Sridevi vs Angrezi|Sep. 21, 2012|India|134 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Bollywood;Comedy;Drama;Family
Description: “English Vinglish” (2012) is a heartwarming film that tells the story of Shashi Godbole, an Indian homemaker who runs a small business selling homemade laddoos. Despite her dedication to her family, Shashi often faces disrespect and mockery from her husband Satish and daughter Sapna, who belittle her for her limited English-speaking skills. However, her young son Sagar deeply loves and admires her, and her mother-in-law provides emotional support.
When Shashi’s older sister Manu invites the family to her daughter Meera’s wedding in New York City, Shashi travels alone to help with the preparations. During her flight, she receives encouraging words from a fellow passenger, played by Amitabh Bachchan in a cameo role. Shortly after arriving in New York, Shashi faces a humiliating experience at a café due to her inability to communicate in English. A kind French chef named Laurent, who happens to witness the incident, offers her comfort.
Determined to improve her language skills, Shashi secretly enrolls in a four-week English course using the money she earned from selling laddoos. Her classmates include individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as a Mexican nanny, a Pakistani cab driver, a Chinese hairstylist, a Tamil software engineer, and Laurent. Shashi’s dedication and warm personality earn her the respect and admiration of her classmates, and she gradually gains confidence in herself. Along the way, Laurent develops feelings for her, adding a layer of complexity to her journey.
Meanwhile, Shashi’s niece Radha discovers her secret classes and supports her efforts. Shashi goes the extra mile to practice by watching English movies and diligently completing her assignments. The film beautifully portrays her transformation as she learns to assert herself and embrace her self-worth.
Cast director: Gauri Shinde
Cast actor: Sridevi, Priya Anand, Mehdi Nebbou, Adil Hussain, Ashwin Mathew, Amitabh Bachchan, Ajith Kumar, Rajeev Pahuja, Sulabha Deshpande, Sumeet Vyas
Original name: इंग्लिश विंग्लिश