Christmas Karma director reveals how she sought Charles Dickens’s “permission” for new Christmas Carol update

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Charles Dickens’s classic Christmas story, A Christmas Carol, has been adapted for the screen countless times, and a new movie version is now playing in theaters.

Gurinder Chadha, the director of films like Bend It Like Beckham and Blinded by the Light, is revisiting a classic story with her new movie, Christmas Karma. Set in present-day London, the film stars Kunal Nayyar (from The Big Bang Theory) as Mr. Sood, a British-Indian take on Ebenezer Scrooge.

I visited Charles Dickens’s house in Clerkenwell,” she said. “I explored the whole place – the sitting room, drawing room, even the kitchen where they used to make pudding. I even imagined asking Dickens himself, if he were alive today and in my situation, what he would do.

Suddenly, everything made sense. The story reimagines Scrooge as a Ugandan Asian refugee who came to Britain in 1972, giving a heartbreaking backstory to his character.

Chadha also mentioned that the character of Mr. Sood was inspired by a real-life family friend who had a remarkably similar experience, and was known for being particularly unpleasant during the Christmas season.

As a child, I often wondered why he was so harsh, and he questioned why we celebrated Christmas, feeling it wasn’t a holiday for us. I always insisted that it was our holiday, and those early feelings stuck with me. He later experienced a difficult time, but thankfully, he’s doing much better now. The character is actually inspired by a real person I know.

You know, seeing ‘A Christmas Carol’ now really hits differently. I think we understand Scrooge wasn’t just a grumpy old man, but someone deeply hurting inside, struggling with depression. It’s like he needed to revisit his past and heal old wounds – that whole ‘inner child’ idea. And honestly, I think that’s why the story resonates so much today. So many of us are realizing how much our childhoods shape us, and how important it is to deal with past trauma to move forward.

Choosing actors for Scrooge is always important in a Christmas Carol adaptation, but equally crucial is casting the three Ghosts. This new version, directed by Chadha, features a really diverse group of stars: Eva Longoria, known from ‘Desperate Housewives’, plays the Ghost of Christmas Past, Billy Porter from ‘Pose’ is the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the iconic ’80s singer Boy George appears as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

So how did those castings come about?

Eva Longoria asked me to host a screening of her film, Flamin’ Hot, which I was happy to do. While we were having dinner, she asked what I was currently working on. I told her about my adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and she immediately connected with the project, saying her Mexican heritage—with its traditions like Day of the Dead—meant she had a natural connection to stories involving spirits and ghosts. I was completely surprised and thrilled!

I hadn’t considered that perspective before, as I was focused on a very specific, traditional British approach. But looking back, she was absolutely right!

I had seen Billy in his show Pose and knew he’d be perfect for the role. We needed someone who could really take charge, as his character was meant to revitalize the company, but also someone who could sing and dance. Billy has such a powerful presence on screen, he immediately embodied the part and delivered every line with genuine feeling.

I recently reached out to Boy George, who I’m a huge fan of – and honestly, who isn’t? I needed someone to play the Ghost of Future who understood hardship and had overcome challenges, bringing that experience to the song. George immediately agreed, which was fantastic!

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2025-11-14 18:35