The Documentary Podcast

Film director Gurinder Chadha

Nov 16, 2025
Gurinder Chadha, a celebrated film director and writer known for her vibrant storytelling, dives into her contemporary musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol, titled Christmas Karma. She shares the imaginative journey of transforming Scrooge into Mr. Sood, a miserly businessman in London. Gurinder discusses the film's themes of kindness amid social divisions and how her personal background shapes the story. She recounts challenges faced during filming in Kenya and the importance of joy and community in her creative process, even composing a Christmas Bhangra song to represent her culture.
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INSIGHT

A Personal, Grateful Christmas Vision

  • Gurinder Chadha aimed to create a warm, grateful Christmas film inspired by It's a Wonderful Life.
  • She wanted a personal reworking that makes audiences feel grateful and connected.
INSIGHT

Dickensian Social Critique Updated

  • Chadha positions her film as a modern Dickens plea for kindness amid harsh politics and social division.
  • She explicitly links A Christmas Carol's social critique to today's refugee and inequality debates.
ANECDOTE

Scrooge Recast As Mr Sood

  • Gurinder turned Dickens' Scrooge into Mr Sood, a hard-hearted Indian businessman who despises refugees.
  • This character arc drives the film’s confrontation with homelessness and prejudice.
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