In My Son the Fanatic, screenplay writer Hanif Kureishi probed the clash of generations and cultures in a Pakistani family in northern England where the son's Muslim fundamentalism angered his father. In this outrageous drama written by Ayub Khan-Din and directed by Damien O'Donnell, another Pakistani family in England is at war — only this time it is the children who are rebelling against the attempts of their father to raise them as traditional Muslims.
The trouble starts when Nazir, the eldest son, runs away from home rather than submit to an arranged marriage. When George Khan (Om Puri) tries to orchestrate the union between two other sons and the daughters of a devout Pakistani family in a nearby town, the young men protest. George's English wife (Linda Bassett) soon finds herself caught in the crossfire between her seven children and their enraged father who is not beyond using physical force to maintain control of his household.
The filmmakers side with the younger generation and their creative efforts to work around their dad's despotism. There are two hilarious sequences in the film: one dealing with an erotic piece of artwork and the other revolving around the circumcision of George's youngest son and the effect it has upon him. East Is East is a raucous comedy that explores the clash of cultures, beliefs, and generations.