| Director | Sarah Gavron |
|---|---|
| Budget | $2.5 million |
| Box office | $3.8 million |
The movie largely takes place in London following the September 11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda, and reflects a period of heightened racial tensions in Britain as well.
The film tells the story of Nazneen, who has grown up in rural Bangladesh in the district of Mymensingh. The young Nazneen and her sister share a seemingly idyllic childhood in their village, but their mother tragically drowns herself one day because she cannot handle the hardship of their life. Their father marries Nazneen, elder of the two girls, to a middle-aged educated man called Chanu, who lives in London. Leaving behind her sister and her family home in Bangladesh, Nazneen's new husband takes her to the United Kingdom where they live in a small flat on Brick Lane, the centre of the British Bengali community.
Seventeen years later, Nazneen and Chanu are raising their two daughters in London. Life is hard for the homesick Nazneen; her first child, a son, died as a baby in his cot; the flat is small and cramped; and her only resources are for groceries. On top of this, Brick Lane is harassed by bigoted people handing out flyers that fan irrational fears of Muslim extremists taking over the streets of London. Married but not in love, Nazneen lives vicariously through the letters she receives from her sister about her carefree life and love affairs. She misses her sister and yearns to get back home.
Having been passed over for promotion he was certain he was due, the prideful Chanu resigns from his job and Nazneen gets a sewing machine from a neighbour to earn extra money mending jeans. She strikes up a friendship with the charismatic Karim, who delivers clothes to her for work.
The Bangladeshi Muslim community in London is becoming increasingly religious in nature, and Karim invites Nazneen to a Muslim "Unite" program run by the Bengal Tigers. Nazneen learns to her dismay that Chanu has borrowed money from a loan shark with a bad reputation. While out at a market, Karim sees her and invites her to his uncle's factory. They kiss, and begin an affair.
Following an angry exchange with her husband, Nazneen comes to understand that the reason why her sister has been describing so many illicit affairs is because she is working as a prostitute; overwhelmed, Nazneen has an emotional breakdown. Chanu begins to prepare the family to return to Bangladesh as Nazneen recovers, buying airplane tickets and packing up their things. Meanwhile, Karim goes away to see his family in Bradford. Upon his return, he tells her he turned down marriage with another girl for Nazneen. Their conversation is interrupted by Nazneen's elder daughter who later questions Nazneen's relationship with Karim.
A woman representing the loan sharks harasses Nazneen for more money that is supposedly owed. Her daughters voice their displeasure about leaving Britain to go to Bangladesh. She confronts her husband about the debt he owes the loan sharks which he brushes off. Chanu and Nazneen attend a Muslim rally in a town hall and Chanu berates the tone of the gathering but they rebuff his statements.
Nazneen informs Karim that she does not want to marry him because she is "no longer the girl from the village." Karim leaves broken-hearted and in tears. Nazneen tells the loan shark off, saying she has overpaid the debt her husband owes, and the lady leaves after she refuses to swear on the Quran that they owe more. Their eldest daughter confronts both Chanu and Nazneen about her own desire to stay in London. She then runs off into the streets while a festival is ongoing as her mother runs after her. Nazneen catches up to her at the train station. Chanu and Nazneen share a heart to heart about staying and leaving. Despite always longing for her 'home', Nazneen realizes her home is where her children are happy. Chanu decides that he will leave and that they will follow him at a later date.