CS Video: Writer Sarfraz Manzoor Talks Blinded by the Light Adaptation

August 17, 2019

ComingSoon.net had the opportunity to sit down with writer Sarfraz Manzoor about how his memoir was adapted into the upcoming drama Blinded by the Light, inspired and set to the music and lyrics of Bruce Springsteen’s timeless songs. Check out the interview now in the player below and catch the movie in theaters this weekend!

From writer/director/producer Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham), Blinded by the Light is a joyful story of courage, love, hope, family and the unique ability of music to lift the human spirit. The film tells the story of Javed (Viveik Kalra), a British teen of Pakistani descent growing up in the town of Luton, England, in 1987. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in the powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.

Inspired by a true story, based on Sarfraz Manzoor’s acclaimed memoir Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N’ Roll, Blinded by the Light was directed by Chadha from a screenplay written by Manzoor, Chadha, and Paul Mayeda Berges.

The movie stars Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra, Nell Williams, Aaron Phagura, Hayley Atwell and Dean-Charles Chapman.

The story is underscored by the music and poetic lyrics of Springsteen, who gave Chadha his blessing from the film’s inception.

Chadha, Jane Barclay, and Jamal Daniel produced the film, with Tory Metzger, Renee Witt, Peter Touche, Stephen Spence, Hannah Leader, Tracy Nurse, and Paul Mayeda Berges serving as executive producers.

The film is slated for release on August 16 and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.