Bollywood's Joyous Christmas: Gurinder Chadha's 'Christmas Karma' and the Sequel to 'Bend It Like Beckham'
ByNoor Nanji
Culture Reporter
Bollywood and Christmas might seem like an odd pairing, but director Gurinder Chadha sees it as a natural fit. "Bollywood is all about singing, dancing, joy," she says. "So for me, making a joyful Christmas film with singing and dancing comes naturally for this time of year."
And that's exactly what Chadha has done with her new musical film, 'Christmas Karma'. A Bollywood-style adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', it features a star-studded cast including Kunal Nayyar, Hugh Bonneville, Pixie Lott, Boy George, Danny Dyer, Charithra Chandran, and Eva Longoria.
But 'Christmas Karma' is more than just a festive film. It's also a celebration of diverse musical traditions, as Chadha emphasizes, "It's a British film."
Chadha is also working on a sequel to her iconic 2002 film, 'Bend It Like Beckham'. She's feeling the pressure to live up to the original, saying, "I'm working on the characters. These are big boots to fill. I don't want to rush it. The last thing I want is for people to say, 'it's not as good as the original.'"
In 'Christmas Karma', we meet Mr. Sood, a modern-day Scrooge who undergoes a transformative journey. Kunal Nayyar, known for his role in 'The Big Bang Theory', plays Mr. Sood, but he assures us he's nothing like the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. "I love Christmas," he says, "Who doesn't love Christmas? Of course, I love Christmas."
Nayyar grew up celebrating Christmas in New Delhi, and he shares, "Indians have a beautiful tradition of celebrating all festivals."
The film's first ghost, Jacob Marley, is played by Hugh Bonneville, who also stars in 'Paddington' and 'Downton Abbey'. Billy Porter, known for his acting and singing, portrays The Ghost of Christmas Present. Interestingly, Porter admits he was more of a Scrooge before this film.
Bonneville, a self-proclaimed Christmas enthusiast, disagrees with the notion that November is too early for a festive film. "I used to be a 'Bah Humbug' about it, wanting Christmas decorations to go up on Boxing Day, but I'm getting earlier and earlier," he says.
Chadha's inspiration for Mr. Sood came from a family member who criticized her for celebrating Christmas, "I don't know why you're all doing this. You're not white," he would say. Later, she realized he was carrying the trauma of leaving his home country as a child.
Chadha also draws inspiration from politicians, particularly those with similar backgrounds to Mr. Sood's. She explains, "It made sense to me to make my Sood say slightly right-wing things because, during lockdown, we had a government with members of the Asian community who would have a similar background."
Leo Suter, who plays Bob Crachett, Mr. Sood's underpaid employee, highlights the film's core message: empathy, morality, and generosity are better than being a Scrooge. He believes the film brings this message into a nuanced discussion of migration and racial issues in modern Britain.
'Christmas Karma' features a Bhangra Christmas song and a tribute to George Michael, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas singing a desi take on 'Last Christmas'. Pixie Lott, who plays Mary Crachett, adds, "I feel like it's got all the things you want in a Christmas film. It makes you cry, it makes you laugh. It's feel-good, but it also touches you in a way that makes you think about your own life."
'Christmas Karma' is in cinemas from November 14th.
