Gurinder Chadha

Born in Kenya in 1951, her family moved back to India and eventually to the UK in 1961. She grew up in Southall, West London. She began her career as a news reported with BBC Radio, directed several award-winning documentaries, and then directed her debut feature, Bhaji on the Beach (with a screenplay by Meera Syal. Chadha directed several dramas and documentaries after the breakout success of Bhaji on the Beach, and crossed into serious commercial territory with Bend it Like Beckham, a comedy with a touching undertone.
Interview in film monthly.
Interview at BBC films.

Filmography



Bride and Prejudice
(2004, )
A Bollywood update of Jane Austen's classic tale, where Mrs. Bennet is eager to find suitable husbands for her five unmarried daughters.
Sawnet Review by Priyanka Gill, Shipra Mandal, Shauna Singh Baldwin, Susan Chacko

Bend it Like Beckham
(2002, )
Who wants to cook Aloo Gobi when you can bend a ball like Beckham? The daughter of orthodox Sikh parents wants to play professional soccer.
A Nice Arrangement
(1994, )
Set in the London home of an Indian family on the morning of their daughter's wedding, A Nice Arrangement takes a wry look at the most prominent Indian obsession -- marriage. Meena, the young bride, changes into her traditional bridal gear with the help of her divorced friend, Sita. Together, the women explore why they chose to marry the "perfect" cultural choice for their parents. Available from NAATA
Bhaji on the Beach
(1993, )
Meera Syal's script anchors a touching, witty film about a group of Indian women of varying ages on a trip to the beaches of Blackpool. Each woman is either escaping from a problem or looking for new possibilities.
Acting our Age
(1992, )
The residents of a home for South Asian elderly shoot their own video. Available from NAATA.
I'm British But...
(1990, )
A witty and perceptive short film dealing with the Asians in Britain. Thus you have a Scottish/Pakistani sheep farmer, a Bangladeshi woman who lives in Belfast and an Indian girl who lives in Glasgow and has a Welsh twang to her voice. The accents are truly mindboggling and there is the unceasing Bhangra beat to make a true bhelpuri of what it means to be British and Asian. Available from NAATA