"Actor: Shabnam"

• Women Without Men | DVD | (09/08/2010) from £18.62   |  Saving you £-2.63 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Women Without Men

• The Day I Became A Woman | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Day I Became a Women continues the upsurge, following years of cultural control, of vital films to have come out of Iran (remember 1999's Blackboards?). Marziyeh Meshkini's poignant and uninhibited feature packs a great deal into its 74 minutes: the arrival of nine-year-old Hava at the brink of puberty and the consequent loss of her childhood; the frustrated determination of Ahoo to take part in a cycle race against her family's wishes (some breathtaking camerawork here); and the pleasure of an ageing widow, amassing the material possessions long denied her as she creates the perfect home for her final years. Together, these stories present a three-stage study of the position of women in Eastern societies, facing up to often harsh realities with not a little courage. The contrasts between the unyielding landscape and expansive coastal scenery--much more a presence than a mere backdrop--is tellingly caught, and reproduces well in the widescreen format. At a time when the debate over the standardisation of cinema is again in full swing, Meshkini shows how social restrictions can be channelled into filmmaking of emotional power and artistic vision. --Richard Whitehouse

• Nayee Padosan | DVD | (07/07/2003) from £8.09   |  Saving you £-0.10 (N/A%)   |  RRP £7.99

  'Nayee Padosan' (new neighbour) is a complete laugh riot! Based in a suburban locality the film is a hilarious entertainer delivering non-stop humour through a lightning speed narrative with the right dose of action and emotion. The story revolves around the protagonist or the 'Nayee Padosan' who has shifted into a new locality. Her simplicity righteousness and no-nonsense attitude are qualities any man would want his life partner to possess. Three different boys - Raju Raja and R

• Naya Zamana | DVD | (20/08/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £10.99

  From the earliest days of Indian cinema, the issue of class struggle has cropped up regularly. Pramod Chakravorty's Naya Zamana (1971) is one of the better films in the genre. The never-ending struggle of the poorer classes in India is exemplified by Anoop, an educated young man whose honesty and refusal to bow to corrupt practices results in a lack of opportunities for him. His life changes when the rich Seema falls in love with him and Anoop falls into the ambit of her conniving brother Rajan. Matters come to a head when Rajan steals Anoop's manuscript--a treatise on the ambitions of poverty--and passes it off as his own. Usually known for his tough guy roles, Dharmendra is excellent in the central role of Anoop. Here he carries on the image change process that he began with the similarly themed Satyakam (1969). His hit pairing with real-life partner Hema Malini (in the role of Seema) gets another outing with this film. For director Chakravorty, Naya Zamana marks one of his last successful forays into social cinema. He moved on to the more lucrative action genre with some success, including some with Dharmendra as the leading man, returning to his tough guy routine. On the DVD: Naya Zamana is presented in a crisp new transfer, though inexplicably the opening credits are a bit faded. There are no extras. --Naman Ramachandran