A NEW film depicting a notorious Asian gang in Southall is set to make a big impact at next month's Cannes Film Festival. USHMA MISTRY talks to screen writer and actor Manish Patel to find out more.

ARE you fed up of stereotypical British-Asian films like East is East and Bend it Like Beckham depicting Asians as tame, mundane push-overs?

Because if you are a new film aiming to break that image is set to take the Cannes Film Festival by storm.

Triads, Yardies and Onion Bhajees Once Upon A Time In Southall is the first British-Asian film depicting the notoriety of one of Southall's biggest Asian gangs, the Holy Smokes, together with the £6m robbery at Heathrow Airport.

Manish Patel, 31, screen writer and co-star of the £2 million film, explained: "The Holy Smokes were one of the biggest Asian gangs in Southall over 15 years ago.

"Although they do not exist any more their reputation does. We have brought them into the 21st century in this film replacing their well-known tracksuits and Capris with Gucci and top-of-the-range cars."

Directed by 31-year-old Southall boy Sarjit Bains, the gangster flick is based in Southall and is billed to be unlike any other Asian film ever produced.

Manish, who lives in Harrow, is convinced TYOB is the type of film British Asians have long been waiting for.

He explained: "This film is a whole new genre.

"Asian and British people have been fed tame, feel-good films for years now, promoting the classic Asian as tame and non-confrontational and we thought it was a shame.

"There is a lot more to Asians than funny anecdotal images of mother's pulling their son's cheeks. We are more than cornershops and doctors."

Most of the film is based on true events that took place in Southall and Sarjit spent a lot of time researching the film.

TYOB boasts an all-British cast and took four months of continuous filming to complete with some scenes set in Mumbai, India.

Real East End henchman Dave Courtney plays the leader of the white gang The Firm.

Manish added: "Dave Courtney heard about the film and contacted us about playing a part. He auditioned for the part of the leader of the white gang and got it."

The film has not been given a general release date yet but is set to make its world premiere in Cannes on May 12.

Movie giants Miramax are said to be interested in the rights to the film in America but its producers are waiting for a deal that will see the film take the movie world by storm.

Manish added: "The second and third generation youths from Southall can't wait for the film to come out but I don't think the older generation will be too happy about it.

"The Asian community are going to be shocked with the amount of violence and crime in the film but my answer to this is how many Bollywood films have violence and crime in them? Mostly all of them."

For more information visit http://www.onionbhajees.com

April 16, 2003 12:00