Gurinder Chadha’s latest film ‘Christmas Karma’ hit cinemas on November 14th, and, as you may have guessed, it is a rendition of Dickens’ Christmas classic with a Desi twist. We follow the journey of Mr Sood (Kunal Nayyar), an arrogant and right wing politician who, as in the original tale, is visited by three ghosts to prompt a much-needed journey of self-discovery. Probably best known for 2002’s ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ Chadha has spoken openly about the challenges that South Asians face within the creative space. Her latest offering comes at a time of instability – Reform are on the rise, as are incidents of racially motivated violence. Although the film has been slated by several critics, more on that later, personally I commend the film for shining the spotlight on an experience that we rarely see on screen. By digging deep into Sood’s backstory, the film encourages the audience to be kind and make peace with the past in order to heal in the present.
Everyone is invited to enjoy this film. As the camera sweeps over a diverse London town, people from all walks of life appear on screen. Take the three ghosts for example, Eva Longoria, Billy Porter and Boy George – all come from different cultural backgrounds, all of which are celebrated. Just the fact that we are seeing such a wide range of people on screen is something to be celebrated. Sometimes we do not need to tell the audience how important it is to have diverse people on screen, we can just show them these diverse people. Exposing the audience to these people and characters normalises diversity and inclusion, and reflects the world that we live in.
Mr Sood is as grumpy as you would expect, and local shopkeeper Parduman (Nitin Ganatra) asserts that Sood has forgotten his ‘roots.’ Parduman’s observation follows Sood’s tirade about the incoming wave of migrants and asylum seekers to the UK. It is implied that, because Sood has forgotten his ‘roots,’ he lacks sympathy for the asylum seekers. His attitude towards them is almost colonial and could even be described as xenophobic. The audience expects Sood to be as sympathetic as Parduman is, as Sood came to this country as an immigrant. Parduman calls out this irony.
Sood’s reaction speaks to the division between Indians who have settled, or been born, in Britain, and those who have more recently come over from India. The macro version of this divide is the wider contention between Britain and India, and the state of being ‘Indian’ or ‘British.’
How British is anyone? I was born in this country so am therefore classed as British, but if you walked past me on the street, you could assume I was from India based on the colour of my skin. I am British and Indian, and I have to reconcile and respect both aspects of my background, whilst acknowledging the fact that I am not British enough for some Britons, or Indian enough for some Indians.
It seems that Sood leans more on the British side in his thought, Chadha herself described him as a ‘Tory.’ This is ironic, as the colouring of his skin, and accent, probably make him more Indian presenting than British born Indians like myself, and his own nephew, who views him as an old-fashioned uncle.
To be honest, it’s those that have not had these experiences, maybe some members of Reform, who should watch this film. Going back to Sood’s past, some people might have assumed that we would be shown flashbacks of Partition, the splitting of India into India and Pakistan in 1947, as many of our ancestors’ stories are tied to it. This colonial angle would speak to the conflict between India and Britain, as well as the nuanced conflict between India and Pakistan. Although impactful, Chadha goes for something unexpected, choosing to focus on the expulsion of Indians from Uganda in 1972, something I confess that I did not know about.
This choice is a smart one, as it does not tell the oft told story of colour versus white, but a more nuanced story of colour versus colour. The film says that everybody can treat everybody badly, and in turn, everybody can also welcome and be loving to everybody. Sood’s despair about having to leave Uganda is not necessarily racially motivated – it is motivated by the loss of his home. Surely, this is a universal feeling that everybody can relate to.
The experience of losing everything and coming to a different country for refuge, does explain Sood’s obsession with money and status. He longs to feel secure again. The irony is, is that his ambition loses his love, Bea (Charitha Chandran). We all know someone like Sood, he speaks to a generation of people who lost things, or had to sacrifice things, so that they could make a living for their family and secure their future. The film acknowledges that his deep hurt from having to leave Uganda, from losing Bea, and the racism that he endured in this country all contribute to his unhappiness. There are many layers to his story, and to his character, all of which allow for a unique take on the stock Scrooge character.
This is where the nuance is. The film is not as simple as ‘if you keep being mean you will die alone.’ The three ghosts recognise Sood’s deep seated trauma and pain, telling him that once he lets it go, and heals, his burden will be lifted. They almost give him permission, something Sood has never received. In short, the Ghosts believe that breaking the cycle of generational trauma will lead to freedom. Boy George sings:
‘What good is history unspoken?
What good is a lesson unused?’
Sood understands what racial hatred can do, and Billy Porter’s Ghost of Christmas Present notes that if we can see what hatred can do, then we can see the value of love and compassion. We cannot go forward without acknowledging and trying to learn from the past. With that acknowledgement and understanding comes healing.
Sood does go forward, and becomes happier, healing from the past but also seeking to reclaim it. He changes his memories, and an example of this is the inclusion of the diamond-infused Mathia. He recalls as a child being told by an auntie that hiding diamonds in the Mathia was a good way to keep them safe. At the time, he had just arrived in the UK, and his father had just passed. In this instance, the diamond encrusted Mathia are associated with loss, and his lack of wealth.
Towards the end of the film, Sood gifts his housekeeper Mrs Joshi (Shobu Kapoor) a tin of diamond encrusted Mathia. He has turned this memory, associated with loss, into one of generosity and giving. It is a good example of how one can reclaim their past, and how Sood has learned to heal, channelling his pain into something positive.
Sood’s transformation, from miser to merriment, is also reflected in his clothing. Whilst he wears darker tones throughout the film, when he travels back to Uganda to reunite with his childhood friend, he wears an orange, open waistcoat. His open waistcoat implies that he has let go of his past trauma, he can breathe, the orange referring to his newfound warmth and growth. Sood is a classic example of good representation, his experiences, as a person of colour, inform his life decisions. It is not forced, his character has developed organically and in reaction to the hardship that he has faced, something that many first-generation immigrants will understand.
I do find the fact that the film has been slated so savagely by some publications a little ridiculous. If a positive message about love, diversity and inclusion cannot elicit at least one star, I’m looking at you Mr Telegraph, then we truly are in dire straits. One particular review fixated on the fact that Bob Crachit would not be able to afford a house in Notting Hill. And while yes, this a valid point, this isn’t ‘Homes under the Hammer.’ I think that the films’ social and political commentary, as well as it’s obvious uniqueness, should be at the forefront of the discussion. If it is not, then the whole point of the film I fear has been missed. But hey, even though Chadha has welcomed everyone into the cinema, maybe it is only those who look like her, myself and Sood who truly understand and appreciate what she has done.
Gurinder, if you are reading, you may remember that we met at ‘Surinderella’ at Riverside, it’s Harps with the feedback forms and glittery table! If you need a Production Secretary on any of your upcoming projects, please do give me a call!
Thanks for reading!
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