India The World's Strictest Parents

Many parents raise their kids using strict discipline...

Do not come back until you have checked your answers.

..rigid boundaries...

Drinking, drugs and sex, they're selfish behaviours that destroy lives.

..and immediate consequences.

Come on.

Some people might say that my parents are strict, but we would rather call it love.

But can traditional parenting change the lives of rebellious British teenagers?

I need some more booze.

Where is my booze?

As soon as someone says, "You will do this," the first thing I say is, "No, I won't."

I get away with murder here, like.

Like, I can just do anything I want.

Big lack of respect for authority.

I go to bed whenever I want. I wake up whenever I want.

I don't care what anyone else thinks about me because it's up to me, isn't it?

To find out, two teens who've never met before will leave their fraught families behind...

Don't embarrass your family.

..and head off to the far corners of the world where they will live

according to strict rules imposed by new parents.

In my house you are going to do as I tell you to do.

Please let me make it very clear, my children won't defy me.

This is wrecking my head. This is wrecking my head.

When I punish, I punish really hard.

I'm sick of being treated like a little kid when I'm not one.

-Shut up and listen to me.

-Go upstairs.

-No.

You are a child. You are mine. In the US you have to do what an adult says.

They are actually insane.

The British people's moral fabric is disintegrating.

This programme contains some strong language.

Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!

16-year-old Peter Wrigley likes nothing more than to party.

That is all vodka, boy.

As he's grown, he's become very pompous, very arrogant, thinks that he's God's gift.

Ideal world, absolutely minted, loads of fit girls, loads of drink.

Perfect, mate.

Peter, get up now and pick up this stuff and hang up your suit.

Peter was kicked out of his expensive private school for being disruptive and lazy.

When he came out of boarding school last summer and came home to do his A-levels at a local school,

it was quite apparent that he was the laziest child I've ever come across.

This morning I've received a letter from Peter's school

that's expressing their concern that he's not currently on course to achieve his target grades.

At the beginning of Year 10 I was purely like ten A stars

and, like, during the two years it went down to, like, straight Us pretty much

because I just did no work. I was just, like, I can't be bothered.

-Peter?

-What?

You haven't even given me your full report.

Pick it up. Peter!

Come and pick it up.

Peter's been given every opportunity for an excellent start in life.

Oh, my Lord! I can't imagine how much money

has gone on that boy's education and his whole life.

Peter's parents divorced when he was three

and since his mother's second marriage recently broke down, Peter's behaviour has worsened.

He's a sort of lad who would rather

seek forgiveness than ask permission.

So many times he just gets into bother and then expects us all to forgive him afterwards.

Stop it! Stop it now!

Over in Sussex, 17-year-old Jocelyn Harris

spends all her days smoking marijuana.

You do smoke cannabis.

We all... We all know that. You look very grey, you know?

-I mean, we're all...

-Grey?

We're not all stupid now, are we?

Mum, I'm about to turn 18.

-I'm not going to go all sober and go on a detox.

-Experimental stuff.

But I'm about to turn 18. I'm not going to stop taking...

I'm not going to stop drinking and, like, never take drugs again when I turn 18.

It's just bad news.

At night, Jocelyn goes out in Brighton to drink with her mates.

-So, you're not stoned?

-I haven't been stoned since ten o'clock this morning, actually.

-You made about nine hours.

-Yeah!

From Monday to Friday it's basically the same thing every day.

About five, six-ish I'll get a train down to Hayward Heath and I'll meet three or four friends.

She was asked to leave college because of her problem with authority.

I hate people telling me what to do all the time.

I could never handle the teachers at school because they just think that they can order you around.

She always seemed to be in trouble and always seemed to be in detention or being internally excluded.

Erm, she set fire to the science lab once.

Jocelyn was once a keen rider and even played cricket for her county.

She always achieved good grades,

but since her dad began working abroad in Dubai for months at a time, it all went downhill.

All the stuff at school, it was always me that had to go into school

because her dad was always at work,

so I think she probably realises that she's given me a fair amount of grief over the years.

She's spent the last year doing nothing.

You have no responsibilities, you can sit around, smoke your rollies, talk to your friends.

Do you know what I mean? And you... You know, I don't think you really get that.

What are you going to do if you don't get an education?

How are you going to fund all that?

-How are you...?

-What do you mean?

-Well, how are you...

-Fund what?

Well, your life in the future when you leave home.

Both parents have agreed to send their children to India for eight days

to live with a strict Indian family.

-She's actually crying.

-Be good.

-Can I've some money, please?

-Well, I was going to give you a bit of money, a bit of spending money.

-That's for you, all right?

-Cheers.

I don't think he quite knows what's in store for him.

Hopefully, he'll come back having had a good think about what he really wants to do,

what he wants out of life.

-It's the moment of truth.

-Yeah.

-Give it your best shot.

-I will.

-OK.

-I see you in two weeks.

-Bye, Jocelyn.

-Bye.

-Bye.

She'd better be fit. If she's not fit, I'm not going to be happy.

-Hello.

-I'm Pete.

-I'm Joce. Are you all right? Nice to meet you.

-Yeah. And you.

-How are you?

-I'm all right.

I'm scared. I'm excited, but scared.

No, I'm buzzing. Absolutely buzzing. I can't wait.

The teens are being sent to Pune, a city in the west of India, four hours' drive from Mumbai.

They'll be staying with the Unnikrishnans, a modern Indian family in search of excellence.

Dad Unni is the CEO of a multinational company employing 5,000 people.

Mum Madu is the CEO of their home and has a strict set of rules for their 15-year-old son Siddarth.

Final answer comes out as 2x - y - 2, sir.

OK.

Only child Siddarth has been sent to one of Pune's most sought-after private schools,

where he is expected to achieve good grades.

After a ten-hour flight, the teens touch down in the Indian city of Pune,

with a population of over five million people.

It's known as the Oxford of the East as it's home to more than 100 academic institutions.

But the teens' eyes are fixed on the poverty.

I can't get over it. I'm, like, speechless.

Some of the buildings as well are absolutely, like, shocking. Living in that would be well bad.

Yeah.

To the teens' relief,

the Unnikrishnans live in a modern three-bedroom apartment in an upmarket gated community.

-Hi.

-Hi. I'm Peter.

Welcome. Feel welcome. Unni.

Unni?

I'm Siddarth.

-I'm Madu, your mother.

-Ah, hello.

-Nice to meet you.

-You're welcome.

-Siddarth.

-Hello, nice to meet you.

Son Siddarth will have to share his bedroom for the first time.

Is it OK for you, Peter, to share the room with Siddarth?

Yeah, that's cool, yeah. I used to go to boarding school, so I'm used to sharing rooms and that.

It's a bit weird.

It's like proper weird, their accents and that and, like,

they're a bit sort of mamma and all that, so...

Jocelyn's bedroom will be the converted family study.

Well, you can tell there's someone pretty successful, because there was all these...

There's just all these trophies everywhere and, like, books and like...

It looks like they're pretty, like, educationally based.

So, they're not going to be very happy with they know I've spent a year sitting in bed

and smoking too much weed.

Come.

Settling in? Feeling better?

-Yes.

-Good.

-Sit down.

Before the British teens can get unpacked,

the new parents want to ensure that they live their next eight days like their son Siddarth,

so lay down some house rules.

I haven't been an education for a year, so I'm not looking forward to going back.

I've just had bad experiences with school so I get a bit, like, I don't like teachers and work and...

-You need to study, you need to hold down a good job, have a good home.

-I just want to have fun.

Can we not smoke at all? Like, can we not...

-Huh?

-Can we smoke outside the house?

Unfortunately, no.

Yeah, but what if we don't want to give it up?

-Give it to me.

-I haven't got any alcohol.

But you've got cigarettes. Yeah.

Give it to me.

Thank you.

Why can't you give it up for a week and work towards giving up smoking?

Because I want to smoke for the summer. Because if I give up now,

because I smoke cannabis, during the summer I'll find it really difficult not to smoke cannabis

-and it would have tobacco in it, so...

-You smoke cannabis?

Yeah. That's why I don't drink so much any more.

Jocelyn, there is a saying, tomorrow never comes

and today never goes.

Jocelyn and Peter are asked to sign a contract stating they'll comply with the rules of their new home.

So, you keep reading and rereading until it becomes a part of your psyche.

We appreciated their openness, within a few hours to be able to tell us that.

And, secondly, we have the confidence as elder parents to get them around.

They asked me to hand over my cigarettes, but I still have a packet of GV in my bag

and I'm not giving them that.

Down in the communal garden, the British teens waste no time in breaking the smoking rule.

It feels like I'm about eight again and smoking underneath my bed.

-Like...

-You smoked when you were eight?

-Yeah.

-Jees!

I was really good when I was little.

It wasn't until I got to, like, 13 that I started getting bored of the whole,

you know, "I'm a nice girl, I do well at school."

They need to realise that people from England aren't so cooperative.

Having formed a bond over a fag, Joce and Pete decided to test the resolve of their new parents.

I had a cigarette.

-You had a cigarette?

-Yeah.

-You had it with you or you bought it?

-I had it with me.

So, you told a big lie to me?

Yeah.

How do you feel?

Much better.

And I'm not going to stop, either. I'm going to smoke while I'm here.

-Yeah, so am I.

-You're going to smoke now?

-Yes, I'm going to smoke.

I have a commitment

that you live like normal human beings, good children.

I want to smoke and I'm going to smoke and I don't really take...

I'm not really going to have anyone telling me not to smoke.

You're arguing with me so much, so much, but still I have not lost my cool.

I do not raise my voice even by one decibel.

I say that you can't smoke.

Madu and Unni are alarmed by the teens' disobedience,

so the search their bags in case they're hiding any more cigarettes.

It's a condom. It is not going to be a choice of whether we should allow them one or two cigarettes.

It's a no no, as far as that is concerned.

Siddarth has never seen such bad behaviour and is worried that he might lose his new siblings.

To be honest, I'd prefer to stay.

Yeah, but it's not that easy at all.

With the bags checked, Unni calls the teens up for a dressing down.

I checked your bag. You've got cigarettes with you. You can take it or leave it to me now.

-You checked my bag?

-Yeah.

You went through my stuff?

You can't go through my stuff without asking me.

Because you let me down, as simple as that.

And I don't... I don't trust you, I'll be very open with you.

-That's not fair. I could have some really private stuff in my bag.

-Be open and frank and...

-Be honest.

-We've been very straight and honest with you. Please let me make it very clear.

I've been very honest with you and very nice with you, I'll continue to be nice to you, OK?

There are some things I spoke about it, like a good father.

There are two sides to my personality, too.

You've seen the good side of mine.

-I want you to live with me like good kids.

-But still, that's my stuff.

That's, like, my belongings that you've just gone and ruffled through like... Oh, Jees!

Ah!

What a nice thing to hear(!)

-I'm angry.

-You're angry?

-Yes.

-So are we.

-You've gone through my stuff without asking.

-So are we, angry.

-Do you know that we...

-But we're controlling it. We don't like to shout.

We're not a shouting type of people.

You're my son. You're my daughter.

This is my house

and here my decisions shall prevail.

I really just don't want to be here any more because I can't...

I don't like them. I'm pissed off at the man for going through my stuff. The dad makes me want to...

Makes me want to jump out the window and run as fast as I can.

He is the most annoying man I've ever met in my life.

I cannot stand to be around him and I'm going to walk out of this house and not come back in

if he says, like, another word that pisses me off, because they're just...

They're just too much.

Joce, good morning.

Peter, good morning.

Siddarth, good morning.

Rise and shine.

Unni has a big day planned for Peter and Jocelyn.

He wants them to join his charity and help out in the poorest area of town.

So, Peter, Siddarth and Joce,

you've got to go to a place where there is a community of underprivileged people

and these are people who do not have any opportunities in life, also.

I want you to go with the charity group and work along with them

in the community cleaning work they do over there.

OK, be good boys and good girl. OK, see you.

Bye.

They're not used to doing this.

They're going with a conjecture and a perception

that it's going to be dirty work. Oh, icky feeling.

I'm sure if they were to turn around during the day

and start feeling that, look, I like to contribute

and I like to work and I like to be selfless in my thinking,

then the actions will come automatically.

Almost half of Pune's population live in

a poverty-stricken area surviving on less than a pound a day.

Its inhabitants receive no social security, so the only help they get is from charities like Unni's.

I'm not going to do any of this work. I don't do charity shit.

I'm not getting paid and it's got no benefit to me whatsoever.

Bollocks to that.

Do you, like, really genuinely not give a shit about these people?

No, it's the way it goes. It's what happens. There's no...

-But, like, I don't know, I just feel...

-I've come to, like, terms with the fact

that there's poverty all around the world, there's nothing you can do to stop it and there never will be.

The teens are brought to meet the charity workers

and their leader Evangeline, who will be setting their tasks.

My name is Joce.

-My name is Peter and I don't know what the

-BLEEP

-I'm doing here, pretty much.

Despite his reservations, Peter joins the boys' group and Joce the girls'.

Hello. Nice to meet you.

My name is Joce.

-Rahny?

-Yeah.

-What do we do exactly with the hygiene...

It's going to be hard, like, really hard for me.

Like, in England I don't...

Well, I don't go to school and I don't work or anything,

so, it's going to be a bit of a shock to kind of have to do, like,

manual labour.

The girls head off into the community to start work.

Oh, ponytails!

After the kids have their hands cleaned they're rewarded with a mini manicure.

Sorry, I'm shaking. I smoke and I haven't had a fag, so I shake.

So it's not going to be the brilliant thing.

Kind of insane, like, seeing it for real.

Like, TV is one thing, but when you're actually here, I'm, like, speechless.

I don't really know what to say or do.

I just can't believe that people live like this.

Peter's group is heading to another part of the neighbourhood

where they're expected to remove the rubbish from the streets.

It's a crucial job, as the risk of fire is constant.

I'm not used to this sort of shit, so it's pretty, like, gash, really.

I don't have to.

No.

This is a joke.

It's an actual joke.

-Oh, you are

-BLEEP

-joking.

I'm sorry about that, mate.

Don't worry about it.

Despite Siddarth's encouragement, Peter's had enough of doing charity work.

I will hold. You have to...

Oh. I'll see you all later.

Yeah?

No, I'm going. I'm going, mate.

No, I can't be bothered.

One sec. One sec.

No, I can't be bothered. I'm not doing it.

One sec, one sec, one sec.

No, really, I'm going. I'm done.

-Why?

-No, seriously I'm done.

-Because you're irritated?

-Get out of my way, seriously.

-Wait.

-Get out of my way.

This is pointless.

I'm not picking up shit in, like, some slum for nothing.

-That's just... Oh, God. I'm dreading what we've got planned for the rest of the

-BLEEP

-week

if we start off the first day doing this shit.

Back at home, Unni's charity leader has informed them of Peter's conduct.

Peter, I have not enjoyed the way you've behaved at the place where you went.

It's an insult to me. Ideally speaking I should be taking you along to apologise to those people.

But I wouldn't apologise. If you take me I won't apologise.

-You would not apologise?

-I wouldn't... I won't apologise. I wouldn't. I wouldn't.

-That shows the character.

-That's... That's the way I am. I just wouldn't do that.

You have to be changing to live in this world.

Humility is the first step to success, Peter.

If you want money and you want to reach somewhere in life

it is humility, and nothing can replace humility and hard work.

My children won't defy me.

I know you may have difficulty, but that's why I'm silent, I'm going...

That's my way of reacting.

Expecting them to be changing overnight is a myth.

If you are able to make them realise and understand,

and to make them understand, we will have to calibrate our behaviour.

That from softness to harshness and then later, stringency.

It's the way we will be behaving.

Following Peter's disobedience yesterday, Unni wants to teach the teens to respect authority.

He's arranged for them to go to his factory to work, where they'll be given the minimum wage.

Since I'm the head of this company, my expectation is your behaviour should be impeccable.

Don't let me down.

You'll be paid 200 rupees each

when you complete the work.

This 200 is equal to £3. This is a normal daily salary

given to apprentices over here in India.

These children at this point in time

are not fully aware of the fact that one day their parents will stop giving them money.

You have to climb every step in life to reach the pinnacle.

Nobody can lift you and put you from a helicopter

to a high position.

You've got to climb it step by step

and you start at the bottom of the rung.

Unni's company runs a large manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Pune,

but today the boys will be working in the factory where heating machines are assembled.

I'm sort of looking forward to it, sort of not. It's pretty hot,

but it's, like, interesting, something new, so... Let's see what happens.

See how it goes.

I'm sweating like a pig.

Over at the other end of the plant, Jocelyn's doing a stock check.

I've lost count now.

Although they have only earned £3 each, Peter appreciates that it's better than nothing.

I'm surprised at how hard they work for, like, little money,

but then again, like, it's really, like,

good to have a job out here compared to, like,

compared to people in the slums, like, this is, like, amazing, so...

Flush with his day's wages, Pete dumps the film crew,

commandeers one of Unni's drivers and orders him to take him back into town.

The whole point of me coming out here was to come over and have a bit of fun, which I'm doing.

There's nowhere in the contract that we signed saying no tattoos,

so there's nothing wrong with it.

In India, tattoo parlours are unlicensed

so, worried for his safety, a senior member of the production team arrives to stop the tattoo.

Can I insist that you stop, please?

-No.

-Excuse me, can I insist that you stop?

-It's almost finished.

-I insist that you stop.

I insist that you carry on.

No, Peter, I'm insisting that you stop. We are... We are responsible for you while you're here...

-I don't care.

-And I insist that you stop.

-I don't care. It's almost finished.

-What about this...

-I insist...

Let him finish it. It's like the tiniest amount left.

No, I absolutely insist...

Peter is finally persuaded to leave the parlour with an unfinished tattoo.

-Hi, mate.

-Hey, man.

Back at the flat and Siddarth is horrified by Peter's antics.

-Yeah, I don't care about that.

-Huh?

I don't care about that. I got wisdom written in Hindi.

What did he say it's called?

It's "guan" or something like that.

It's all right. It's all good.

At dinnertime, Peter has to face Unni.

How do you feel about what you've done?

-Um...

-Be honest with me.

-I'm...

I'm, like, glad that I got it.

I'm annoyed that it was stopped so it's not fully finished. I mean, it's my body.

I mean, it's my choice whether or not I deface it.

You are under my parenthood and this is something which will have an impact on you permanently

and in India there are places where they may use needles repeatedly

and, other than drugs,

one place where you get infected with HIV

is tattoos.

So, you were staking your life

unknowingly, without realising what you've done.

But Peter realises it might not just be him who gets it in the neck.

What's happening... Is, like, anything happening to your driver?

Because, like, I've been told that, like, you might sort of sack him,

but I'd be, like, really, really annoyed if that happened and, like, I asked him to stop and that,

so I don't think, like, you should, get, be, like, reprimanded for it.

Because he didn't really know what was going on.

He trusted you.

So, his was a blind faith

in a young boy who came from London,

so let me mull over that for the night what I will do with him.

Before you decide, do you think you could, like, let me know what you're going to do?

Look, if I can take so many decisions

of hiring 5,000 people

and maybe firing a couple of hundred out of that in a year,

I'm sure I'll take a fair decision.

I'm containing my feelings at this point in time.

I want him to be undergoing the tension for the night

that what will happen with the driver.

That's a punishment for him.

He's obviously not very happy.

It's quite annoying as well not knowing what's going to happen,

but I asked him, like, if he could let me know what happens before he, like, makes the decision.

And he was just, like, "I'll make a fair decision, I'm in charge of all these people."

I was like, "Oh." So, I don't think I'll find out what happens until it happens.

After a restless night, Peter is anxious to know Unni's verdict.

What... Have you decided about what you're going to do with your driver?

Well, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt

because he's worked with me for a number of years

and he's shown his integrity and honesty for years.

Giving credence for that, I'm deciding to keep him.

Right, good.

But please recognise for a fact that this is the way in life,

you can put others also into trouble.

Imagine that

if I do not think properly and in a fit of anger, if I were to sack him,

he's got a father, mother, not working, a wife and a small child.

And the entire family survives on the income generated by this particular person.

I thought I would get away with it really easily.

-OK.

-But when I got caught and that and I got told that the driver

could get sacked I felt, like, really bad and that.

It was a big mistake.

It's day four and the most important so far for the Unnikrishnans.

Education is what they hold most dear and today Peter and Joce will be attending Siddarth's school.

At Siddarth's school, the pupils are expected to wear uniform.

Failure to comply will lead to expulsion.

-It is so cute.

-It's disgusting.

I won't even touch it.

I don't think that girls and boys should be forced to wear separate things.

We should have a choice and I don't agree with it.

Only for three days? Just for three days?

No, I'm not going to wear a dress.

Not at all.

It's disgusting.

No, I'm not going to wear it.

Well, I won't enter, then.

I don't want to go anyway.

Education is the only option available for coming up in life in India,

so parents and children accord a lot of importance of attending school

and my request to is you make maximum use of it.

-Children, you're going to have a wonderful experience.

-Enjoy it.

-Believe me.

Siddarth attends The Bishop's School in Pune.

It was established by the British in 1864

to cater for the children of the Indian Army.

It now educates Pune's fee-paying elite.

At the helm is principal Mr Freese, who rules his school with a rod of iron.

There's a lot of pressure for admissions here

and that is why we have to be very, very careful with our discipline

because here we've got about 3,400 students, so we have to be very careful in that.

Before they can start their lessons,

the teens are required to meet the school principal for a uniform inspection.

The first thing you need to do is put that gum into this, please.

Are you chewing gum?

We're very, very strong on discipline, all right?

And one of the things we don't do is dress the way you are dressed.

-The belt buckle should be in the centre.

-Oh, yeah.

Come on, we've got to teach you English how to dress!

Be proud of that tie, my friend, that's The Bishop's School tie

and that comes from a tradition of 145 years.

School, attention.

We shall now sing the national anthem.

THEY SING

We have our school rules, we expect discipline

and we definitely expect you to be in proper uniform.

So, I'd like to see Jocelyn after assembly, please.

Despite the principal's earlier instruction, Jocelyn refuses to change into the correct uniform.

-Why aren't you wearing it?

-I don't think that you should... I feel like I should have a choice.

I don't feel I should be forced into a dress.

What you think does not matter in my school.

I'm sorry, here you're expected...

-I'm not going to wear a dress.

-I'll have to send you home.

-That's fine, I'm not going to wear a dress.

-You can go on, then. I'm sorry.

-You will stand expelled from the school if you do not follow our rules.

-I'm not going to.

-I beg your pardon?

-I'm not going to.

I told you. OK, I'm going.

Go home. Send her home, please.

That's OK. Let her go home.

Siddarth, go to the office, phone your father, ask him to come and take her home, please.

-She's refusing to get into uniform. She can go home.

-Yes, sir.

-I will not tolerate this.

-So, I'll call him.

-Go to the office.

School, school... I hate school.

I will never like school. I will never do work if I was here

and I'm not going to wear a dress, so I may as well just go home before I get in...

-Before I come and make a

-BLEEP

-of myself.

The girl, I'm afraid, has been a bit of a rebel.

She's been very stubborn and we don't want our girls to turn round and behave like this in future

because that would be catastrophic for them.

And our parents will really, really then be very, very upset if that happens.

Stop talking. Next one.

The next one is question number six, now.

Peter's first lesson is algebra.

3x - 4 - 5m squared...

Peter's put in Siddarth's class, who are all a year younger than him.

-8q - 3b + 5c.

-Excellent! Very good.

But being the new boy doesn't stop his teacher from putting him to the test.

-I can't remember. It's...

-16.

-What's their upside?

-I'm just working it out.

OK, you're calculating. Better do it.

-He will tell us.

-The answer is 7x - 9y - 9z.

Good.

I was like... I was well embarrassed.

I didn't know what was going on. I was like, do that?

Pretty much most of them are pretty clever.

And they all, like, try really hard and that.

For the Unnikrishnans Joce missing out on her day at school is a huge embarrassment.

But you just give it a small, little, little thought, just for our sake, just for your sake?

I don't like school.

Anyway, you have about almost 24 hours

to make up your mind, OK?

-Yeah.

-So, just give it a thought.

I will.

Peter's next class is a moral lesson.

The topic I've decided on is obedience and hard work.

So, you will see obedience counts.

Whether it is in school or at home, it will count

because there are certain rules and regulations given to us.

What are the different rules and regulations that we have to follow? Yes?

-Not to argue with your parents.

-Excellent. Now, let's me hear the new child - Peter. Come.

You can share...

The teacher invites Peter to talk to his classmates

about the moral standards he's grown up with in Britain.

Anyone got any questions, then?

Yeah, you have a question?

In school life? Here's, like, quite strict whereas in England, like, I got kicked out of my old school

because I didn't follow the little rules that there were and eventually they kicked me out.

The worst thing I've ever done to my parents.

-There's quite a few, but...

-LAUGHTER

-Please do not laugh.

-Probably the worst thing was I went out to a party one night and I got,

like, really drunk and when I got home I got in one of my mum's cars so I drove it and I crashed it.

So I got arrested and had to spend the night in a police cell because I was drunk and that.

I don't care about what my parents think about me.

You should, actually.

My parents will always be there no matter what I do.

Yeah.

Oh, my God,

you know how bad that is?

I was getting rinsed in there, though.

When they were asking questions about me,

the girls were going mental. I was like, "Someone else ask me a question, please."

I was just like, "Oh, my gosh!"

Compared to our culture it's extremely shocking what he did.

It's not acceptable over here.

He chooses to not use his brains

and if he probably just changed his attitude towards life,

as in, "I don't care," and all that, then he would probably be a good student.

He'd be one of the best students here.

Back at the apartment, Jocelyn receives a letter from her mother.

"We hope that you're having time to think while you are away and to reflect

"on the choices you have made in your life over the last few years.

"Since you started at secondary school, you seem to have adopted a persona that rejects authority.

"Lately you seem to have withdrawn from family life

"and even though you live here in the same house, I feel that I've lost you.

"Your brother and sis..." Argh!

"Your brother and sisters feel the same way and we're hopeful that you'll come back

"and finish your sixth-form courses and I hope you'll go on to pursue a career

"that makes use of your talents and makes you happy. We'll always be here for you

"and love you very much. Mum."

SHE SNIFFS

Getting back into a uniform and it just...

It just brought a lot back.

That was difficult.

Stuff happened, stuff changed

and I just ran away.

Jocelyn's problems with school started when she was 13.

There was a lot of stuff going on.

I mean, like,

my mum...

My mum got cancer while I was at school.

So, during that period I was, like,

"What do I do? My mum's got cancer."

I think she possibly, you know, thought that I was going to die.

You know, being young and not really understanding these kind of things.

And although her mother is now in remission, Jocelyn's struggled to move on.

I got into smoking cannabis quite a bit. Went around being a dick around school,

smoking, swearing at teachers, getting myself suspended, bunking,

-being an absolute

-BLEEP,

-which probably didn't help.

That time in my life just wasn't very nice for me.

It was just difficult to, like, put a...

put a uniform on again and, like, all this crap.

Anyway, once you go back home...

-Yeah.

-You're not going to wear a uniform again.

-Yeah, I know, I know.

-I want you to get back a sparkle in your eyes,

which will come with lightness of the mind.

So, I want you to be happy, Joce.

Yeah, I just block things out.

I smoke cannabis, drink myself, you know...

Get high all the time, like...

It just keeps my mind off everything.

-You don't have to think about anything when you do that, and like...

-It's escapist.

Yeah, it's just my way of running away.

I've always run away.

So, when are you going to stop running away?

-Well, now. That's what I'm saying.

-You will now?

-I'm going to try.

OK, I think trying is the first step.

Yeah.

After school, Unni invites Peter to his company, Fermax,

for a chat about his future.

-Hi. How are you?

-Fine, thanks. Yourself?

Sit down.

He's keen that Peter appreciates the value of a good education

and suspects that the way to get to his heart is money.

How do you feel in this office?

I could get used to it!

I could get very used to it.

-OK. What is your ambition in life?

-I don't really know, to be honest.

Like, I want to make a lot of money,

but I'm not entirely sure, like, which way I'm going to go yet.

I had a similar kind of vision at your age.

I studied hard and got 100% marks in mathematics.

-100 out of 100.

-That's good.

So, there were only three seats available in the college where I did my degree in engineering

for the province which I come from. I got one of those seats

and studied for four years. You can also do that.

You've got to plan at this point in time as to which route I will be taking.

I'll show you how a company, how it operates

and from that you'll come to know how you can get a good career.

In any company,

there'll be CFO.

That's the Chief Financial Officer.

There will be a Chief of Human Resources.

Unni wants Peter to realise that getting a good degree

is the only way for him to secure an executive job.

If you were really serious about becoming something like this,

average salary for a European CEO

is US500,000 per year.

Plus bonus.

-Yeah.

-Bonus can be anything.

If you do great, you'll get a 1 million bonus.

Now, I can sort of see myself being a CEO of Fermax.

You want to be somebody like me?

Yeah. I mean, it would be good.

You can make it. You have all the potential to make it happen.

You'll only need to work hard for that.

I never really knew how companies sort of worked,

but now that I do and what you need for it and I think I might actually go for it.

I'm actually thinking of, like, maybe after finishing A-levels and that,

then give him a little shout-out

and come and work as an apprentice for him or something.

Back at the flat, Joce is continuing to confront her demons.

I'm not looking forward to school, but I'm going to go.

There's no point me sitting... There's no point me coming here and sitting at home, so...

Later that evening, Peter opens up to Unni about his troubled school days.

I've been moving schools my whole life, because, like, obviously with my stepdad in the Army,

-he was moving every two years, so I moved schools quite a lot.

-Yeah.

But I was at, like, a school I really loved and then they moved me to another school

and the new school was like a prison.

You went through shifting schools from one place to the other.

That's not your fault. You're very playful,

you're very energetic.

You have a lot of naughty habits.

Every human being has got good and bad, and you look at your good and try to improve it.

I'm going to, like, work a lot harder for my exams now

because I know that I'm going to need it because it's something to do in life now,

whereas before I didn't really know what I was going to do after school, so...

Like being here, like, that has helped so much.

All the best. We are there!

Peter, do you think India has changed you in any way?

Like, I could feel it.

I could feel it inside. It was weird, like, having someone...

Like, never sort of had things sort of said

to me, like, in that sort of way. Like, that was...

That was everything I sort of thought has, like, completely been,

like, reversed now, sort of thing.

It's like completely changed the way I've thought about everything.

I don't know. I think you're right, there is a turning point in me from this trip.

Much to Unni's delight, Joce is up and dressed for school.

It's the breakthrough they've been waiting for.

For Jocelyn, the rhythm to come back to go to school is more important than what she does in the school.

So, one has to be wearing a uniform, go to school,

sit in the classroom, listen to a teacher is more important than what she learns in the class.

It will be good for her.

Jocelyn hasn't been in a classroom for two years.

Jocelyn's first lesson is a spelling test.

-Good morning, children.

-Good morning.

The first word, the word parliament.

P-A-R-L-I-A-M-E-N-T

Excellent. Antique.

-A-N-T-I-Q-U-E.

-Excellent.

This is spelling is for Jocelyn.

-Pageant.

-Pageant. P-A-D-G-E-N-T.

-No?

-No. It's P-A-G-E-A-N-T.

All right, give each other a clap, please.

They were all just so clever. Like, they all try so hard to, like, really do well and it's, like, wow.

It was quite refreshing, actually, to be in a room full of, like, children that are so, like,

wanting to, like, succeed and that. It's really weird.

I am strongly for the motion.

In the school hall, Peter's been asked to take part in a debating competition.

He's arguing that life as an Indian teenager is better than that of a British one.

Ladies and gentlemen of the board and my very generous audience,

I'd like to begin with, first and foremost, education.

In India, education is far more important

than most other westernised countries,

such as England, for example.

Many people will drop out of education after the age of 16

with very little qualifications.

Second of all is morals. India are big on their morals.

Lastly, I would like to talk about respect.

In India, everyone is massive on respect.

You must respect your family, respect your teachers,

respect any sort of authoritative figures - elders, police, everything.

In many westernised cultures, respect is completely diminished.

Thank you very much.

APPLAUSE

Coming to the point in question, I firmly believe that I would prefer to be a teenager

in a developed western country than in a country like India.

And now for the eagerly awaited prize.

Best speaker for...

Peter Wrigley!

APPLAUSE

Thank you. Cheers.

'The standards are pretty high out here.'

I was surprised that I did so well, but, you know...

It's the last period of the day

and not only is Jocelyn still at school, she's even joined The Bishop's cricket team.

I wasn't that upset about my over.

I haven't played in two years.

I do miss cricket. I do...

I do want to play when I get back.

For the first time in two years, Joce has made it to the end of her school day and it's been a success.

School, like... School has just made me realise that instead of blocking it out,

I need to kind of accept everything and try and move on properly rather than just closing the door,

do you know what I mean? And I want to move on with my life properly and stop, like,

letting the past get me down.

The British teens are nearly ready to leave, so they're having a final family get-together.

-It's been amazing.

-Thank you.

It's nice to hear that, you know?

You are our kids. It makes us feel very, very happy and proud, really.

And we are always there for both of you, OK?

Seeing a smile on her face makes me absolutely believe there'll be a different...

a very different Joce we will see when we're going to see you for the next time.

And you'll have the memories of this going with you.

Oh, for the rest of my life. Well, I've got a tattoo to remind me, don't I?

OK. Do well. OK, do well.

Do well, OK?

Oh, I'm so happy I came. The family were amazing.

They were like... They've got a bit of both.

They've got the old love and caring, but with the strictness. I think it's brilliant.

Bye. Thank you.

'Oh, the family were really lovely.

'They made me think beyond barriers that I'd brought up'

and encouraged me to do things that I didn't want to do.

All the best. Do well, OK?

Do well. Do well, OK? Do well.

We are confident their parents will notice the change in them

because we are their parents for just one week and we have noticed a change.

You look just the same!

-All right?

-Hi!

Yeah, we're fine.

I want to know everything, Jocelyn.

Oh, I've got lots here.

What are the main things that you've learnt?

Learnt some self-control.

Dealing with things instead of running away and helping you out more.

-I didn't know what was going to surface, but it's good, you know, if things have surfaced, then...

-Yeah.

It gave me a chance to think a lot.

I tend to, like, not think.

I mean, I know we've had issues in our family and I suppose maybe you've felt,

you know, that you don't want to add to them.

But since you got cancer, I don't want to, like, don't want to do anything to bring that back.

I don't want to worry you.

It's quite nice to see her communicating.

It's very interesting that she said that, you know, about me being ill, which is quite touching, really.

I've been so intent on carrying on that I didn't realise she was worried about that.

So, yeah...

Hello. All right?

-Come in.

-How are you?

-I'm good.

So, are you a changed person now? Are you changed?

-In some respects.

-In what respects?

-I know what I'm going to do after school.

-What are you going to do?

Going to uni, get a degree and I'm going into big business.

After A-levels, I'm going back out to India for some work experience.

-Lovely.

-A couple of trophies and certificates.

Wow!

I mean, it's fantastic news to hear Peter say

that he is going to work hard to get the qualifications that he needs.

If only that comes out of it, then, you know, I'm deeply grateful.

-Thank you, darling.

-You're welcome.

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