Bend It Like Beckham became Football Shootball Hai Rabba. And now Bride and Prejudice will become Balle Balle ? Amritsar to LA. Yes, Gurinder Chadha?s new film is like her last endeavour ? by the Punjabis, of the Punjabis? for the world.
?It is completely different from Bend It Like Beckham, this film is about bloody real Punjabis,? exclaims Deepak Nayar, the producer of both of Chadha?s productions. ?I am a Punjabi. So is Gurinder. And the film is the celebration of being a Punjabi. It is a beautiful romantic comedy with a happy ending. I hope, financially, it will be much bigger than the earlier film.?
There was a sneak preview of the film in Mumbai and the response was reportedly very good. After the premiere in Delhi on October 7, both the English and Hindi versions of the film will be released in the UK and India on Friday, October 8.
?By releasing Bride and Prejudice simultaneously in the two countries, we are expecting almost no piracy at all,? says Nayar. ?Now, we are trying to wrap up the Hindi production as quickly as we can.?
As for the US, Nayar is adopting a different strategy. ?We had an NRG (National Research Group) screening in America and we got excellent scores in places like New Jersey and Manhattan. Miramax plans to release the film later in the year.?
Having watched the film quite a few times now, Nayar feels that it has been adapted quite well from Jane Austen?s Pride and Prejudice.
?Well, it was the best option for making an Indian adaptation. You already have four marriages in the novel, you throw in some songs and you have your Bollywood movie. I think, Gurinder stuck to the original as much as she could. The characters and situations are all the same. It?s just the way it is told that is quite different and that?s what makes it that much fun.?
And what about the Ash effect? ?Aishwarya Rai is fantastic in the film. She looks more gorgeous than she has ever looked before. I can guarantee that her marque will shoot up once the film releases.?
An Indian at heart, Nayar has already planned two other productions. ?Gurinder?s husband Paul Mayeda Berges will be directing Mistress of Spices. Then there?s a Shyamalan-like scary film titled Sacred Thread to be directed by Mahesh Mathai, who made Bhopal Express.?
