Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageNina's Heavenly Delights (2006)
Director: Pratibha Parmar
Movie review
From Time Out London
For a film set against the backdrop of Scotland’s premier curry restaurants, ‘Nina’s Heavenly Delights’ is disappointingly tepid and flavourless fare. Pratibha Parmar’s debut revolves around Nina (Shelley Conn), a young woman of Pakistani origin who returns home to Glasgow to run her family’s curry house following the death of her father. Entering an annual cook-off between the city’s top Indian and Pakistani restaurants, she falls for her business partner and old school chum Laura (Laura Fraser). What follows is achingly predictable romcom stuff. Parmar’s repeated comparisons between love and cooking (‘follow your heart’, Nina’s father’s recipe book tells her; advice you never hear from Gordon Ramsay) only bring to mind better foodie romcoms like ‘Eat Drink Man Woman’. Indeed, it’s hard to get excited about the movie’s celebration of sensual pleasures when it’s directed with all the flair of an episode of ‘Hollyoaks’. Still, Shelley Conn is appealing as Nina, and top marks to the food stylist for serving up some dishy-looking meals. One to avoid if you’re hungry.Author: Edward Lawrenson
Time Out London Issue 1884: September 27-October 4 2006
Cast & crew
Director: Pratibha Parmar
Producer: Pratibha Parmar, Chris Atkins, Marion Pilowsky
Cast: Laura Fraser, Shelley Conn, Art Malik, Ronny Jhutti, Veena Sood, Atta Yaqub, Zoe Henretty, Raji James, Elaine C Smith, Rita Wolf, Kathleen McDermott full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: PG
Duration: 94 mins
UK Release: Sep 29 2006
US Release: Nov 21 2007
Top Stories
Ben Drew aka Plan B interview
The singer, rapper and now film director discusses his debut film 'Ill Manors'
Cannes Film Festival 2012: final round-up
Dave Calhoun draws the curtain on the world's greatest film festival
Ridley Scott interview
Director Ridley Scott tells Cath Clarke why he's making a science fiction comeback
What do you think?
Post your review now