W for worth seeing

OneWorld UK

By Daniel Nelson

Amidst three current South Asian seasons (Before Midnight and Indian Cinema Now at the BFI Southbank and India's Independence at the Renoir and Curzon Soho), and the release of Gandhi My Father, on the relationship between Mahatma and his eldest son, comes a modest offering that more than holds its own.

I For India uses the home movies and reel-to-reel tape recordings sent to his family in India by Dr Yash Pal Suri, following his migration to Darlington in 1965.

The pictures - of the childrens parties, the camera stalking family members around the room, self-consciously jolly work colleagues, awkward dancing at celebrations, the 60s clothes and hairstyles - are banal but touching, a treasure trove for daughter and filmmaker Sandhya.

But its Dr Suris painfully heartfelt taped messages and commentary that give the film poignancy and power. As the family grows up and the temporary sojourn in England turns to years, he talks longingly of keeping in touch and of meeting up again, about the decision to stay on, about the way the natives willfully mispronounce his name.

The messages from India become increasingly clamorous: "I feel like dying, says his father. What shall I do? My life is unbearable without you."

Finally, perhaps driven by the guilt of missing his mothers death, he and the family return to India. Its too late. His medical practice doesnt flourish, the closeness of the extended family makes his wife uncomfortable, the daughters become bored and feel restricted.

They go back to Britain, where the elderly neighbour reminds them over the garden fence that its time to prune the roses. They are in the classic migrants trap, in two worlds, not completely at home in either.

Then the divided family divides again, as eldest daughter decides to make a new start in Australia. Theres a terrible unspoken sense of history repeating itself. The pain of Mr and Mrs Suris sadness is captured, this time by Sandhyas camera. The poignancy reaches breaking point when Dr Suris Super-8 films and reel-to-reel tapes are replaced by a jerky computer link with Australia, and daughter admits her job there is not working out well.

This is honest, unassuming, warm, tender, funny, moving filmmaking; social history about Britain and India, family, migration and identity.

* I For India is at the ICA, London, until Friday 31 August 2007