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| Second Generation | 
| Director: Jon Sen
Actors: Radhika Aggarwal, Lalita Ahmed, Joanna Bacon, William Beck, Shelley Conn
Studio: Acorn Media
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $14.03
You Save: $10.96 (44%)
Buy New/Used from $6.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  (6 reviews)
Sales Rank: 24211
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 120 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 1569387850
UPC: 054961785094
EAN: 9781569387856
ASIN: B0009KA7EA
Release Date: July 5, 2005
Theatrical Release Date: 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Set in London and Calcutta, Second Generation is a riveting, if occasionally overwrought melodrama about modern day Anglo-Indian life. Inspired by King Lear, the stylish TV movie revolves around prodigal daughter Heere (Parminder Nagra, Bend It Like Beckham), who is trying forge a life for herself, away from the smothering grasp of her family. Her fiance is Anglo journalist Jack (Danny Dyer) and her disapproving father is curry factory owner Sharma (Om Puri, My Son the Fanatic). Her older sisters, Rina (Amita Dhiri) and Pria (Rita Wolf), work with him--and can't wait till Sharma dies, so they can sell the business. Then there's old flame Sam (Christopher Simpson), who runs a club and record label dedicated to the sounds of the "Asian Underground." Produced for Britain's Channel 4, Second Generation is a hip, sudsy soap opera set to a brisk bhangra-meets-hip-hop beat (provided by busy DJ/composer Nitan Sawhney). --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Description
Parminder Nagra (Bend It Like Beckham, ER) stars in a vivid drama set chiefly in the curry factories, night clubs, bedrooms, and kitchens of London's Southall neighborhood. Part King Lear, part passionate romance, the story revolves around the fall of an aging patriarch (Om Puri, East is East) with three daughters. The youngest, Heere (Nagra), a runaway from her repressive family, is engaged to white music journalist Jack (Danny Dyer, Human Traffic). Her father's illness and her sisters' treachery draw Heere back into the family circle and back into the arms of her first love, record label and club owner Sam Khan (Christopher Simpson, White Teeth). Also starring Bollywood superstar Anupam Kher and featuring an electrifying soundtrack by award-winning British-Asian musician Nitin Sawhney.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 An engaging story of love and family May 23, 2007
As a second generation Cypriot born in London I could very much relate to this programme. Maybe not so much as an Indian person perhaps, but the similarities are there with regards to the oldies set in their ways and wanting to keep traditions and culture going whereas the young want to be free from all of that. I found Parminder Nagra's acting excellent and could really feel for her character and her inner turmoil. Some of the acting was forced but PN turned in a star performance.
Having watched the programme on Channel 4, I was very disappointed to watch the dvd and see that there was no subtitles for whenever any Bengali was spoken. Those parts where important to Heere and Sam's story and also with her mother's. There was actually no subtitles whatsoever - what of the deaf or hard of hearing? Very lazy and that goes to all who produce dvd's without subtitles. So for this reason the dvd automatically loses a star.
Overall, a small insight into Indian life which may not appeal to all but certainly appealed to me.
 Philosophically a terrible portrait of the Second Generation May 4, 2006
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
Even after all this time i remember the potential this had and the way it disappointed. Hopefully something better will be filmed with the same title soon.
The flaws are endless. The story upholds every stereotype and it is actually shocking to find out the director is asian. The director in his own right is very good in "Bradford Riots" which is excellent.
In second generation however, the underlying messeges could not have been better written by a BNP member!
philosophically it is stuck in a dead swamp and does not add anything progressive, distinct or dynamically challenging whatsoever which is ultimately what second generation kids are all about... everywhere, always..in the history of the world.
 A rare but honest portrayl August 12, 2005
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
There has been a recent deluge of movies that have tried to ride Bollywood's wave of bubble-gum popularity ("Bend it like Beckham", "Bride and Prejudice", etc.). While such movies are enjoyable in their own right, none of them offer any huge revelations about Indian families, and more importantly, never come remotely close to capturing the cultural and emotional complexities of Indian diaspora as does "Second Generation."
This is an insightful film that pulls no punches in portraying the pain, struggles, and strife found in immigrant South Asian families living in the West. Heere (Parminder Nagra) is a Hindu girl engaged to a white man and as a result, is practically ostracized by her family. Despite her best attempts to bring a semblance of normalcy into her life, she finds it impossible without the approval of her father (Om Puri). In addition to playing the daughter to the tragic patriarch, Parminder also appears as his dead wife, by whom he is haunted. Her past (and soon to be renewed) love interest, Sam (Sameer) brings another dimension to the film. He is the rebel Muslim who leads a double-life of clubbing, drinking, and illicit sex unknown to his father (Anupam Kher) and more shockingly, is in love with a Hindu Girl. Heere does eventually find herself and her true love in the end, but only after much emotional trauma and grief.
Parminder plays a more feisty character in this film than she did in "Bend it like Beckham." In her own words (according to a recent interview in the Guardian), she's "more outspoken, edgy and grown-up than Jess, who would never go against her parents." The movie is also definitely star-studded--alongside Parminder are venerable veterans such as Om Puri, Anupam Kher, and Roshan Seth. Granted, there are a few awkward scenes that don't flow too well, but these are minor flaws that are more than just redeemed by the rest of the production. Finally, the film has a fantastic soundtrack with memorable beats by the impressive Nitin Sawhney.
"Second Generation" is touching and poignant, and for those of us who truly are the second generation, it definitely hits close to home.
Excellent Film August 10, 2005
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a great film about the turmoils faced by the children of immigrants and a great insight into another culture.
Wonderful! July 7, 2005
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Shocked to see such a harsh review for this title below. It's enormously enjoyable, and I think some of the points highlighted in the negative review below can be explained by the fact that this drama is based on Shakespeare's King Lear (e.g. the mental father). Nagra and an ensemble cast of Anglo-Indian actors provide support to the storyline very well. It's obvious Ms. Nagra is a star on the rise and here her talents are showcased brilliantly.
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