They are there, to work hard, for long hours ("plenty of overtime sahib!") and save as much money as they can, so they can go back home to Pakistan because ("I have some scores to settle"). They struggle but they have the will ("it's a question of self discipline and regular sleep").
Many Indians and Pakistani's can relate to such a story. Most actually go to the Middle East, to places like Qatar, UAE or Saudi Arabia. Work in terrible factories, live in groups, in old run down houses.
The film centers around one character named Amir (played by Pavan Malhotra in his first major role).When he first arrives in England he is depressed ("I've sold all my wife's jewelry for this"), scared and inadequate. But soon with the help of the others in the house, he begins to feel comfortable at his new job, goes to movies, plays cards, bangs the prostitute the men invite regularly, and learns to stand up against the agent who demands money ("I come here every Sunday, I get paid every Sunday!).
The problems in the story start to arise when the head of the house Hussein Shah (played by Om Puri) starts dating a white women ("sali goree"), and decides to move her into the house among all the men. Shah later insists that Mary marry his nephew Irshad when he arrives so that "the poor boy can come here in freedom".
The men welcome her but don't quite know if they can trust her ("she sounds like a police informer").
The other characters in the film are heartwarming. There is Sakib the innocent young kid who dreams of becoming a writer. There is Gholam, who hates his life, but says "It's not a jail sentence". There is Old Ram who has lived in England now for 20 years but only seen his wife in Pakistan 8 times.
The film is low budget, with no name actors, but the screenplay is very realistic and the film was made by the famous BBC. Definitely worth seeing. I have watched this film about ten times, I really enjoyed it.
