Bollywood actresses like Sushmita Sen, Rani Mukerji and Bipasha Basu possess a poise that would appeal to the West. I would like to see more of them working in British films.

I feel privileged to think that somehow I have helped to bridge the gap between India and Britain.

Dare we hail her as the crossover goddess? Gurinder Chadha, who made it big time with her film, Bend it Like Beckham, meets with Verve's London correspondent, Nisha Paul. Over South Indian delicacies, on Charlotte Street, they discuss the filmmaker's latest celluloid offering, Bride and Prejudice - The Musical, starring Aishwarya Rai, as a prelude to its worldwide October release

[Gurinder Chadha: keeping audiences amused.]

Having earned several prestigious awards and BAFTA nominations, a thriving career as the most sought after British/Asian film director and a happy marriage, Gurinder Chadha knows how to capture her audiences with a single shot! Oozing charm and a cheeky wit, she has made her niche with original screenplays focussing on intimate independent films that explore cultural differences between generations, thereby integrating attitudes and shifting the space to create a new wave of cinema. Her new film, Bride and Prejudice - The Musical, is a Bollywood-inspired musical retelling of Jane Austen's classic tale of marriage and manners, transplanted into the modern world.

Why Bride and Prejudice?

After Bend it Like Beckham, I had already established myself and had been wanting to do a Hindi picture in a British style. I am from Britain and I want to promote Hindi films and extend it to a non-Indian audience around the world. So, if you are in the suburbs of America or in a village in England, I want to popularise Hindi films.

Why Aishwarya? Are you following the dictates of mainstream cinema?

Besides having been crowned Miss World, she has an appeal for western audiences, especially after the screening of Devdas, at the Cannes Film Festival. I wanted the background of a big star, with a global presence. Ten years ago, I would have taken Madhuri Dixit. Bollywood actresses like Sushmita Sen, Rani Mukerji and Bipasha Basu possess a poise that would appeal to the West. I would like to see more of them working in British films.

When audiences see the film, what are the unpredictable things that they should look out for? What are the typical Gurinder touches?

[Let's do dinner: Nisha Paul with Gurinder Chadha.]

Humour is always there and I like depicting the humanity of the characters. I like stimulating the audience by making them see the characters as real people. Their vulnerability induces feelings of appreciation.

What's next for you?

I am going to make a major holiday movie based on the TV show, I Dream of Jeannie. Amy Pascal (head of Columbia/Sony pictures) has liked the script. It's a big adventure film packed with action for the boys but is going to be made with girls instead. It's what Hollywood does best, weaving magic through twists and turns and is going to be an enchanting story, a bit like the film, Pirates of the Caribbean.