Director Gurinder Chadha says Scots actor David Hayman was must-have for Springsteen-soundtracked movie

Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha begged David Hayman to appear in her new film after “falling in love with him”.

The filmmaker, named by the British Film Institute as the UK’s most prolific female director, was worried the Scot would turn down the role in Blinded By The Light.

“I worked with David on Viceroy’s House and found him to be a very special man,” said Gurinder, who wrote and directed recent ITV drama Beecham House.

“I told him I had this film I wanted to make and, while it wasn’t a huge part, it was a pivotal role, and I would really love him to do it.

“He read the script and said ‘it’s a really small part, but the script is so amazing I can’t say no’.

“To make matters worse, there was one day where he had to come from Cornwall while he was on a family holiday to film a single scene in Ealing. He’s great.”

© Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Blinded By The Light, released on August 9, is based on the memoirs of writer Sarfraz Manzoor and features the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Set in 1987, it tells the story of 16-year-old Javid, a British Pakistani boy growing up in Luton amid unemployment and the rise of the National Front. It’s only when he hears a Springsteen album that he discovers his own voice.

Tackling racism on screen is nothing new to Gurinder, who believes film has an important voice in big issues.

“I think movies have a very powerful role to play in defining who we are and how we can affect change to make society bigger,” continued the 59-year-old.

“Every film I make carries various messages.

“In many ways, Bend It Like Beckham is a film about the racism my parents’ generation went through and what it must be like to be a parent and how to protect your kids from racism.”

The release of Blinded By The Light comes at a time when more divisions are appearing between people of different nationalities and backgrounds, but Gurinder believes we are still in a better place now than in 1987.

“However, that’s not to say we can be complacent,” she continued. “There have been lots of steps forwards but also some backwards, but I think the majority of our society has shifted for the better.

“The important thing we must remember is the politicians will use the race card or class or anything to divide us, because it’s in their interests to do that.

“I think the majority of people in the world are good and want their children to be tolerant and understanding, and to live in a world that’s harmonious.

“There are a couple of scenes in the film showing the National Front. You look at it and think, oh my God, that’s what it was like.

“It was interesting when we were shooting those scenes, seeing how uncomfortable people were becoming. The extras hated doing them and said they didn’t want to do it any more.

“But I had to get them going again, so there I was chanting ‘ain’t no black in the Union Jack’ and ‘if they’re black, send them back’. I think they thought I was going mad, but I had to rally everyone.”

Gurinder, who shot some of her first film in Glasgow 30 years ago, was given the go-ahead to use Springsteen’s music in the film after she and Sarfraz approached the E Street band leader at the premiere of his documentary, The Promise.

“He was coming down the red carpet and we chose our moment to ask him and the rest is history,” she smiled.

Seventeen years have passed since Bend It Like Beckham became an international hit and made a star of Keira Knightley.

Gurinder said she had no idea the movie and its title would become part of the everyday vernacular.

“To me, Blinded By The Light feels like a spiritual companion to Bend It Like Beckham,” she added. “It shows the careful balances we had to make as teenagers as we fought for what we wanted, but without alienating our parents who we knew just lived for us – their children.”