Activities:

Before viewing

When two people are in a relationship away from home, and decide their parents should meet, it would be natural for everyone to be tense. What might be contributing factors? Are they specific to mixed race relationships?

Depending on context, teachers may wish to focus viewing on areas below, or use list to guide discussion afterwards. In pairs or small groups it may also be useful to have students track each of the major characters.

Key areas of focus (see outline for timings).

1. Before meeting - Nasreen and Steve; his parents; her parents - anxiety
2. First meeting - Colin and Mandy; Mansoor and Shagufta
3. The meal - Steve and Nasreen's relationship
4. Steve and Nasreen's dilemma
5. A way out?

After viewing

1. Drawing on Nasreen's instructions to Steve (1) and her mother's descriptions of relationships in their culture (3), identify the ways in which the two cultures view going out with someone of the opposite sex. Discuss.
2. Identify the mistakes Steve's parents make about Islamic culture and etiquette (1,2,3). What is significant about these? Did Nasreen's parents make any equivalent mistakes? What is significant about the issues around dress and identity in the programme?
3. Identify where the two fathers are in agreement with each other (2-5). What's ironic about this? What could each of the main characters have done to make the meeting more constructive? Do you think they wanted it to be constructive? In summing up, how would you describe Nasreen and Steve and each of the parents.

Key Questions In what ways would life change for Steve, now and in the future, if he became a Muslim? Discuss the power balance in the relationship between Nasreen and Steve during the film.