Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; December 2, 2025)

British filmmaker of Indian origin Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham (BILB) was a game-changer that brought a fresh, spirited take on Punjabi culture and Bollywood to western cinema in 2002. Chadha’s films paved the way for diverse storytelling long before Bridgerton made interracial love stories mainstream. Her upcoming project, Christmas Karma — a Bollywood-inspired adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol starring Kunal Nayyar — continues that tradition. Currently in Mumbai, Chadha spoke with Bombay Times about the much-anticipated BILB sequel, her love for Bollywood and telling stories of immigrants. Read on...

‘Bend it Like Beckham sequel is in the works’
Well, I am exploring the idea. I loved working with Eva Longoria on Christmas Karma , and we were talking about BILB because Eva co-owns several football clubs. I was never interested in returning to Bend It Like Beckham because it’s such a special film for so many people, but the incredible growth of women’s football around the world has made me excited to return to this world. So many international players have told me that Bend It Like Beckham inspired them to play, so I want to celebrate women’s football and look at the challenges that are still there for women to thrive on an equal playing field. I’m excited to bring back all of our beloved characters and see where they are in their lives now. Can you imagine? Jess Bhamra in her forties!

Your Bollywood twist to classic tales started with Bride and Prejudice (adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice ). People speak of Bridgerton and inclusivity now, but you did it two decades ago with a diverse casting and a cross-cultural storyline. Do you think the film deserved more love at the time?
What can I say, I am always ahead of the game (smiles). The world takes time to catch up with me, but it’s okay. Bride and Prejudice is very popular around the world. I was surprised — I was in LA and had gone for dinner to my friend’s place, and her niece (an Italian girl around 12) told me that when she and her friends have sleepovers, this is the movie they watch and the one they dance to as well.”

It’s that time of the year when people binge on holiday movies. What’s your take on this genre of films?
I feel it’s like a soothing balm for a lot of people. I grew up celebrating Christmas in England as a child, with stockings and cookies. My father would place carrots and whiskey out for Santa Claus. Then he would get up in the morning and say, ‘Look, Santa came and drank my whiskey!’ And we would exclaim, ‘Oh my God! Santa drank your whiskey!’ It was party time, where we all ate together. That was our version of Christmas. So, I was going to make my unique version with a holiday movie that celebrated Christmas the way we did. I am super happy because I have the first Christmas bhangra song in the world in my movie.

The anti-immigrant sentiment is on the rise in the west. Your film, Christmas Karma , an adaptation of A Christmas Carol with a Bollywood twist, tells the story through the lens of an immigrant. Why do you think it is so important to tell immigrant stories?
It’s all about economics. The first thing that people do when things go down is blame the immigrants. It’s a worldwide phenomenon. The problem in England is that there are no manufacturing jobs. The people at large don’t have the educational qualifications to do the kind of jobs that they would like and earn the kind of money that people who are educated and work hard have. So there are scapegoats with nowhere to run. My children and their generation see race in a very different way. They actually don’t see colour. Times are changing, but I also feel there is something called the English culture. I grew up with it. For some people, it is also important to have English culture and traditions. We should uphold our traditions, but not lose theirs either. So, this Christmas film is from a nation of both cultures and also about what Christmas means to someone like me, or say, Jess Bhamra from Bend It Like Beckham , and how she would be celebrating with her family. It’s a very British interpretation, and I think the message and meaning of Christmas is to give thanks, to do charity and to be kind.

You have worked with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Huma Qureshi and now Kunal Nayyar. Which Indian actor would you love to collaborate with next?
I want to work with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. There are so many great actors in India that I’d love to work with. If I ever get a chance, I want to make a Punjabi film. I do have a subject, and I am talking to someone. Let’s see if I can make it happen. I’d love to make a film in India in an Indian language. I have done so many crossover films now, it would be a great experience to do something different. 

On Virat Kohli settling well in London 
Gurinder met Virat Kohli at a charity event in London. Does she follow cricket and can someone like him be the centre of her film in the near future, given his global fan following?

She replied, “I think it’s his wife (Anushka) we need to ask. She’s the actor. We met at a charity sporting event and there was a lot of security around him. At one point, I tapped him on his shoulder and he just turned around and said ‘Oh ma’am, ma’am!’ And he called me ma’am, Oh My Lord! And then we got out and he told me, he loves London and he’s settling in well. So that was a nice interaction. My father loved cricket but I am not an expert. I think a true cricket lover should make a film about Virat – it would be a smash!”