A sequel to EAST IS EAST (1999), WEST IS WEST follows the passage of George/ Jahangir (Om Puri) as he travels with son Sajd (Aqib Khan) to Pakistan so as to 'educate' his son. However the process of adapting to the new culture after a life spent in Salford, Greater Manchester, proves more difficult for George than it does for his son. Andy De Emmony's film makes some trenchant points about the difficulties of cultural adaptation, and how it is impossible to 'go back' to one's home culture and expect to live life as one did before emigrating. There are some very funny moments in this film, especially Sajd as he gradually adjusts himself to alternative ways of life. However the ending represents a bit of a cop-out, as George/Jahangir returns to Britain to resume his life as a chip-shop owner with his second wife Ella (Linda Bassett), leaving his first wife Raushana (Dhanalaxmi Padmakumar) to fend for herself - just as he has done for most of the previous three decades. The fact that he can re-open the chip shop - despite having no money - seems a little hard to believe; and we wonder how he will be able to take care of his Pakistani family in the future, even if it means only sending them money.
