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follows Ria (Priya Kansara) and her sister Lena (Ritu Arya, last seen in “Umbrella Academy“) in England.

Ria is a bright high schooler determined to go viral for her martial arts and Lena is struggling to find herself after dropping out of art school.

When Lena suddenly is courted by the town’s most eligible bachelor, the rich and successful Salim (Akshay Khanna), Ria engages in a mission to save her sister from what she believes to be a terrible decision.

Ria enlists her two best friends and one frienemy and a battle between the motley crew and Salim’s mother, Raheela (Nimra Bucha) ensues.

The movie feels like a mix between “Kill Bill” and “Kick Ass.” It doesn’t seem to take itself seriously and the twist at the end adds to the ridiculousness of the storyline. The characters seem believable even in their unbelievable situations, and Manzoor has infused Pakistani culture throughout the film. In fact, it’s a great depiction of the immigrant story in England.

Pakistanis In England

olite Society” is a playful romp from writer/director

Nida Manzoor, who previously directed two episodes of the new run of “Doctor Who.” The story

Ria is a bright high schooler determined to go

Viral For

her

Martial

arts and Lena is her sister still struggling to find herself after dropping out of art school.

Pakistani people are the second largest ethnic minority in the United Kingdom (U.K.) The vast majority of the families originated from the Azad Kashmir and Punjab regions of Pakistan. The U.K. was a common destination for Pakistanis after World War II because of British colonization of India.

When Pakistan became independent, the country remained a member of the British Commonwealth and a small group came over to work in steel mills and as doctors to work in the National Health Service (NHS).

Growing from an initial community of 10,000 in 1951, there are now 1.5 million Pakistani-British nationals, mostly in England, with London having the highest density.

The Immigrant Parent

We have covered this trope in past columns: the immigrant parent with very high standards for their children.

This is a theme that runs throughout this film. We see it in the conversation about Lena going to art school as opposed to going into medicine or law. She even verbalizes it when asked about what she does. Her response is “I disappoint my parents.”

We see this repeatedly in films about Chinese moms, or African parents or any culture that was formerly colonized. The descendants must prove that they are worthy, lest they bring shame to the family name.

In “Polite Society,” the director seems to poke fun at this idea, but the reason the wedding is a big deal is that it raises Lena’s profile, and therefore the family status. It causes them to cast a blind eye to the red flags. All except Ria.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WOMEN’S BODIES

During one scene, Raheela mentions Ria’s menstrual cycle in front of Salim, mortifying Ria. Raheela encourages her to be comfortable talking about her body and its biology (we later find out that Reheela and Salim are very interested in women’s biology).

It’s a plot vehicle for the movie, but it’s a genuine issue for women around the world to discuss their bodies freely and what’s happening to them.

We have covered this trope in past columns: the immigrant parent with very high standards for their children.

The conversation ranges from the economics of menstrual items to female circumcision in certain countries, which is still current practice. Manzoor seems to reiterate that when you demystify women’s health, you lessen the chances for atrocious medical practices.

REAL-LIFE STUNTWOMAN

Eunice Huthart, the woman that Ria idolizes, is a real-life stuntwoman. A world-class level Judo fighter, she was a contestant on a show called “Gladiators” and was the only U.K. woman to go from contestant to gladiator, assuming the name Blaze.

Afterward, Huthart pursued a career as a stunt woman working on films such as “GoldenEye,” “Titanic” and “The Fifth Element.” She rose through the ranks and became the stunt coordinator for “Alice in Wonderland,” “V is for Vendetta,” and “The Rise of Skywalker.”

More Tidbits

• Someone describes Lena as “looking very pale and not in a good way,” which is a hint of colorism among formerly colonized nations. European pigmentation is considered to be more desirable, causing darker-skinned members of society to be shunned and discriminated against.

• We see matchmaking referred to often in the movie and one could argue the twist in the end is the ultimate attempt at matchmaking. Arranged marriages are still very common in Asian and African countries.

• The soiree at Raheela’s house is the celebration of Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting for Muslims.

• Salim is the ultimate mama’s boy, but we love this line: “Behind every successful man is a tired mother!”