Apr 18, 2003 By Lou Gaul Calkins Media Film Critic 5 min read

With so much turmoil around the globe, it’s nice to know that the feel-good British film “Bend It Like Beckham” is bringing a little joy to the world on this Easter/Passover weekend. Directed and co-written by Gurinder Chadha (“What’s Cooking?”), the culture-clash comedy drama has been touching audiences – and grossing more than $50 million – in international markets such as India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It’s now is becoming a sleeper hit in America.

Set in England, “Bend It Like Beckham” revolves around an 18-year-old soccer-crazed Indian girl, Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra (played by 27-year-old newcomer Parminder Nagra), who’s obsessed by British sports star David Beckham and dreams of playing in a women’s soccer league.

That, of course, would bring down the wrath of her loving but traditional parents, who want their daughter to attend college, wed and become a professional, not pursue a career in athletics.

A British girl, Juliette “Jules” Paxton (20-year-old Keira Knightley of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”), recognizes Jess’ athletic skill. Soon Jules, whose well-meaning but close-minded mother also wants her daughter to forget about sports and think about marriage, is recruiting Jess to her all-girl amateur soccer team.

The two then formulate plans to be noticed by an American scout and play professionally on a women’s team in the United States.

The story line is predictable, but Chadha stuffs “Bend It Like Beckham” with so many energizing moments and uplifting touches that have broad appeal and usually elicit the same result – viewers applauding at the end.

Nagra and Knightley recently visited Philadelphia, and both young women believe they know what makes the picture tick. They also feel lucky to have been an important part of “Bend It Like Beckham” (the title refers to the soccer superstar’s ability to kick a ball in an arc around a goalie).

Parminder Nagra

“The film has that universal story about someone achieving something that you think the person might never be able to accomplish,” observed Nagra, who had never before played the sport and prepared for the role by practicing with England’s only professional girls soccer team, the Fulham Girls. “There are so many ingredients, including humorous ones, and people like to see an underdog do well, which is why people in the audience cheer for Jess.”

Nagra’s parents emigrated from India to England in the 1960s and – unlike the mother and father of her screen character – have always supported their daughter’s desire to become an actress. She embarked upon that career a decade ago, appeared in theater and television productions and enjoyed her big-screen breakthrough with “Bend It Like Beckham.”

“When I was offered this film, I grabbed the opportunity and ran with it,” said Nagra, who is open to a sequel and will next be seen opposite Anne Hathaway (“The Princess Diaries”) in “Ella Enchanted,” a modern-day fairy tale based on Gail Carson Levine’s novel. “I thought it would do well, but the film has become almost a cult movie. League matches are now starting in India due to the film.

“It’s amazing.”

Keira Knightley

According to Knightley, the joy in watching “Bend It Like Beckham” comes from the director’s ability to develop realistic characters and never resort to turning any of them into villains.

“Gurinder Chadha has created a work that doesn’t contain any people that you dislike,” said Knightley, who will next be seen July 9 opposite Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” a $100 million action fantasy. “What’s incredible is that you absolutely don’t hate the controlling mothers of the two girls.

“That’s because Gurinder always show two sides to every argument.”

For Knightley, the road to film work was a natural one. The London native’s mother is actress-turned-author Sharman Macdonald and her father is television and stage actor Will Knightley.

Her parents, however, deeply hoped their daughter would follow a different path.

“My parents were very, very against my going into acting,” she said, “but I’ve never wanted to do anything else. They were worried because they know the stresses of the business and wanted to protect me at all costs.

“My mom and dad would have preferred me to get a job with a steady income at a university, but I’ve always been very close to my parents and felt that by acting I would be closer to their world. Also, I don’t know what I’d be if I didn’t perform, and acting gives you the opportunity to be everything and nothing at the same time.

“It’s very exciting.”

What she didn’t find exciting was filming “Star Wars: Episode I.” Director George Lucas cast her as the character who doubles for Natalie Portman’s Princess Amidala in order to confuse the enemies of the royal family member. Knightley, who had been a fan of the original “Star Wars” trilogy, soon learned that things such as the beams on the light sabers and the faces of many characters were digitally added after the performers completed their jobs.

Any illusions about the wonders of movie magic were shattered, so much so that the actress prefers to not even think about her work on “Episode I.”

“At this point, I don’t really remember being very aware of what was going on,” Knightley said. “I was only about 12 years old then, so I consider myself just to have been an extra on the film in a very small part.”