You’ve had such a remarkable journey from Bend It Like Beckham to Bride & Prejudice, Blinded by the Light, and now Christmas Karma. When you look back, what still gives you that spark of excitement about filmmaking?
Gurinder:
It’s getting harder and harder to make films, so you have to be even more resilient these days. But I still love storytelling — I always have, since I was a little girl. I love telling stories that make people laugh, cry, or think — stories that move people emotionally. If I can get people to feel something important, then it’s worth it.
I actually started writing Christmas Karma during Covid. I never imagined how much the world would change since then — how divided and sad it feels sometimes. People might call the film “woke,” but you know what? They probably would’ve said the same about Dickens’ A Christmas Carol! It’s about empathy and compassion, values my parents taught me.
At Christmas especially, it’s important to look at those who seem to have everything yet feel miserable or lonely, and to ask why. We all know people like that. That’s what inspired me.
Your films always balance humour, romance, and emotion so beautifully. What was the biggest highlight in making Christmas Karma?
Gurinder:
Honestly — just getting the money to make it! I was missing about £2 million of the budget and couldn’t shoot in time for Christmas last year, which broke my heart because I wanted to capture all the real London lights.
Then, a miracle happened. I went to a charity reading at St. James’s Piccadilly — reluctantly, because I was feeling so low. I offered a walk-on part in my next film as a raffle prize, and people loved it. Later that night, my family lawyer, Sunil Sheth, asked me about the project. When I told him I was short on funding, he said he was sorry to hear that.
The next day, he called and said, “After the event, a few of us went for dinner — and we all felt so sad because your films have given us so much pleasure over the years. So we’ve had a whip-round… and we’ve got your money.”
That was my Christmas miracle! I booked the helicopter the next day to film the London lights.
That’s such a heartwarming story. How has storytelling evolved for you, especially now with social media and streaming changing attention spans?
Gurinder:
What amazes me is how my films live on through platforms like TikTok! I recently met a girl in Southall who showed me her Bend It Like Beckham skit. It’s incredible — a good story will always last.
People still talk about Bend It Like Beckham 23 years later, Bride & Prejudice 20 years later, Bhaji on the Beach — they’re all still alive.
But Christmas Karma is made for the cinema. It’s a family film — for parents, kids, grandparents. Watching together in a theatre creates a shared experience, laughter and emotion among strangers. That’s the magic.
Let’s talk about your cast — it’s a phenomenal lineup.
Gurinder:
Yes! And thanks to Dickens, everyone already knows the characters.
- Hugh Bonneville jumped in right away — he loved the idea of playing a completely different kind of ghost after Downton Abbey.
- Kunal Nayyar was hesitant at first, but I told him, “It’s so you!” and he’s extraordinary. People won’t even recognise Raj from The Big Bang Theory.
- Eva Longoria came on board after I presented her film Flamin’ Hot for the Oscars. She said, “Mexicans love ghosts, and the Day of the Dead!” So she became the Ghost of Christmas Past.
- Billy Porter was perfect for the Ghost of Christmas Present — commanding, powerful, and musical.
- Boy George plays the Ghost of Christmas Future and brings such depth and soul.
Then we have Pixie Lott, Tracy-Ann Oberman, and so many amazing actors.
And of course, the music — you always have incredible soundtracks.
Gurinder:
Oh yes! I love my fusion music. The soundtrack features Gary Barlow, Shaznay Lewis from All Saints, Punjabi MC, and more. It’s such a mix — a real celebration. And there’s a lovely surprise at the end of the film that I can’t give away!
Adding to that excitement, Christmas Karma also features Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s desi reinvention of Wham!’s Last Christmas — it’s a shimmering, Hindi-infused homage that bridges nostalgia with global flair.
The song, which Priyanka recorded as a personal tribute to her longtime friend Gurinder, will appear both in the film and on the Christmas Karma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) releasing November 14th.
Blending gospel, bhangra, carols, rap, and pop, the soundtrack is a sonic snapshot of Britain today — featuring performances by Gary Barlow, Billy Porter, Malkit Singh, Jassi Sidhu, Anoushka Shankar, Nitin Sawhney, Shaznay Lewis, Pixie Lott, Boy George, and more.
You’ve always pushed boundaries in British cinema. Do you ever feel your work is still seen through the lens of “representation” rather than artistry?
Gurinder:
People can call it representation, or a Christmas film, or a British film — I don’t mind. I just tell stories about what I know. For me, it’s about authorship — telling stories from my perspective and from the experiences of people close to me. That’s what gives the work its truth.
I’ve always believed that if you’re culturally specific, it actually becomes universal. Bend It Like Beckham and Bride & Prejudice proved that. Those films were rooted in my community, but they resonated everywhere because audiences connected with the emotion and humanity underneath.
In the end, that’s what art is about — not labels, but connection.
You’ve inspired a whole generation of South Asian women in film. What advice do you give to young creatives?
Be the best you can — because we have to work ten times harder. Make sure your stories are strong enough to sustain 90 minutes of a film.
Your script should be so good people can’t say no. Ideas are easy, but great scripts aren’t. Even now, it hasn’t become easier for me.
But I do see many brilliant Asian women filmmakers coming up in India and here — and that’s inspiring. You’ve just got to have a lot of verve and stamina, and keep going.
Christmas Karma reclaims Dickens through a modern, multicultural lens. What drew you to retelling A Christmas Carol?
Gurinder:
A Christmas Carol is really about karma. Scrooge learns how to live a good life and avoid the fate of Marley, who didn’t. The title Christmas Karma fit perfectly.
I’ve always loved It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s one of my favourite films about what it means to be human. I wanted to make something that gives people that same feeling.
So Christmas Karma is my version of It’s a Wonderful Life — a film about humanity, compassion, and redemption.
You’ve said before that you make films to “make the invisible visible.” What invisibility do you feel most compelled to illuminate today?
Gurinder:
With the rise of racism, we’re not out of the woods yet. It’s vital that we keep telling our stories and showing our history, so people understand why we’re here and how deeply British history is intertwined with ours.
There are still so many misconceptions and so much ignorance about how this country came to be what it is — and that’s why visibility matters.
For me, Christmas Karma is a small but meaningful step toward that — a British-Asian Christmas film that’s inclusive, educational, and celebratory about who we all are as a nation.
It reminds people that our histories, cultures, and celebrations are interconnected, and that understanding and joy can come from that mix.
I hope it’s a film that will keep being watched every Christmas, long after I’m gone.
Catch Christmas Karma in cinemas across the UK from November 14th.
Cover Shoot Credits
- Creative direction & styling: Anisha Vasani – @anishavasanicreates
- Clothing: Mongas – @mongasuk
- Photographer: Alan Strutt – @alanstrutt
- Videographer: Grey Studios Productions – @shotbygreystudios
- Makeup Artist: Simmy Kaur Bakshi – @simmykaurbakshi_hmua
- Hair: Dar – @hairbydarlondon
- Venue: Gunnersbury Park and Museum – @gunnersburyparkmuseum
- Jewellery By – @merakibyrashmibajaj
