Megan Suri stars in the coming-of-age comedy The MisEducation of Bindu

Battle of the High-School Heroines

Move over Devi, there’s a new girl in town

While you’re patiently waiting for Season 2 of Mindy Kaling’s, Never Have I Ever to drop, we have just the thing. Desi high-school heroine Bindu is the star of a new feature-length comedy that’s making its UK Premiere at next weekend’s Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, and she is every bit as wonderful as Devi, the Indian teen played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in the Netflix show.

The movie The MisEducation of Bindu stars new-comer Megan Suri who plays 15-year-old Bindu in a hilarious coming-of-age story charting the ups and downs of being an American Asian at high-school. Her parents are played by Priyanka Bose, and Hollywood actor David Arquette who stars as her step-dad.

Bindu’s biggest problem is that she spent her early teenage years as a home-school student so joining high-school mid-way is a major culture shock, and while her mum is trying to instill good Indian values into her, her step-dad is keen that she gets a boyfriend.

The film is showing as part of ‘Slice of LIFF’, which is a mini version of the usual London Indian Film Festival, now in its 11^th year with screenings taking place at the BFI and Ciné Lumière in London, and at Millennium Point in Birmingham.

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan challenges gender stereotypes in Natkat

The entire festival features films made 100% by female Directors including Prarthana Mohan who made The MisEducation of Bindu and Roam Rome Mein, the directorial debut by Brick Lane actress, Tannishtha Chaterjee, who also stars in it, alongside Indian actor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The festival will also be screening the powerful short film Natkhat starring Vidya Balan as a mum trying to educate her young son about gender inequality.

If you can’t get to London or Birmingham to catch these special festival screenings you’ll also find free interviews available to watch from the comfort of your own home on the festival website with leading Indian women in film: actresses Freida Pinto and Shabana Azmi and Directors Deepa Mehta and Mira Nair who made the recent BBC adaptation of A Suitable Boy plus, lots more.

For the full festival line-up, and to watch free online interviews, head to www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk.