Blinded by the Light (2019 film)

Blinded by the Light
UK theatrical release poster
Directed byGurinder Chadha
Written by
Based onGreetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N' Roll
by Sarfraz Manzoor
Produced by
  • Jane Barclay
  • Gurinder Chadha
  • Jamal Daniel
Starring
CinematographyBen Smithard
Edited byJustin Krish
Music byA. R. Rahman
Production
companies
Distributed byEntertainment One (United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand)
New Line Cinema
Warner Bros. Pictures (Select territories)
Release dates
  • 27 January 2019 (2019-01-27) (Sundance)
  • 9 August 2019 (2019-08-09) (United Kingdom)
  • 14 August 2019 (2019-08-14) (United States)
Running time
117 minutes[1]
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million
Box office$19.6 million[2][3]

Blinded by the Light (also known as Music of My Life) is a 2019 comedy-drama film directed by Gurinder Chadha. It was inspired by the life of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor and his love of the works of Bruce Springsteen.[4][5][6] Manzoor co-wrote the script[7] with Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges. It is based on Manzoor's 2007 memoir Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N' Roll.[8] Set in the town of Luton in 1987 Britain, the film tells the coming-of-age story of Javed, a British-Pakistani Muslim teenager whose life is changed after he discovers the music of Springsteen. Viveik Kalra stars in the lead role, along with Hayley Atwell, Rob Brydon, Kulvinder Ghir and Nell Williams in supporting roles.

The film premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival[9] and was released by Entertainment One in the United Kingdom on 9 August 2019, and New Line Cinema in the United States and other countries[10] on 16 August 2019 via parent company Warner Bros. Pictures.[11] Blinded by the Light received positive reviews from critics, and also received nominations for Best Film and Best Actor (for Kalra) at the 2019 SIFF Awards.

  1. ^ "BLINDED BY THE LIGHT (2019) (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 3 August 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Blinded by the Light (2019) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Blinded By the Light (2019)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  4. ^ Ehrlich, David (28 January 2019). "'Blinded by the Light' Review: An Ecstatic Story About the Power of Springsteen — Sundance". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  5. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (11 April 2018). "Gurinder Chadha's 'Blinded By The Light' Blessed By Bruce Springsteen; Cast Set". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  6. ^ Manzoor, Sarfraz (27 July 2019). "Bruce Springsteen changed my life... and so did my best friend Amolak". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  7. ^ Lee, Benjamin (28 January 2019). "Blinded by the Light review – Bruce Springsteen inspires mawkish misfire". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 January 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  8. ^ "How Sarfraz Manzoor's love for Bruce Springsteen's music inspired "Blinded by the Light"". CBS This Morning. 17 August 2019. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Sundance Unveils Politics-Heavy Lineup Featuring Ocasio-Cortez Doc, Feinstein Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. 28 November 2018. Archived from the original on 14 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  10. ^ "New Line Confirms $15M Deal For Bruce Springsteen-Infused 'Blinded By The Light'". Deadline Hollywood. February 2019. Archived from the original on 11 February 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  11. ^ Pedersen, Erik (16 July 2019). "Warner Bros' Sesame Street Pic Moved Back Five Months; 'Just Mercy' Gets Christmas Limited Release". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.