Iconic British comedy film East Is East will be screened at the University of Salford – alongside a special Q&A with its writer.

The 1999 film, set in Salford, is based on the childhood of writer Ayub Khan-Din and the tribulations of growing up in a mixed-ethnicity household.

Nearly twenty years on, the movie remains well-loved, with multiple theatrical versions across the country and a well-received sequel, West Is West, released in 2010.

Now Salford alumnus Khan will return to the University for this one-off screening of his most famous work, taking questions following the film.

The event, at the university’s New Adelphi Theatre, is free to attend and open to all – not just students.

The screening begins at 12:30pm, with the Q&A following the end of the film.

“East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet…”

East Is East was released in 1999, three years after the play it is based on.

It follows the Khan family – the result of a marriage between a Pakistani immigrant and a white British woman – as they grapple with their identities in 1970s Salford, where racial tensions run high.

Set in an era where anti-immigration MP Enoch Powell was at his most popular, the story was one of the first to bring racial issues to mainstream audiences, from an Asian perspective.

East Is East was acclaimed for its balance of comedy and serious handling of racial issues, winning a BAFTA for best British film.

Ayub Khan-Din was born and raised in Salford and has set many of his plays and films in the city. As an actor, he appeared in Coronation Street in 1993 and more recently, took on the role of George in the 2015 revival of the stage version of East Is East.

Khan’s latest work is the Channel 4 drama series Ackley Bridge, which has recently been recommissioned for a third series.

East Is East will be shown at the University of Salford’s New Adelphi Theatre on Thursday, 25th October, followed by a Q&A with Ayub Khan-Din. For more information and to book tickets, see the theatre’s website.

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