Gurinder Chadha says Beecham House is ‘radical’

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha has written the upcoming TV series Beecham House with husband Paul Mayeda Berges with whom she previously worked on Viceroys House.

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha has dubbed her upcoming TV series Beecham House will present Indians at par with their British counterparts.

The Bend It Like Beckham director has written the series with husband Paul Mayeda Berges with whom she previously worked on Viceroys House.

The six-part series takes place on the cusp of 19th century in Delhi, and follows the residents of Beecham House, an imposing mansion surrounded by exotic woods and pristine lawns.

In an interview with Radio Times, Chadha said, “The most exciting thing is simply having Indians in period costumes on primetime British TV – where their lives and loves are as important as their white counterparts. That’s a flipping radical thing. That’s something I’d never have imagined seeing when I was watching The Jewel in the Crown.”

The 59-year-old director also said that teachers in the UK are too afraid to teach children about the British Empire.

“Most children in British schools aren’t even told now that there was an Empire, that the British ruled India… Of course, it’s wrong,” Chadha said.

A subplot of Beecham House is about a group of men in the East India company as they rally against the French for the control of the country’s trade.

“History is how you interpret it. I’m sure there will be historians who will take issues because what I’ve made is a drama, not a documentary. If I wanted to be 100 per cent accurate, I’d make a factual series for the History channel.

“This is Sunday night drama. You can’t lie, but you can look at what’s been presented in the past and offer an alternative interpretation,” Chadha said.

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