FILM ON MONICA ALI'S NOVEL TOO HOT FOR PRINCE CHARLES
By Prasun Sonwalkar, London, 27 September 2007 (IANS)

'Brick Lane', a film based on the controversial novel by the same name by Booker short-listed, Bangladesh-origin writer Monica Ali, has proved too hot for the royal family. Prince Charles has pulled out of attending its screening to avoid the possibility of protests proving an embarrassment. A Royal Gala screening was scheduled for 29 October as part of the annual Royal Film Performance but it has now been scrapped. The film adaptation of the book had faced protests in July last year from some residents of Brick Lane in London.

A spokesperson for Prince Charles said he was unable to make it to the event because of the controversy surrounding the film as well as the royal couple's busy schedule. The annual event has now been cancelled. The spokesperson said: "Obviously there has been quite a lot of controversy about that film which everyone was aware of. The appropriateness of the film chosen is important but so is the date. It is a mixture of both reasons."

The bestseller narrates the tale of a young Bangladeshi woman struggling to adapt to her new life in London after an arranged marriage. Parminder Vir, an advisor to the film who was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2002 for services to broadcasting and film, told the media: "It is very sad that the film was announced and then withdrawn just a few days later because someone at Clarence House, or wherever, had seen the film and fears that it will damage the royal family in some way.

"This plays into the hands of people who want us to live in fear of immigration and Islam. Showing this film would not damage anyone. It is not a film about race but about one woman's struggle in a new country. She just happens to be a Muslim from Bangladesh."

Sarah Gavron, the movie's director, told Variety: "The cancellation of the Royal Film Performance is a real shame. The cast and crew of the film were excited at the recognition for their work and are now understandably disappointed.

"The clear message from audiences once they have seen the film is that it is absolutely not disrespectful or controversial in any way. None of those elements cited by the minority of protesters during the production period appear in the film."

Monica Ali's debut novel was short-listed for the Booker Prize in 2003. It follows the life of Nazneen, a young girl from a village in Bangladesh, who moves to London at age 17 for an arranged marriage. Nazneen is played by Bengali actress Tannishtha Chatterjee.

Shooting for the film had been disrupted by a group of Bangladeshi businessmen in Brick Lane who believed that the writer had insulted Bangladeshi culture in the book. The threats and disruptions were reported widely in the media, prompting some to accuse the media of blowing the controversy out of proportion.

Abdus Salique, a local businessman, had told the Guardian during the film's shooting that Monica Ali was "not one of us" and had "insulted us". He later threatened protests, book burnings and even hinted at violence, vowing that they would do "anything it takes" to stop the filming.

The film Brick Lane will now premiere at the London film festival on Oct 26.