The Melancholic Parent - Love and Loss
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Mr. Bhamra represents the melancholic migrant through his suffering. Ahmed references two speeches he makes about his suffering that he experienced by the hands of gora (white) people. Mr. Bhamra lost cricket, a sport he was skilled at and loved, because of the racism he experienced on the field. In his fears that his daughter will suffer just as he did, he takes away football from Jess in hopes that she too will not suffer at the hands of racist individuals.
During the interview portion of Nostolgia, both Sawhney’s mother and father refer to the sacrifices and struggles that they experienced as immigrants. When you listen to this portion of the song, you can hear the love that they have for their children but also the loss they experienced to give their children better opportunities.
At the root of melancholia is suffering and loss. And while both Mr. Bhamra and Sawhney’s parents are melancholic migrants due to everything they have endured, their goal is to give their children a better life and more opportunities - to end the cycle of melancholia. At the crux of both scenarios is parental love - Mr. Bhamra by telling Jess she can not play soccer so she does not experience the same racism (pain and suffering) as he did and Sawhney’s parents by leaving (what appears to be) a comfortable life for opportunities.