and heritage. Well, not surprised but commemorated.
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