Gurinder Chadha

Gurinder Kaur Chadha

Gurinder Chadha was born in Nairobi, Kenya and later moved to Southall, London, England, where she grew up. Her Sikh Punjabi family were part of a wider diaspora that experienced multiple migration, moving from the subcontinent to East Africa, later settling in the UK. Chadha attended the University of East Anglia for her undergraduate studies and later undertook a postgraduate qualification at London College of Printing (early to mid-1980s). Chadha is married to Paul Mayeda Berges, a screenwriter and director. In 2006, Chadha was awarded an OBE for her services to the British film industry.

A well-known film director, Chadha began her media career in radio and as a news reporter with BBC radio. She has directed award-winning documentaries for the BBC, British Film Institute and Channel Four. With Berges, Chadha leads the production company Bend It Networks.

Chadha’s documentaries and films tend to explore the lived experiences of South Asians in Britain, and her work is often informed by her own background and upbringing. Her first feature film was Bhaji on the Beach (1993). Later she directed Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Bride and Prejudice (2004), Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008), It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2010) and Viceroy's House (2017).