Ria Khan (Priya Kansara) is primarily one thing – a ball of energy. When the British-Pakistani teen isn‘t dragging her big sister Lena (Ritu Arya) out of bed so she can help her film her martial arts videos or practicing high kicks, she is challenging her competitors to a fight at her girls‘ school. Her big dream is to become a stunt woman. Lena‘s big dream was to become an artist, but she just dropped out of the London College of Art due to her depression. Ria looks on with worry as her once very cool sister dates slick Salim, a mamma‘s body from a well-to-do family, instead of going after her calling. She even wore a conservative cardigan on the last date, Ria indignantly tells her two best friends. While the Khan parents are charmed by the good catch, who promises an ascent to a better class, into “polite society,“ Ria senses foul play. Nida Mansoor‘s (TV‘s “We Are Lady Parts“) film debut follows Ria and her friends as they concoct one half-baked scheme after the next while completely embarrassing themselves, Lena, and the entire Khan family. But Ria doesn't give up and finally uncovers an incredible conspiracy at the center of which sits the brilliant Ms Shah (Nimra Bucha), Salim's mother. In the very fun POLITE SOCIETY, Mansoor translates the exuberant energy and constant drama of adolescence into a sci-fi-martial-arts-action film: whenever things get tricky, and feelings explode, it leads to a fight scene, whether it‘s between schoolmates, the Khan sisters, or Ria and Ms. Shah, who turns out to be a dangerous fighter, of course. The fact that the people are less than three-dimensional is of no consequence, because POLITE SOCIETY is also primarily one thing – a ball of energy.

Hendrike Bake

Translation: Elinor Lewy