Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha walks into the interview wearing a bright red Christmas sweater, completely unfazed by Mumbai’s heat and instantly sets the mood with laughter and warmth. That energy carries through a deeply personal, free-flowing conversation that moves seamlessly between childhood memories, cultural identity and the power of storytelling.
Chadha reflects on growing up in a British-Indian household where Christmas was more than a festival, it was a feeling. From masala-filled roast dinners and letters to Santa to watching the Queen’s speech, Christmas symbolised compassion, togetherness and shared humanity. These memories form the emotional backbone of her latest film, Christmas Karma, which she describes as a labour of love.
Inspired by It’s a Wonderful Life and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Chadha reimagines the story through an Indian lens. At its heart is Sood, an older man looking back at his life, shaped by displacement, trauma and migration. Drawing from real-life experiences of Ugandan-Indian refugees, Chadha infuses the film with Indian values like seva, empathy and the belief that we are all connected.
True to her style, Christmas Karma is also a musical, blending Christmas classics with Bollywood flair, hip-hop, pop and Bhangra. One standout moment is a Bollywood version of Last Christmas, featuring Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Chadha shares a warm, behind-the-scenes story of convincing Priyanka to sing again, celebrating their sisterhood and the spirit of Indian women supporting each other globally.
The conversation also revisits Bend It Like Beckham, with Chadha opening up about the fierce resistance she faced and how she fought her way through it. She reveals that a sequel is officially in development, possibly as a film, series or both. Reflecting on her journey as a British-Asian woman in a white-dominated industry, Chadha speaks candidly about persistence, politics and why telling these stories still matters.
Unfiltered, inspiring, and heartfelt – this is Gurinder Chadha at her most honest.
Lovely conversation!
Bend it like Beckham was a magical movie! So well made. <3
Absolute legend ❤