THIS WEEK IN 1999: Actor hopes for big time after reviews

Raji Jhanji was in East is East, a film documenting an Anglo-Pakistani family in 1970s’ Britain.

Raji, pictured, who uses James as his stage surname, became interested in drama while a pupil at Westfield Junior School, Paulsgrove.

He later starred in a sitcom called Blind Men, co-written by comedian Nick Hancock and featuring the rivalry of two top blinds salesmen.

However East is East would be his biggest break so far as it had already received rave reviews and was due to go on general release in September.

Raji said: ‘It would be nice for it to be a breakthrough, you never know, but I haven’t seen the film yet.’