Bend It Like Beckham

Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 British family romantic comedy sports film produced, written and directed by Gurinder Chadha, and starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Juliet Stevenson, Shaznay Lewis and Archie Panjabi.

The film's title refers to the football player David Beckham, and his skill at scoring from free kicks by curling the ball past a wall of defenders. It follows the 18-year-old daughter of Punjabi Sikhs in London. She is infatuated with football but her parents have forbidden her to play because she is a girl. She joins a local women's team, which makes its way to the top of the league.

Bend It Like Beckham was released theatrically on 12 April 2002 by Redbus Film Distribution, and on DVD and VHS on 18 November 2002 by Warner Home Video. The film surprised critics and was met with mostly positive reviews. With a gross of $76.6 million at the box office, it is the highest-grossing sports film to focus on association football. A stage musical version opened at London's Phoenix Theatre on 24 June 2015.

Plot
Jesminder "Jess" Bhamra is the 18-year-old daughter of Punjabi Sikhs living in Hounslow, London. Juliette "Jules" Paxton is the same age and the daughter of a white English family. Jess is infatuated with football, but because she is a woman, her conservative family won't let her play. However, she sometimes plays in the park with boys, including her best friend, Tony, a closeted gay man.

Whilst on a jog through the park, Jules discovers Jess's skills, befriends her, and invites her to try out for the local women's football team, the Hounslow Harriers coached by Joe. Jess is extremely happy and excited about the tryouts, even though Joe is sceptical about a new player joining the team. After seeing Jess's skills, Joe accepts her on the team and Jess lies to Joe about her parents being cool with the idea.

Jess's parents eventually discover that Jess has been playing football behind their backs. They become more strict and forbid Jess to play in any more matches. The elder Bhamras are also distracted by their elaborate wedding plans for Jess's older sister, Pinky. Thanks to the skills of Jess and Jules, the Harriers reach the finals of the league tournament. Unfortunately, the finals and Pinky's wedding fall on the same day.

Joe pleads with Mr Bhamra to allow Jess to play, but Mr Bhamra refuses, which reveals that he does not want Jess to suffer the way he did when he was excluded from a cricket club because of being Indian. Jess develops an attraction toward Joe, and when the team plays in Hamburg and goes out clubbing, they're caught by Jules when about to kiss. Jules also has a crush on Joe, and this sours the two girls' friendship, as Jules is adamant that she had told Jess about her crush. When Jess goes to Jules's house to try to patch up their friendship, Jules's mother is misled and thinks they're hiding a lesbian relationship.

Joe accepts that Jess is not allowed to play and the final begins without her. But halfway through Pinky's wedding, Tony convinces Mr Bhamra to let Jess go. He agrees, and Tony drives Jess to the game, where the Harriers are losing 1–0 with half an hour left. Jess and Jules equalise, and when Jess is awarded a free kick, she must bend the ball around the wall of players to score. She succeeds and the Harriers win the tournament. Jess and Jules are offered sports scholarships at Santa Clara University in California, which Jules tells her parents immediately, whereas Jess has trouble telling hers. Jules and her mother arrive at Pinky's wedding so that Jules can celebrate with Jess. When Mrs Paxton accuses Jess of being a hypocrite and a lesbian, Jules grabs her mother and runs off in shame.

Jess has still not told her parents about the scholarship – she is afraid they might not allow her to go to the United States on her own. Tony, out of friendship for Jess, decides to lie to the family and tell them he is engaged to Jess as long as she gets to go to any college she wants. Jess reveals the lie and her mother blames Jess's father for allowing her to play. Jess's father convinces her mother to accept Jess's wishes after telling her he doesn't want Jess to suffer as he did. Jess flees to the football field to tell Joe of her parents' decision. The two almost kiss, but Jess pulls away, saying her parents would object, and that although they had come far enough to let her go to America to play, she doesn't think they would be able to handle another cultural rebellion from her.

On the day of Jess and Jules's flight to America, Jules's mother gives her daughter a football jersey and wishes her good luck, this being her way of telling her daughter that she has accepted Jules's decision. The two are about to board the plane when Joe arrives and confesses his love for Jess. The two kiss and Jess agrees to sort out their relationship (and her parents) when she returns for Christmas. While at the airport, they see David Beckham with his wife Victoria, which Jules takes as a sign. Jess and Jules send their parents a team photograph, and it is revealed that Pinky is pregnant. Finally, Mr Bhamra is seen practicing cricket with Joe's help.

Cast

 * Parminder Nagra as Jesminder "Jess" Kaur Bhamra
 * Keira Knightley as Juliette "Jules" Paxton
 * Archie Panjabi as "Pinky" Kaur Bhamra
 * Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Joe
 * Shaznay Lewis as Marlena "Mel" Goines
 * Anupam Kher as Mohaan Singh Bhamra
 * Shaheen Khan as Mrs. "Sukhi" Kaur Bhamra
 * Frank Harper as Alan Paxton
 * Juliet Stevenson as Paula Paxton
 * Ameet Chana as Tony
 * Kulvinder Ghir as Teetu
 * Pooja Shah as Meena
 * Preeya Kalidas as Monica
 * Trey Farley as Taz
 * Saraj Chaudhry as Sonny
 * Paven Virk as Bubbly
 * Nithin Sathya (uncredited) as Waiter
 * Emma Daly as team player
 * Nina Wadia as Wedding Caterer
 * Ace Bhatti as Nairobi Grandson
 * Gary Lineker as himself
 * Alan Hansen as himself
 * John Barnes as himself

Production
Gurinder Chadha co-wrote the script with Guljit Bindra and screenwriting partner Paul Mayeda Berges. Nayar and Chadha actively pursued financing for the film at Sundance Film Festival. Having previously worked with Road Movies, a German production company on several other projects, Nayar approached them and they came on board, followed by British Screen and The Film Council.

Helkon SK, formerly known as Redbus, picked up the script. Fox Searchlight Pictures picked up the rights for distribution in the United States at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002.

Filming
Principal photography began on 18 June 2001. A variety of locations around London and Shepperton Studios were used for the nine-week shoot, with the semi-final taking place over a three-day period in Hamburg, Germany.

Casting


Chadha, who played an active role in casting, chose Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, who would play the two lead roles in the film, while Archie Panjabi and Jonathan Rhys Meyers were in early talks to join the cast. Shaznay Lewis and Anupam Kher were also in final talks. Juliet Stevenson and Frank Harper joined as Paula Paxton and Alan Paxton, mother and father of Jules.

For the role of Jess's mother, Mrs Bhamra, Chadha turned to Shaheen Khan, whom she had previously cast in Bhaji on the Beach. Anupam Kher, a Bollywood actor, was cast as Mr Bhamra, Jess's father. Chadha worked with The Football Association and ended up casting actual players from a variety of school teams.

Theatrical
Bend It Like Beckham was released theatrically on 12 April 2002 by Redbus Film Distribution. The film then received a limited theatrical release in the United States on 12 March 2003, by Fox Searchlight Pictures. When originally released in the United Kingdom, it topped the country's box office for the next three weekends, before being overtaken by About a Boy.

Home media
The film was released on DVD and VHS on 18 November 2002 by Warner Home Video. Among the DVD bonus features, there are several scenes that did not make the final release. Some include dialogue from Pinky's friends and from Jules, as well as her mother meeting Kevin and his friends outside a shop, which would have been helpful, as Kevin is mentioned three times but is never seen.

On the North American Billboard video charts, the film entered the top ten of the Top DVD Sales and Top DVD Rentals charts, at number six on Top VHS Sales, and number seven on Top VHS Rentals.

Critical response
Bend It Like Beckham surprised critics and met with mostly positive reviews. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 85% based on 151 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The consensus states, "Inspiring, compassionate, and with a sly undercurrent of social commentary, Bend It Like Beckham is a lively feel-good movie that genuinely charms."

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times noted that the film "was really full of easy humor, an impeccable sense of milieu that is the result of knowing the culture intimately enough to poke fun at it while understanding its underlying integrity."

The Times of India noted the film's social context, saying, "[it] is really about the bending of rules, social paradigms and lives – all to finally curl that ball, bending it like Beckham, through the goalpost of ambition.... The creeping divide shows that Britain is changing, but hasn't quite changed yet. The stiff upper lip has travelled miles from the time Chadha's father was denied a pint at some pubs at Southall, but like dollops of coagulated spice in badly stirred curry, discrimination crops up to spoil the taste, every now and then, in multi-racial Britain."

Planet Bollywood gave the film a mark of 9 out of 10: the "screenplay not only explores the development of Jesse as a person, but also the changing values and culture of NRI teens: Jesse's urge to break the social norm of the Indian home-maker, her sister's (Archie Punjabi) sexually active relationship, and the gay Indian [Tony, played by Ameet Chana]."

The Hindu argued, "If ever there is a film that is positive, realistic and yet delightful, then it has to be Dream Production's latest venture directed by Gurinder Chadha.... Light-hearted, without taking away the considerable substance in terms of values, attitudes and the love for sport, the film just goes to prove that there are ways to be convincing and honest."

Jamie Russell at the BBC gave it 4 out of 5 stars, and argued that "Mr Beckham ought to be proud to have his name on such a great film." The British film was distributed by iDream Productions in India, and went on to set the record in India for most number of tickets sold during a single weekend for a foreign movie.

Box office
In the United Kingdom, the film grossed over £11million, making it one of the highest-grossing Black/Asian-themed British films. With $32.5 million in US box office revenue, Bend It Like Beckham became the highest-grossing Indian-themed film in the United States since Gandhi (1982). At the time of its release, Bend It Like Beckham became the highest-grossing association football themed sports film in the United States, and is currently the third highest-grossing film there in this genre (behind Kicking and Screaming and She's the Man). The film grossed $76.6 million worldwide.

Wins

 * 2004 Pyongyang Film Festival: Music Prize
 * 2002 British Comedy Awards: Best comedy film
 * 2003 ESPY Awards: Best Sports Movie ESPY Award
 * 2004 GLAAD Media Awards: Outstanding Film – Wide Release

Nominations

 * 2006 Billie Award – Entertainment (Best film)
 * 2004 Writers Guild of America Award – Best Screenplay
 * 2003 British Academy of Film and Television Arts – Best film
 * 2003 Golden Globe for Best Film – Musical or Comedy
 * 2002 Locarno International Film Festival: Audience Award – Gurinder Chadha
 * 2002 London Film Critics Circle Awards: British Best Newcomer – Keira Knightley
 * 2002 International Film Festival of Marrakech: Special Jury Award – Gurinder Chadha
 * 2003 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures: Special Recognition
 * 2002 Sydney Film Festival: PRIX UIP – Gurinder Chadha
 * 2003 The Comedy Festival: Film Discovery Jury Award – Gurinder Ch

Soundtrack
The release of the soundtrack in the United Kingdom features bhangra music, and songs by the Spice Girls' Victoria Beckham and Melanie C and rock band Texas. It also features "Baddest Ruffest" by Backyard Dog, the aria Nessun Dorma, from Puccini's Turandot and excerpts from dance band Basement Jaxx. The USA release rearranges the tracks and excludes some material. "Dream the Dream" appears in the movie but did not make the final cut on the soundtrack.

Release (United Kingdom)

 * 1) Craig Pruess & Bally Sagoo Feat. Gunjan – "Titles"
 * 2) Blondie – "Atomic"
 * 3) Backyard Dog – "Baddest Ruffest"
 * 4) B21 – "Darshan"
 * 5) (Movie Dialogue) – "It's Beckham's Corner"
 * 6) Victoria Beckham – "I Wish"
 * 7) (Movie Dialogue) – "Learn To Cook Dahl"
 * 8) Malkit Singh – "Jind Mahi"
 * 9) Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – "Tere Bin Nahin Lagda"
 * 10) Bally Sagoo Feat Gunjan – "Noorie"
 * 11) (Movie Dialogue) – "Juicy Juicy Mangoes"
 * 12) Basement Jaxx – "Do Your Thing"
 * 13) (Movie Dialogue) – "Eyes Down"
 * 14) Texas – "Inner Smile"
 * 15) Melanie C – "Independence Day"
 * 16) (Movie Dialogue) – "Can't Make Round Chapattis"
 * 17) Hans Raj Hans – "Punjabiyan Di Shaan"
 * 18) Gunjan – "Kinna Sohna"
 * 19) Tito Beltrán – "Nessun Dorma"
 * 20) (Movie Dialogue) – "The Offside Rule Is"
 * 21) Bina Mistry – "Hot Hot Hot"
 * 22) Craig Pruess & Bally Sagoo Feat. Gunjan – "Hai Raba!"
 * 23) Curtis Mayfield –  "Move on Up"

Release (United States)

 * 1) Craig Pruess & Bally Sagoo Feat. Gunjan – "Titles"
 * 2) *(Movie Dialogue) – "It's Beckham's Corner"
 * 3) Texas – "Inner Smile"
 * 4) Malkit Singh – "Jind Mahi"
 * 5) Bally Sagoo Feat Gunjan – "Noorie"
 * 6) *(Movie Dialogue) – "Learn To Cook Dahl"
 * 7) Victoria Beckham – "I Wish"
 * 8) *(Movie Dialogue) – "Juicy Juicy Mangoes"
 * 9) Gunjan – "Kinna Sohna"
 * 10) Partners in Rhyme (featuring Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) – "Tere Bin Nahin Lagda"
 * 11) *(Movie Dialogue) – "Can't Make Round Chapattis"
 * 12) Melanie C – "Independence Day"
 * 13) B21 – "Darshan"
 * 14) *(Movie Dialogue) – "Eyes Down"
 * 15) Bina Mistry – "Hot Hot Hot"
 * 16) Blondie – "Atomic"
 * 17) Craig Pruess & Bally Sagoo Feat. Gunjan – "Hai Raba!"
 * 18) Tito Beltrán – "Nessun Dorma"

North Korean broadcast
To mark the tenth anniversary of North Korea's relations with the United Kingdom, an edited version of Bend It Like Beckham was broadcast on North Korean state television on 26 December 2010, Boxing Day. The British Ambassador to South Korea, Martin Uden, said it was the "first ever Western-made film to air on television" in North Korea.

Stage musical
A stage musical version of the film opened at London's Phoenix Theatre in June 2015.

On 7 May 2019 it was announced that the stage production, which debuted in London's West End, will have its North American premiere in Toronto, with a limited run at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts' Bluma Appel Theatre beginning in December 2019.