Christmas Karma

Last updated

Christmas Karma
Christmas Karma poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Gurinder Chadha
Written byGurinder Chadha
Based on A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Produced by
Starring
Production
companies
  • Civic Studios
  • Bend It Films
Distributed byTrue Brit Entertainment
Release date
  • 14 November 2025 (2025-11-14)
Running time
118 minutes [1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Christmas Karma is a 2025 British Christmas musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Gurinder Chadha. A Bollywood-inspired adaptation of the Charles Dickens 1843 novella A Christmas Carol , the film features an ensemble cast including Kunal Nayyar, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Boy George, Hugh Bonneville, Billy Porter, and Eva Longoria.

Contents

Christmas Karma was released in the United Kingdom by True Brit Entertainment on 14 November 2025.

Plot

A selfish businessman named Mr. Sood goes on a journey of self discovery with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

Cast

Production

Financing for Christmas Karma is from Civic Studios. Gurinder Chadha, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, and Amory Leader serve as producers, with Zygi Kamasa, Anushka Shah, Paul Mayeda Berges, Sophia Pedlow, and Hannah Leader as executive producers. [2]

The film is written, directed and produced by Chadha, who spoke in Parliament in January 2024, to discus the British film industry. There, she told MPs her upcoming film would have an Indian lead character, saying "My Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees". [3] The project was subsequently described as a Bollywood musical inspired by Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol . It features music from Gary Barlow, Shaznay Lewis, and Nitin Sawhney. [4]

The ensemble cast is led by Kunal Nayyar as a contemporary Scrooge, called Mr Sood, who despises refugees and becomes haunted by three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future; played by Eva Longoria, Billy Porter and Boy George. [5]

The Expulsion of Indians from Uganda is a central narrative in the story of Mr Sood. [6]

Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve, and Nitin Ganatra also appear. [7] [8]

Principal photography began on 22 April 2024. [9] Images from the set in London appeared in the British media in May 2024. [10]

Ketchup Entertainment acquired US distribution rights. [11]

Soundtrack

No.TitleWriter(s)Singer(s)Length
1."Christmas Karma"  Shaznay Lewis, Pixie Lott, and Austin Howard 
2."Manz a Scrooge"  Doc Brown, Lady Leshurr, and Shaznay Lewis 
3."A Gift Is Still a Gift"  Leo Suter and Pixie Lott 
4."Funky Christmas Feeling" Joy Farrukh 
5."Money Talks" Gary Barlow Barlow 
6."Pain of the Past – Part 1: Africa"  Boy George  
7."Pain of the Past – Part 2: England" Boy George 
8."Rise Up"  Billy Porter  
9."Boy Inside the Man" Leo Suter and Pixie Lott 
10."Christmas Bhangra Karma Featuring Jind Mahi"  Jassi Sidhu and Malkit Singh  
11."Pain of the Past – Part 3: The Future" Boy George 
12."Favourite Time of the Year" Shaznay Lewis and Joy Farrukh 
13."Christmas Karma / Bhangra Song / Jind Mahi Finale" Sidhu and Singh 
14."Boy Inside the Man – African Finale" Barlow 
15."Last Christmas (Desi Version)" George Michael Priyanka Chopra  
16."Christmas Karma (Radio Edit)" Shaznay Lewis, Pixie Lott, and Austin Howard 
17."Rise Up (Radio Edit)’" Billy Porter 
18."Last Christmas (Sitar / Guitar Version)"Michael Anoushka Shankar and Nitin Sawhney  

Reception

The film opened to widely negative reception, receiving The Daily Telegraph's second ever zero star review, with film critic Robbie Collin calling it "the worst film since Cats ". [12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Christmas Karma (2025)". Irish Film Classification Office . 17 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  2. ↑ Ntim, Zac (18 April 2024). "Kunal Nayyar, Eva Longoria & Billy Porter Among Ensemble Of Gurinder Chadha Musical 'Christmas Karma'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  3. ↑ Ritman, Alex; Yossman, K.J. (23 January 2024). "'Bend It Like Beckham' Director Gurinder Chadha to Make 'A Christmas Carol' Adaptation With Tory-Voting, 'Refugee-Hating' Indian Scrooge". Variety. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  4. ↑ Cormack, Morgan. "Christmas Karma unveils all-star cast for Christmas Carol adaptation about "Tory who hates refugees"". Radio Times. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "New Christmas Carol to feature anti-refugee Scrooge". RTE. 14 August 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  6. ↑ https://ceceking.com/christmas-karma
  7. ↑ Lattila, Maria (18 April 2024). "Kunal Nayyar to lead the ensemble cast for Gurinder Chadha's Christmas Karma". Film Stories. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  8. ↑ Cox, Claudia (18 April 2024). "Kunal Nayyar to star in Gurinder Chadha's 'Christmas Karma' alongside Eva Longoria, Hugh Bonneville". Screen Daily. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  9. ↑ Sayce, Rebecca (18 April 2024). "Bridgerton and Downton Abbey stars team up for new Christmas movie". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  10. ↑ Morris, Lauren (2 May 2024). "Danny Dyer reunites with EastEnders star to film Christmas movie". OK Magazine. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  11. ↑ Ketchup Entertainment (3 November 2025). Christmas Karma (2025) Official Trailer - Kunal Nayyar, Eva Longoria, Billy Porter, Boy George . Retrieved 3 November 2025– via YouTube.
  12. ↑ "This is the worst film since Cats". The Telegraph. 12 November 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
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