Mira Nair and Gurinder Chadha dispelled all speculation of competition, rivalry and one-upmanship between each other, when last week Mira landed in London to watch the very successful stage adaptation of Gurinder’s Bend It Like Beckham. Interestingly, Mira is all set to adapt her own 2001 hit Monsoon Wedding on Broadway. Vishal Bhardwaj will be composing the music for her play.

When contacted, Gurinder said, “Mira was very complimenting and she too is gearing up for the musical version of Monsoon Wedding later this year. We talked a lot about the process.” Gurinder is thrilled by the response to the staged musical avatar of her cult film.

“What is truly gratifying is the reception my musical has gotten even though it revolves around the themes of racism and multiculturalism. The traditionally right-wing press in Britain has praised the stage version of Bend It Like Beckham. If you think of the reception my parents and their generation got when they came to Britain, this complete embracing of our diversity by the contemporary generations of Britishers is truly astonishing, even to me!”