Tea, coffee, and light refreshments
A chance to meet neighbours and have a chat after film
third Thursdays each month 6:30 PM
Free entry - just bring yourself (and maybe a friend!)
Tone: Warm, funny, and ultimately uplifting—ideal for a community movie night!
A hugely loved, uplifting Bollywood crowd-pleaser about a young woman’s self-discovery after a broken engagement. With humour, heart, and a modern sensibility, Queen helped push the Hindi romcom into more progressive territory.
Key Facts
Year / Runtime: 2013 • 2h 26m
Certification: BBFC rating: 12A (contains adult themes; suitable for teens and adults)
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Adventure; coming‑of‑age, travel, feminist romcom
Setting: Delhi, Paris, Amsterdam
Creative Team
Director: Vikas Bahl
Writers: Anvita Dutt (screenplay), Vikas Bahl (story), with additional writing contributions
Music: Contemporary Bollywood soundtrack with European flavours; score and songs underscore Rani’s transformation
Cast
Kangana Ranaut as Rani Mehra — a shy, small‑town Delhi girl who blossoms on a solo honeymoon
Rajkummar Rao as Vijay — the erstwhile fiancé whose cold feet spark Rani’s journey
Lisa Haydon as Vijayalakshmi — a free‑spirited single mum in Paris who becomes Rani’s sisterly guide
Plus a lively ensemble of multicultural hostel friends and locals met along the way
Synopsis
Jilted on the eve of her wedding, Rani decides to take her European honeymoon alone. In Paris and Amsterdam she encounters culture shocks, comic misadventures, and unexpected friendships—most notably with the uninhibited Vijayalakshmi. As Rani swaps cardigans for confidence, she learns to stand on her own two feet, ultimately making a choice that feels both heartfelt and refreshingly modern.
Themes and Context
Female empowerment & autonomy: A woman claiming space, joy, and decision‑making power.
Fish‑out‑of‑water comedy: Warm humour from cultural contrasts without mean‑spiritedness.
Travel & self‑discovery: Paris as an emotional crossroads; Amsterdam as uninhibited freedom.
Modern Bollywood romcom: Uses familiar beats (makeover, found family) with visual and narrative sophistication.
Visual/Stylistic Notes
Paris iconography reimagined: Landmarks like the Eiffel Tower function as psychological signposts rather than postcard backdrops.
Vibrant, cosmopolitan palette: Hostel life, street scenes, and nightlife build a sense of global community.
Reception
Audience acclaim: IMDb rating around 8.1/10 from 70k+ voters, reflecting broad popular appeal.
Critical praise: Noted for Ranaut’s empathetic lead performance, witty writing, and progressive ending.
Awards
Widely recognised at major Indian film awards for acting and direction, with multiple wins and nominations (notably for Kangana Ranaut’s performance).
Production and Release
Filming locations: On‑location work in Paris and Amsterdam contributes authenticity and atmosphere.
Production companies: Backed by prominent Hindi‑film producers; distributed widely in India and internationally.
Citation‑grounded list of all the films shown at Uxbridge Quakers Neighbourhood Movie Night including year of release, IMDb genres, directors, and short summaries.
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Friendly Persuasion (1956)
Director: William Wyler
Genres (IMDb): Drama, Family, Romance, War, Western
Summary: “The pacifist attitude of a Quaker family is tested as a result of the American Civil War.”
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Heavens Above! (1963)
Directors: John Boulting, Roy Boulting
Genres (IMDb): Satire, Comedy
Summary: “A naive prison vicar is accidentally appointed to a snobbish parish… leading to dire consequences on the town's economy.”
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Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
Director: Terry Jones
Genres (IMDb): Dark Comedy, Parody, Satire, Comedy
Summary: “Born on the original Christmas day in the stable next door to Jesus Christ, Brian… spends his life being mistaken for the messiah.”
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V for Vendetta (2005)
Director: James McTeigue
Genres (IMDb): Action, Epic, Dystopian, Sci‑Fi, Political Drama, Political Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Superhero, Action Drama
Summary: “A young woman living in a dystopian society meets a shadowy freedom fighter who is plotting to overthrow their tyrannical government.”
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The Twelve Chairs / 12 Chairs (1971)
Director: Leonid Gaidai
Genres (IMDb): Period Drama, Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Summary: “Two gentlemen of fortune… are looking for an uncountable treasure at the dawn of the Soviet Union age.”
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Shenandoah (1965)
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Genres (IMDb): Drama, War, Western
Summary: “A Virginia farmer who has vowed to remain neutral during the Civil War is spurred into action when his youngest son is taken by Union soldiers.”
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Whale Rider (2002)
Director: Niki Caro
Genres (IMDb): Drama, Family
Summary: “A young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize.”
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Boxing Day (2012)
Director: Bernard Rose
Genres (IMDb): Drama
Summary: “Basil, a businessman, and chauffeur Nick drive into the heart of the Rocky Mountains… when the journey becomes potentially fatal.”
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Pleasantville (1998)
Director: Gary Ross
Genres (IMDb): Fairy Tale, High‑Concept Comedy, Period Drama, Satire, Teen Comedy, Teen Drama, Teen Fantasy, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Summary: “Two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves transported to a 1950s sitcom where their influence begins to profoundly change that colorless, complacent world.”
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Einstein and Eddington (2008)
Director: Philip Martin
Genres (IMDb): Docudrama, Biography, Drama, History
Summary: “Drama about the development of Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, and Einstein's relationship with British scientist Sir Arthur Eddington.”
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The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Genres (IMDb): Biography, Drama, History
Summary: “The life of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel of Matthew.”
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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Genres (IMDb): Dark Comedy, Farce, Political Drama, Psychological Drama, Quirky Comedy, Satire, Tragedy, Comedy, War
Summary: “A mentally unstable American general orders a hydrogen bomb attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to global nuclear holocaust.”
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Strawberry and Chocolate (1993) Cuba, Spanish lang.
Director: Tomas Gutierrez and Juan Carlos Tabio
Genres (IMDb): Comedy, Drama, Romance, LGBT
Summary: Story of two men: who are opposites one gay, the other straight, one a fierce communist, the other fierce individualist; one suspicious, the other accepting and how they come to love each other.