This film is part of Free
Asian Arranged Marriages
Janet Street-Porter investigates traditional arranged marriages in the young Asian community of the 70s
Overview
Janet Street Porter investigates the Asian tradition of arranged marriages through the case of Jan, a young Sikh woman breaking away from her family and their traditional Asian values. In this frank documentary, Jan and Janet get to the root of some common contradictions faced by first and second generation British Asians. The articulate Jan proves an engaging interviewee, smashing sensible Asian girl stereotypes.
Arranged marriages - a source of intergenerational conflict for Asian communities and of perennial fascination for others - were a common theme in TV explorations of Asian issues in the 1970s and 80s. Jan's parents came here in the late 50s from north India. She is a twentysomething solicitor, born and bought up in England. Her parents' views are at odds with her own so she decides to leave home. Jan wants the freedom to wear her own choice of clothes, let her hair down, go to the pub, drink and play darts. What she doesn't want is a marriage arranged for her by her parents. This timeless documentary explores very pertinent questions: what are arranged marriages, how do they factor in a young Asian woman's life and how can she balance a life between two cultures?
Related
The Bradford Godfather The Bradford Godfather
1976 49 mins Location: Bradford
Meet Mohamed Fazal Hussain, elder statesman and all-round Mr Fixit of Bradford's Muslim community, and a film mogul in the making...
The Referee The Referee
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1976 4 mins
Wrestling as a metaphor for race relations in this short aimed at Britain's South-Asian community
Asian Pub Landlord Asian Pub Landlord
News 1968 2 mins Location: Newbridge
Mr Dhanjal from Wolverhampton: custodian of one of the most vital positions in any community.
Oriental Atmosphere Oriental Atmosphere
Non-Fiction 1928 1 mins Silent Location: Woking
Britain's oldest mosque welcomes a vast crowd of worshippers, visitors, curious onlookers and the odd newsreel camera!
Gandhi in England British Screen News No. 335 Gandhi in England British Screen News No. 335
Non-Fiction 1931 2 mins Silent
Mahatma Gandhi's arrival in England for the second India Round Table Conference at St James's Palace
Sikh Matron Sikh Matron
Magazine and Review show 1985 8 mins Location: Kinver
From the temple to the hospital Kartar Singh is a leading practitioner of Sikhism.
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.