When Bend It Like Beckham came out in 2002, women’s football wasn’t a professional sport in the UK or Australia. But with Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra, the film’s inspiring central character, came hope for all women and girls dreaming of being the next big thing. More than 20 years on fans still celebrate what the film did for aspiring female footballers and British-Asian women. And, in the lead-up to this year’s Women’s World Cup, it acts as a gentle reminder that opportunities in women’s sport haven’t been, and still aren’t, always on par with those of men.
In a sleepy suburb of west London under Heathrow’s flight path, Jess (Parminder Nagra) can’t get enough of football. Having just undertaken her college entry exams to become a solicitor, her love of the game and room full of Beckham memorabilia displeases her parents to no end. “You don’t even want to learn how to cook dahl!” her mother says with despair.
