"Bend It Like Beckham": Film Techniques to Display Stereotypes

In the film ‘Bend it like Beckham’, the director Gurinder Chadha tries to convey to us the important idea that stereotypes, religious beliefs, and traditions can restrict many people from doing what they desire the most. This idea is important since it makes us aware that we should fight off such ideas and follow our dreams and that it's fine in bending rules. This movie uses many film techniques like dialogue, camera shots, costumes, makeup, and soundtrack.

Firstly, the dialogues throughout this movie play a significant role in displaying stereotypes. Jess (Jesminder), the central character of this story is a young intelligent woman who is passionate about football. Her parents disagree and want her to become a lawyer and marry an Indian boy. Her life shows the stereotypes and cultural clashes a Sikh teenager could undergo. ” What family will want a daughter-in-law who can run around kicking football all day but can't make round chapatis.” This dialogue said by her mother portrayed the stereotype that girls should not engage in physical activities instead they should get married and take care of her family. They are also worried that showing her bare legs to boys will vitiate her. In Jess’s culture, she is not allowed to marry some who is not Sikh.” White, no, black, definitely not, a Muslim, eh-eh!“ This way they don't want their culture to mix with other cultures because they cherish a belief it would make Indian culture “impure”. In the scene where Jess and Jules were at the bus stop, her sister’s in-laws assumed that she was with a white man and this caused them to call off the wedding too.

Jules (Juliet) who is Jess’s friend has a similar life as hers. They both like football, tomboy and have problems with their moms about being more feminine. Her mom like Jess’s mom expects her to be more feminine in clothing and says that sporty women are the ones that won't have a boyfriend as she says,” No boys gonna go out with a girl who's got bigger muscles than him!” In the scene where Jess visits her for the second time, Jules’s mother misinterprets Jules and Jess is in a ‘lesbian’ relationship and feels miserable about it as she says,” That is why she's been so depressed lately! 'Cause that Jess broke her heart! She's in love! With a girl! “This shows how much people are against these kinds of relationships thus putting more limitations in many people's lives. Tony who is Jess’s friend is a positive and loyal man who cares a lot about his friends.” But you're Indian!” Jess says this when Tony says to her that he's gay. This dialogue shows you could be considered as an outcast if you are Indian and gay. From the above two paragraphs, I think that dialogues in the film were effective since they made us viewers ponder more about it.

Another way the idea is presented is through different camera angles, costumes, and makeup. In the scene where her parents find out that she has been playing football, her mother is shown at a low angle shot which makes her more powerful and shows us how she has so much control over Jess while she is shown at a high angle shot which gives her sense of hopelessness. In the scene where Jess was aiming to shoot a goal, she pictured her sister, mother two elderly relatives in front of her. In this scene, her family represents how her culture can be a barrier from doing what she wants and her continuing to play and win the game shows that nothing can stop her from doing what she wants. Jess usually wears comfy and sporty clothes and gets judged by her family and friends who expect her to wear more feminine clothing. In the scene where Pinky and Jess go shopping most of the other scenes, Jess wears more sporty clothes compared to Pinky and only wears make-up, Indian clothes, and more trendy clothes during special events. Wearing fewer feminine clothes does not make us lesbian. What we wear does not define us and we can't be judged by that.

Lastly, the soundtrack in this movie is used to convey that women should be allowed to be free and independent. This film uses both Indian and British music to represent cultural clashes. In the scene where Jess and Jules go for buying shoes, the song Independence Day' by Melanie C is played. This song is put into this scene to signify how women can be independent and can follow their dreams disregarding the stereotypes surrounding them. The song is referring to Jess bending the rules and being free as she hangs out with her white friend Jules in a pub for lunch and buys sports shoes regardless of what her parents would say. In scenes where they play football the song ‘She’s a Lady’ by Paul Anka is played. This song refers a lot about a perfect woman who knows where she belongs and who is not a nuisance to anyone, one that most Indian women are expected to be. In this film, this song is perceived in a different way since it is played while they are training. Women shouldn't be considered as weak and should be allowed to play men sports and by doing this it doesn't necessarily mean that they are lesbian.

Through the above film techniques, we got to know how stereotypes and traditions can affect someone's life but by facing we are more determined to achieve our dreams. Jess and other characters in this film show us how it can be possible to ignore such problems and continue achieving her dream. In conclusion stereotypes, religious beliefs and traditions may prevent us from doing many things but that doesn't mean that we can't bend the rules and fulfill our dreams.