Tapping into the desires, desperation and drive that are commonly felt yet rarely expressed by everyday people, Bruce Springsteen's music and lyrics have been universally acclaimed for decades now, but it wasn't always that way. In Blinded By the Light, young Javed (Viveik Kalra) finds that living in 1987 England is incredibly challenging; he must deal with people who are unwelcoming to Pakistanis such as himself, and even his working-class father expresses an intolerant attitude about his musical inclinations. Then, he discovers Bruce Springsteen. Through his music, Javed discovers an outlet for his blooming individuality.
As shared in our exclusive featurette, the film is inspired by writer Sarfraz Manzoor's own life. Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) read an article by Manzoor and met the writer. After Manzoor expanded the story into a novel, Chadha could readily see the possibilities for a feature adaptation but would only move forward if Springsteen himself approved. Their amazing, real-life pitch meeting with Springsteen is captured in the featurette. Chadha says that the story of the film is that "dreams can come true."
Watch the entire video below. Blinded By the Light will open in theaters nationwide on August 16. Sign up for a FanAlert to know when tickets are on sale!
