My Son the Fanatic (1997)

Pakistani taxi-driver Parvez and prostitute Bettina find themselves trapped in the middle when Islamic fundamentalists decide to clean up their local town.

Director:

Udayan Prasad

Writers:

Hanif Kureishi (short story), Hanif Kureishi

Stars:

Om Puri, Rachel Griffiths, Akbar Kurtha

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Om Puri	...	Parvez
Rachel Griffiths	...	Bettina / Sandra
Akbar Kurtha	...	Farid
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Schitz
Gopi Desai	...	Minoo
Harish Patel	...	Fizzy
Sarah-Jane Potts	...	Madeline Fingerhut (as Sarah Jane Potts)
Judi Jones	...	Mrs. Fingerhut
Geoffrey Bateman	...	Chief Inspector Fingerhut
Bernard Wrigley	...	Drunk man
Moya Brady	...	Druggy prostitute
Badi Uzzaman	...	Man in mosque
Andy Devine	...	Comedian
Shiv Grewal	...	Waiter
Marc Anwar	...	Rashid (as Omar Salimi)

Storyline

Parvez was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and as a child was asked to study the Holy scriptures through a Maulvi. When the Maulvi started his sermon, Parvez would fall asleep, this lead to the Maulvi devising a unique punishment, which ultimately compelled Parvez to stop attending. When he grew up, his marriage was arranged with Minoo and they immigrated to a small town in Britain, where Parvez started to make a living driving a taxi, and found himself free from all religious activity. 25 years later, Parvez is an alcoholic, still driving a cab, while people who had immigrated after him have their own businesses and are wealthier. Parvez now has a grown son, Farid, who is the apple of his eye, and is to be engaged to Madeleine Fingerhut, who is the daughter of the local Chief Inspector. After the two families' meet, Farid has a sudden change of heart when he notices that the Chief Inspector detests his family, and it slowly dawns on him that he and his girlfriend are quite different, and ...

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Plot Keywords:

prostitute | taxi | taxi driver | pakistani | sex | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and a scene of drug use

Details

Country:

UK France

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 1998 (France)

Also Known As:

Fiul meu, fanaticul

Filming Locations:

Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$38,399, 27 June 1999

Gross USA:

$417,683

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$417,683

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arts Council of England, BBC Films, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Fingerhut: [putting away photo album] Madeline was a delightful girl. She still is, of course.
Parvez: And a little bit plumpish at times. As you said, twice.
Minoo: [misunderstanding] Rice is very good. For reducing diet.
Parvez: Cricket is excellent. Farid was captain. Mrs. Fingerhut - Hilda - this boy of ours, I can assure you he's all-around type, going whole hog. But not on the field. At school he carried the prizes home. Now is college he's top student of year.
Parvez: Oh, it's not difficult.
Farid: [smirks]

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Wild Wild West/Buena Vista Social Club/My Son the Fanatic/South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut/The King of Masks (1999)

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Soundtracks

Making Music
Zakir Hussain
Precious Time Publishing (ASCAP)
© 1987 ECM Records

User Reviews

characterizing the movie

This is a great film, however I must comment that I have found many foreign films listed as "comedy" or "humorous" when in fact they are poignant, disturbing and brilliant (thank you netflix and blockbuster). "No Man's Land" and "Happy Times" are fantastic movies that are incorrectly labeled as comedy, and "My Son the Fanatic" is regrettably categorized as comedy as well. The reality of each character's life is vivid and heart breaking. I felt so uncomfortable witnessing Parvez struggle with his peers, the German, his wife and son, and Bettina. Coupled with "My Beautiful Laundrette" you get a taste of immigrant life in Britain.