CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA PROVES TO BE A FILM FAVOURITE
(7 October 2004)

'Chicken Tikka Masala', the first feature film to be produced by Seven Spice Productions, was shown for the first time at the Raindance Film Festival on 7 October 2004. Being chosen for the Festival short-list has been an achievement in itself for the new Preston based production company, but one success has followed another, and the film has won considerable praise from critics and judges alike. Chicken Tikka Masala opens in the UK on 22 April 2005. The screenplay for Chicken Tikka Masala was produced by 18 year old writer, Roopesh Parekh and directed by Harmage Singh Kalirai.

Conceived and produced by Seven Spice partners, Sanjay Tandon and Rony Ghosh, Chicken Tikka Masala was described by Festival Director, Elliot Grove as an inspiring example of independent film making. “We were honoured to be able to screen the film at Raindance,” he said, “and the reaction from the audience was extremely favourable. We wish Chicken Tikka Masala great success, and we have no doubt at all that it will achieve it.” Indeed, with a star cast, a fresh, witty script and an entertaining plotline, the film looks set to build on its critical acclaim with genuine popular appeal.

The film’s cast comprises many well known actors including “East Is East” star, Chris Bisson, "Coronation Street's" Jamila Massey and Saeed Jaffrey (OBE), who has appeared in many successful features including “Gandhi”, “The Man Who Would Be King” and Hanif Kureishi’s “My Beautiful Laundrette”. “Working on Chicken Tikka Masala has been a real pleasure,” said Chris Bisson, who plays the lead role of the soon-to-be-married Jimi. “The story itself is funny and challenging, but more than that, it’s been really rewarding to make a film that has such a modern take on multi-culturalism and human relationships.”

Jimi’s somewhat conventional father, Mr Chopra, is played by Saeed Jaffrey, who, speaking shortly after the Festival screening, explained why he so enjoyed the role: “The film presents Mr Chopra with some extremely difficult issues - and it is always very interesting to play someone who is struggling with his conscience. Mr Chopra’s traditional attitudes come into direct conflict with the realities of modern life, and one of the story’s pivotal issues rests on his ability to come to terms with change.

“It was also very gratifying to be part of such a strong cast, which was made all the stronger by the presence of Zohra Segal - a wonderful actress who has played my mother in many previous films. She came over from India especially for the role and I was absolutely thrilled to be working with her again.”

FILM SYNOPSIS

It is celebration time for the Chopra family of Preston. Not only their only son Jimi is all set to become a doctor but is going to get engaged to the girl his family likes, Simran, who has come from India. She comes from a respectable Gujarati family, is well educated, pretty and above all, the only daughter of a very good and old friend of the Chopra’s. She’s perfect in every way except one. She is not Jack, Jimi’s true love.

With the engagement done and the wedding date set, the house being decorated and relatives, family and friends coming over, the Chopra family has never been so happy. Jimi can’t give himself to break his family’s heart nor can he give up Jack.

Fate seems to be on Jimi’s side when a series of accidents and misunderstanding leads Simran to believe that Jimi is a father to a eight year old girl, Hannah. Optimistic that things will now change and he will be able to get back to Jack, Jimi makes no attempt to clean up the air. Instead, his family turns up at his doorstep to propose his social wedding to Vanessa, his landlady and Hannah’s mother. Mayhem breaks loose and confusion reigns all around. It all ends with the Chopra family welcoming Vanessa into their family.

The wedding goes ahead as planned but with a difference. Will Jimi come clean? Will he tell the truth about Jack and Vanessa? Will there be happiness at the Chopra household after this?

Chicken Tikka Masala is a film about relationships, about love and living. It portrays different cultures with their nuances and ethos. It deals with race, colour, generation gaps, sexual orientations and family ties. It is the melting pot where all the above ingredients when added, creates an unique flavour… love, love which transcends all barriers, issues and differences.

It is a film that will have you laughing, crying and cursing, all at the same time.

THE CAST

The cast includes:
Chris Bisson (previously starred in ‘East is East’ – directed by Damian O Donnell.)
Saeed Jaffrey OBE. (‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ – directed by Stephen Frears; ‘The Man Who Would be King’ – directed by John Huston. In 1995, the Queen awarded Saeed Jaffrey an OBE for services to drama.)
Sally Bankes (‘Coronation Street’; ‘Fat Friends’.)
Jamila Massey (‘Coronation Street’.)
Peter Ash (‘Footballers’ Wives’.)
Zohra Segal (‘Bend It Like Beckham’; ‘Bhaji On the Beach’.)
Sushil Chudasama (‘Blue Murder’.)
Harish Patel (‘The Buddha of Suburbia’.)
Katy Clayton (the youngest member of the cast, Katy lives in Bolton.)

The film is due to have its official premiere at the Guild Hall Theatre in Preston in a few weeks’ time. More information about Chicken Tikka Masala can be found on the film’s website www.ctm-feature.com.