Atividade realizada no âmbito do projeto "Fun-tastic learning".

1. English Vinglish –
Movie Analysis
Júlia Maria

2. Summary
• Shashi Godbole is an Indian homemaker who makes and sells
laddoos as a home-run business.
• Her husband Satish and daughter Sapna take her for granted,
mock her because she doesn't speak much English, and
generally treat her with disrespect, making Shashi feel
negative and insecure.
• Until her younger sister invites her, and her family, to go to her
wedding in New York. As an older sister she decides to go
earlier to help with wedding preparations.

3. Summary
• Using the money she made from selling laddoos,
Shashi secretly enrolls in a conversational English
class that offers to teach the language in four weeks,
showing her resourcefulness at navigating an
unfamiliar city alone. The class comprises the
instructor David Fischer, a Mexican nanny Eva, a
Pakistani cab driver Salman Khan, a Chinese
hairstylist Yu Song, a Tamil software engineer
Ramamurthy, a closeted African-Caribbean man
Udumbke, and Laurent, whom she had met earlier.
Shashi quickly becomes a promising and committed
student, earns everyone's respect with her charming
behavior and her cuisine, and gains self-confidence.
Laurent becomes attracted to Shashi, leading to
some interpersonal drama.

4. Summary
• Shashi starts watching English films at night and does her
homework assiduously. To complete the English-speaking
course and get an academic certificate, each student must
write and deliver a five-minute speech. Shashi's family
joins her in New York earlier than planned, to surprise her.
Shashi tries to continue attending class but decides to quit
because of scheduling conflicts. The test date coincides
with that of the wedding, forcing Shashi to miss the test.

5. Summary
• Radha invites Fischer and the entire class to the wedding, where Satish is taken aback at being
introduced to a diverse group of people by his wife. Shashi gives a touching and enlightening toast
to the married couple in English, surprising everyone who knew her as a typical,
conservative, Indian homemaker. In her speech, Shashi extols the virtues being married and
having a family, describing the family as a safe space of love and respect where weaknesses are
not mocked. Satish and Sapna regret treating her with disrespect. Fischer declares that she has
passed the course with distinction and issues her the certificate. Shashi thanks Laurent for making
her feel better about herself. Shashi and her family return to India.

6. Movie Commentary
• In my opinion, it's an excellent film that brings out a lot of
emotions, since more and more English is seen as an
obligation and many people feel insecure about their lack of
mastery in English. The film also shows Shashi's resilience ,
who lived constantly being criticised by her family but
ultimately proved them wrong and taught them a lesson in
what it means to be a family.
• Sridevi's great acting is what sets the tone for the
character, and her performance is what brings so much
feeling to the film. Another aspect that collaborates is the
thought-out soundtrack (as is usual in Indian films), helping
to compose the character's feelings.