East Is East star looks unrecognisable 25 years after iconic movie as he reunites with co-star who is now on a soap
EAST Is East star Emil Marwa looked unrecognisable with a bushy beard – 25 years after the iconic movie hit our screens.
Emil – who played Maneer Khan in the 1999 British comedy-drama – reunited with his co-star and onscreen brother Chris Bisson, who portrayed Tariq “Tony” Khan in the film.
Emmerdale star Chris, 48, who currently plays Jai Sharma on the ITV soap, shared a special post to celebrate Emil’s 50th birthday.
The actors were joined by their families as they enjoyed a day out at the beach in Dorset.
Emil looked different to his clean-shaven look as he sported a full beard and a checked flat cap.
Chris captioned the post: “Amazing start to the New Year celebrating my East is East bro’s 50th birthday.
“We first met in a church hall in Pimlico, in 1996, for a rehearsal of the original stage play and have been like brothers ever since.
“You may recognise him as Maneer from the movie.”
Many fans were delighted with the reunion and raced to comment, with one writing: “A film that continues to make me laugh all these years later. Watched it yet again during the Christmas period.”
A second shared: “East is East is one of my all time faves. Being a child in the 80s of an English mother and Asian father there was a lot I could identify with. So many hilarious one liners.”
A third added: “Wow that is a fantastic, smashing and ace photo of you and Emil Marwa in Dorset there mate. Nice.”
“That was a brilliant film. Loved it,” this fan added.
The popular movie is set in the 1970s England, when Pakistani father George Khan is challenged by his British children, who reject Pakistani dress, food, religion and culture.
George, who was played by the late Om Puri, shares seven children – Nazir, Abdul, Tariq, Maneer, Saleem, Meenah and Sajid – with wife Ella, a British Roman Catholic woman of Irish descent.
Despite being married to Ella for twenty-five years, George also has a second wife in Pakistan and is obsessed with arranging marriages for his children, who challenge him.
Emil has continued to act and has appeared in various films, including 2000 film The Guru and in 2009 comedy horror The Doghouse.
He has also made appearances in Waterloo Road, Casualty, Hustle EastEnders and Holby City.
The actor also returned for the West is West in 2010, a sequel to the East Is East, written by Ayub Khan-Din and produced by Leslee Udwin.
The original cast also made a comeback, with the likes of Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Lesley Nicol and Jimi Mistry also reprising their role.