On the opening day of the World Cup, we take a look and a listen to the soccer-centric sleeper Bend It Like Beckham (2002). Director Gurinder Chadha tells Rico about making her breakthrough rom-com about girl power, British Asian identity, and football—and how its mashup soundtrack of pop hits and Bhangra bangers scored goals of its own. Other guests include superstar DJ/producer Bally Sagoo, and the film's music supervisor, Liz Gallacher (The Full Monty, 1997).
Our audio documentary podcast returns with a sequel to our popular 2023 season that dives deep into the grooves of classic movie “needle drops.” Titled “Needle on the Record, Side Two,” in each episode host Rico Gagliano tells the story of a film that fused music and image to make magic—and sometimes, changed popular culture.
Season guests include director Gurinder Chadha and musician Bally Sagoo on the bhangra bangers of Bend It Like Beckham (2002), and star Jack O'Connell on This Is England (Shane Meadows, 2006), the ska-fueled drama that introduced him to audiences.
Listen to episode two below or wherever you get your podcasts: