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Nida Manzoor, who also wrote and directed the excellent television series We Are Lady Parts, makes her feature directorial debut with the film Polite Society: a coming-of-age story of two British-Pakistani sisters, Ria and Lena. The action comedy is a sassy, vibrant feminist reimagining of the martial arts genre, with a sprinkle of Bollywood-style charisma
Desi culture, which refers to the culture of South Asia and its diaspora, has gained increasing recognition in Hollywood in recent years. This is reflected in the growth of South Asian representation in film, television, and music, as well as in the incorporation of desi cultural elements into Western productions. The success of shows like Master of None and Never Have I Ever, as well as movies like The Big Sick and Bend It Like Beckham, have helped to slowly but surely raise the profile of South Asian talent and culture on the international stage. And Polite Society could very well be joining that list soon.
The film has already garnered over 90% approval from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and received a B+ rating from Collider's own Chase Hutchinson, who reviewed the film at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. If this feminist action comedy sounds like your kind of entertainment, here's everything you need to know before watching Polite Society when it premieres.
When and Where Is Polite Society Releasing?
Polite Society has already begun its festival tour. The movie had its world premiere on January 21 at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and is slated to receive its UK premiere at the 2023 Glasgow Film Festival on the closing night. Following that, the movie is scheduled for a theatrical release on April 7, 2023, in the UK and on April 28, 2023, in the US. The movie will have quite a bit of competition when it premieres in US theaters, going up against Big George Foreman (the biopic of boxer George Foreman) and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, an adaptation of the much-loved 1970 novel by Judy Blume. As for where it's premiering, Polite Society will be exclusively released in theaters when it premieres on April 28. There has been no mention of the film’s availability on streaming platforms, but this might change when the film has finished playing in theaters. Whatever happens, we’ll keep you updated!
Is There a Trailer For Polite Society?
Yes! On January 18, Focus Features released the trailer for Polite Society, just ahead of its premiere at Sundance, and right from the get-go, we are introduced to badass female leads, ready to kick ass in beautifully embellished lehengas. The trailer sets the tone of the endearing bond between the two sisters - Ria and Lena, each other’s constant support that is soon threatened by the entry of a potential love interest, Salim (Akshay Khanna): an ideal male hero in a romantic story. That conflict is the basis for the plot of Polite Society. Lena's support serves as the cornerstone of Ria's world, and for her, it's the end of everything she dreamed of when Lena swiftly falls for Salim and gets engaged to him. But while Lena is busy preparing for her wedding, Ria is convinced that something sinister is happening, and we are introduced to Nimra Bucha’s on-point villainous smirks, confirming Ria’s doubts. Soon after, we see Ria engage in violent altercations and the camera moves about the warring fighters, and everything is rendered unstable, including her fights with her sister and a school bully. The trailer maintains a lighthearted tone but also picks up the pace to Doechii's "Crazy" as it delivers on that much-needed action.
Who Is In The Cast of Polite Society?
Priya Kansara, who plays the charming Ria, makes her feature film acting debut with Polite Society. Kansara made her on-screen debut with the popular Netflix regency-romance Bridgerton as the vivacious Miss Eaton, one of the potential partners Anthony Bridgerton interviews. But Kansara isn't the sole former Netflix star in the cast. Lena is played by Ritu Arya, who also plays Lila in the Netflix superhero series The Umbrella Academy, and is all set to make her next appearance on Greta Gerwig's Barbie. Arya has become a rather popular figure in the industry over the years, especially after her chaotically brilliant performance in The Umbrella Academy. You can hear more about her journey in her own words by checking out this 2022 interview with Collider's Perri Nemiroff.
Joining the two sisters is the brilliant Nimra Bucha (Ms. Marvel), who plays Raheela, Salim’s domineering mother and an antagonist in Ria’s eyes. Other cast members include Shobu Kapoor (We Are Lady Parts) as Fatima, Jeff Mirza (Blinded by the Light) as Raff, Akshay Khanna (Red, White and Royal Blue) as Salim, Ella Bruccoleri (Extraordinary) as Alba, Seraphina Beh (EastEnders) as Clara, and Shona Babayemi (Twelfth Night from Shakespeare's Globe) as Kovacs.
Who Is Making Polite Society?
Nida Manzoor is the writer and director of Polite Society, with Working Title’s Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Parkville Pictures’ Olivier Kaempfe, and John Pocock serving as producers. Focus Features holds the distribution rights for the movie. Manzoor won widespread acclaim for her comedy series We Are Lady Parts, which was about an all-female Muslim British punk rock band. The show has been renewed for a second season and has earned BAFTA, Peabody, and Rose d'Or awards. The much loved Doctor Who episodes Fugitive of the Judoon and Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror were also both directed by Manzoor. Tom Hoe and Shez Manzoor composed the score for Polite Society, while Robbie Morrison lends his expertise as the editor, with Ashley Connor serving as the cinematographer.
What Is The Plot of Polite Society?
Polite Society is a jolly mix of sisterly love, parental disappointment, and fearless action. A Pakistani-British teenager named Ria Khan has big dreams of becoming a stunt woman like her idol, Eunice Huthart. Even though her parents don't take her seriously and the bullies at school make fun of her dreams, she has strong support from her older sister Lena, who assists Ria in filming her stunts for her YouTube channel. While the obstinate Ria is determined to succeed in the business, her sister is having trouble finding her creative spark after quitting art school. Around this time, the successful and charming Salim Shah begins to pursue Lena, who is initially dubious but is quickly won over. Lena appears to love Salim, and it soon becomes clear that they will get married and Lena will move to Singapore after the wedding.
All that might sound like the setup for a classic wedding movie but Ria's having none of it. She's adamant that there is something ominous happening with Salim and that his highly domineering mother is pushing the match for sinister reasons. Of course, what really has her horrified is the possibility of losing her sister and kindred dreamer. But whatever her true reasons, Ria decides to put her fighting prowess to the test and save her sister from her new circumstance.
The captivating story took Nida Manzoor close to ten years to develop. Manzoor told Collider that Polite Society is "...a genre-bending, mad movie. But I would say it's an action-comedy about two sisters, and it's really their love story, and it's... they're kind of breaking up and coming together, with a bit of heist thrown in, with a bit of kung fu in there. It's a big blend, but ultimately it's a film about sisterhood, I'd say."