SOUTH ASIAN FILM NIGHTS at THE SOURCE - English Vinglish

ABOUT THIS EVENT

SCREEN: Studio Theatre

RUNNING TIME: 2h 13m

AGE RATING: (PG)

IMDb: 7.8 / 10

Between 6:30pm and 7:00pm, just before the main feature FILM, we’ll be showcasing short films by talented emerging filmmakers.

English Vinglish (2012) is a deeply touching and quietly empowering story about identity, respect, and self-discovery. It follows Shashi Godbole, a devoted wife and mother living in India, who is constantly belittled by her family — especially her husband and teenage daughter — for her lack of English fluency. Though she runs a small home-based business making laddoos, her talents and intelligence are overlooked simply because she doesn’t speak the "right" language.

When Shashi is unexpectedly called to New York to help with her niece’s wedding, she steps out of her comfort zone and into a new world. Amid the hustle of Manhattan, she secretly enrols in a short-term English class, surrounded by fellow outsiders each trying to find their place in a language-dominated society. As she learns to express herself in English, Shashi also begins to rediscover her confidence, independence, and quiet strength — qualities she had long buried beneath the weight of domestic expectations.

Anchored by a luminous performance from Sridevi in her comeback role, English Vinglish is more than a feel-good film — it’s a tender portrait of a woman learning to value herself on her own terms. With humour, grace, and emotional clarity, it explores the universal themes of language, belonging, and the quiet revolutions that begin inside the home.