Gurinder Chadha of Bend It Like Beckham will soon be serving Bollywood fans with a new addition to the animation world alongside animation studio Aardman, a British studio known for titles like Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Chicken Run.
The upcoming musical follows the story of an Indian elephant. The young elephant from Kerala, a southern Indian state, has an impossible dream of becoming a popular Bollywood dancer. The title aims to attract a family audience across the globe.
The Bend It Like Beckham director continues to bridge cultural gaps (even in India) in the upcoming film. She integrates Bollywood into the animated film, which is the mainstream Hindi film industry. On the contrary, Kerala, the hometown of Bodhi, the protagonist of the upcoming film, has an improving film industry of its own.
Chadha, who will be directing the animated film, is also co-writing the script with Paul Mayeda Berges. The two are working together under their production company, Bend It Networks. The company is renowned for titles like Blinded by the Light (2019), Viceroy’s House (2017), Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging (2008).
Gurinder is also directing Pashmina, an animated film that tells a story of an Indian-American girl who is assisted by her Pashmina to rediscover her heritage. The title is in its pre-production stage, and fans can only wait to see what is cooking.
Although the director or the Aardman studio has released fewer details, the Bend It Like Beckham filmmaker and the company seem excited to work together.
In a statement, Chadha said, “Aardman is a Great British national treasure. I am honored and excited to bring my unique British Asian vision to their acclaimed animation studio. Their work has so much heart, humor, and affection, and we share a love of authentic and joyful underdog stories about memorable characters – so it is a perfect match.”
Aardman’s creative director, Peter Lord, stated, “We are so excited to be collaborating with Gurinder, a truly great director whose beautiful, funny, and warm storytelling we have long admired. Her talent, when combined with the team here at Aardman, promises something new and extraordinary in the world of animation.”
Chadha’s most recent work, Blinded by the Light, tells the story of a British-Pakistani teen whose life takes a turnaround after discovering Bruce Springsteen music. The title got a $15 million sale deal and was nominated for Best Film in the Seattle International Film Festival. Ethan Anderson also listed it as the eighth-best film in 2019.
The filmmaker is known for her prowess to incorporate comedy flawlessly in different titles. This aspect is also expected in the upcoming animated film, even though not many details have been released concerning this.
The Aardman and Bend It Network companies also revealed they would be working with Indian voice stars, designers, and musicians on the project. So, expect to see more of Bollywood actors. Although the release date is not out yet, the upcoming animated film is in its advanced development.
If you are a fan of Gurinder Chadha movies, this musical is promising and a great title to add to your bucket list. To stay current on upcoming animated films, stick around!
