Gurinder Chadha, who has directed films like Bride and Prejudice and Bend it Like Beckham, is working on a “Bollywood-inspired” animated feature film in collaboration with the British animation studio Aardman, the studio announced on Monday.
The story, that is being co-written by Chadha along with Paul Mayeda Berges, will revolve around “Bodhi, a young Indian elephant from the jungles of Kerala with an impossible dream – to be a Bollywood dancer.”
Chadha will direct the yet-to-be-titled musical as well as produce it under the banner of Bend It Networks, which is headed by her and Berges.
Indian voice talent, musicians, and designers will be part of the project, which is in advanced development, the studio added.
About working with Aardman, Chadha said in a statement, “I am honoured and excited to bring my unique British Asian vision to their acclaimed animation studio. Their work has so much heart, humour and affection, and we share a love of authentic and joyful underdog stories about memorable characters – so it really is a perfect match.”
According to a press release from the makers, the upcoming musical film is aimed at a global family audience.
Most of Chadha’s films deal with the Indian diaspora settled in the US and UK, and throw light on issues such as gender roles. Her film credits include The Mistress of Spices (2005), Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008), and Viceroy’s House (2017).
Chadha, who is a Non-Resident Indian brought up in London, focuses on Indian families settled abroad and their multicultural identities in her films.
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She, along with others like Aziz Ansari, Hasan Minhaj, and Dev Patel, is changing the stereotypical views about Indians by “portraying characters and writing stories beyond the ‘curry-eating’, ‘mystical and exotic’ narratives,” according to Screen Rant.
Chadha last directed the 2019 television series Beecham House and the movie Blinded By The Light. In the same year, Aardman released A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.