Blinded By The Light (12A)

Inspired by the music of Bruce Springsteen and his lyrical genius, a working-class boy tries to break free from the shackles his family and 1980s British society have placed on him. Starring Meera Ganatra, Kulvinder Ghir, and Viveik Kalra, this beautiful dramatic comedy is based on the life of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor.

Growing up in 1987, Javed (Viveik Kalra) writes poetry as a means to escape the hateful intolerance of his hometown of Luton.

However, with a yearning for greater creativity, he is also held back by his traditional, working-class household; expressing his desire to write, his father (Kulvinder Ghir) disapproves and demands he stop fantasising over an impossible dream.

Things change for the aspirational teenager, though, when he starts a new school and meets Roops (Aaron Phagura), who introduces Javed to the legendary and poetic catalogue of ‘The Boss’ Bruce Springsteen.

The lyrics resonate with the musically inclined Javed, who grows in confidence and begins to believe he can finally break free from his rundown hometown.

Excited by the American icon, Javed tries to live between the two worlds, looking for a way to accept his traditional family as he discovers who he really is through the power of music.

Inspired by the life of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor and his passion for Bruce Springsteen, this dramatic British comedy is brought to us by director Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham) and stars Meera Ganatra (PREMature), Kulvinder Ghir (The Queen’s Corgi), and Viveik Kalra (Next of Kin).

Cert: 12A

Running time: 1hr 57mins