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{{distinguish|It's a Wonderful Life (disambiguation){{!}}It's a Wonderful Life}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| name = It's a Wonderful Afterlife
| image = Its-a-wonderful-afterlife-april-21-film-poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Gurinder Chadha]]
| producer =
| writer = {{unbulleted list|[[Paul Mayeda Berges]]|[[Gurinder Chadha]]}}
| narrator =
| starring = {{unbulleted list|[[Goldy Notay]]|[[Shabana Azmi]]|[[Sally Hawkins]]|[[Sendhil Ramamurthy]]|[[Zoë Wanamaker]]}}
| music = [[Sony Music]]
| cinematography = [[Dick Pope (cinematographer)|Dick Pope]]
| editing = Oral Nottie Ottey
| studio = [[Viacom18 Studios|Indian Films]]<br>Bend It Films<br>[[Viacom18 Studios|Studio 18]]
| distributor = [[Icon Film Distribution]]
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2010|01|26|Sundance Film Festival|2010|05|07|ref2=<ref>{{cite news|title=It's A Wonderful Afterlife|url=http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2010/may/030510-wonderful-afterlife-preview.htm |publisher=Icon |date=1 March 2010|access-date=18 March 2010}}</ref>}}
| runtime = 100 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'''''It's a Wonderful Afterlife''''' is a 2010 British comedy film directed by [[Gurinder Chadha]]. The screenplay centres on an Indian mother whose obsession with marrying off her daughter leads her into the realm of serial murder. It was filmed primarily in English, with some [[Hindi]] and [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] dialogue.<ref>{{cite news|title=International cast announced for Gurinder Chadha's It's A Wonderful Afterlife|url=http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/entertainment/arts/s/1107786_international_cast_announced_for_gurinder_chadhas_its_a_wonderful_afterlife|publisher=AsianNews.com|date=13 April 2009|access-date=18 April 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421084520/http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/entertainment/arts/s/1107786_international_cast_announced_for_gurinder_chadhas_its_a_wonderful_afterlife|archive-date=21 April 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The title is a reference to Chadha's personal attachment to Frank Capra's film ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]''. Chadha also co-produced the film, and co-wrote the screenplay with her husband and producing partner, [[Paul Mayeda Berges]]. The lead role is played by newcomer [[Goldy Notay]], joining [[Shabana Azmi]], [[Shaheen Khan (British actress)|Shaheen Khan]], [[Sendhil Ramamurthy]] and [[Sally Hawkins]] in the cast.

==Plot==
{{Hook|date=August 2024}}
Mrs Sethi is a widow living in [[Southall]] who wants to marry off her only daughter, for she is alone and unhappy. Her daughter, Roopi, is a little plump and opinionated. Mrs Sethi finds that all her matchmaking efforts are rudely rejected. She avenges this behaviour toward her daughter by murdering the failed dates using her culinary skills. A police hunt begins for a serial murderer using a killer [[curry]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Gurinder Chadha's big fat Punjabi wedding|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cinemascope/Gurinder-Chadha-s-big-fat-Punjabi-wedding/Article1-531988.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022112041/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cinemascope/Gurinder-Chadha-s-big-fat-Punjabi-wedding/Article1-531988.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 October 2012|publisher=Hindustan Times |date=20 April 2010}}</ref>

Mrs Sethi does not feel guilty until the spirits of her victims come back to haunt her. They are unable to [[reincarnate]] until their murderer dies. Mrs Sethi must kill herself to free the spirits, but vows to get her daughter married first.

The spirits realise that helping Roopi find a suitable husband before the police catch Mrs Sethi is in their best interests, and everyone begins to work together. Meanwhile, Roopi catches the eye of the young Sergeant investigating the case.

==Cast==
* [[Shabana Azmi]] as Mrs Sethi
* [[Goldy Notay]] as Roopi
* [[Sendhil Ramamurthy]] as Raj (D.S. Murthy)
* [[Sally Hawkins]] as Linda/Gitali
* [[Zoë Wanamaker]] as Mrs Goldsmith
* [[Sanjeev Bhaskar]] as The Curry Man
* Catherine Balavage as Waitress
* [[Shaheen Khan (British actress)|Shaheen Khan]] as Manjeet Kahl/The Kebab Woman
* Adlyn Ross as Mrs Chakra/The Rolling Pin Woman
* Ash Varrez as Mr Chakra/The Naan Man
* [[Mark Addy]] as D.I. Smythe
* [[Preeya Kalidas]] as Karishma
* [[Jimi Mistry]] as Dev
* Ray Panthaki as Jazz
* [[Don Warrington]] as Chief Superintendent

==Production==
The film is a comedy which uses [[satirical]] and [[Ealing Comedies|Ealing-style humour]]. Depicting life amongst the Asian community in Britain, it is set in the west London suburb of Southall.

===Development===
Chadha conceived the film while watching 'The 100 Greatest Family Films' on [[Channel 4]] when narrator [[Bob Hoskins]] introduced a wedding scene from her earlier film ''[[Bend It Like Beckham]]'' at position 71.

“It was the Indian wedding scene and the party, which was inter-cut with the football,” says Chadha, “and immediately I remembered how much fun we'd had shooting that scene. The wedding is so integral to our culture that I suddenly thought ‘How can I do another wedding scene without repeating myself?’ So I thought maybe I could do it with a horror spin, where everything goes awry. Much like the prom scene at the end of ''[[Carrie (1976 film)|Carrie]]''.”<ref>{{cite news|title=It's A Wonderful Afterlife – Gurinder Chadha interview|url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/it-s-a-wonderful-afterlife-gurinder-chadha-interview|publisher=IndieLondon}}</ref>

Working with long-time collaborator and screenwriter Berges, Chadha spent two and half years writing the script. “I started seeing this crazy film, set in [[Ealing]], in the world of ''Bend It Like Beckham'' and yet in a completely different genre,” continues Chadha. “We worked on the script, came up with the idea of the mum, the plump daughter and these spirits that return.”

Starting with the working title ''My Bloody Wedding'', Chadha and Berges created the character of Roopi, a young British Indian woman, and Mrs Sethi, her meddling mother. “Really it's an Ealing comedy about an Indian mum who lives with her daughter. The daughter is a little bit overweight, not exactly beautiful and has a broken engagement behind her,” explained Chadha. “People in the community have been really mean about this girl and the mother has had enough. So she devises all kinds of ways of killing people off, using Indian cooking methods. And of course, being Indian, we believe in reincarnation. The people she kills come back as spirits and these spirits can't work out why they've not been reincarnated.”

[[Goldy Notay]] gained weight to play the role of Roopi, which she then promptly had to shed for her part in ''[[Sex and the City 2]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=It's A Wonderful Afterlife – Goldy Notay interview|url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/it-s-a-wonderful-afterlife-goldy-notay-interview|publisher=IndieLondon}}</ref>

===Funding===
''It's a Wonderful Afterlife'' was co-produced by the AIM-listed The Indian Film Company (TIFC) and Bend It Films in association with [[Viacom 18 Motion Pictures]]. [[HanWay Films]] is handling worldwide sales and distribution, and pitched the film as ''[[My Big Fat Greek Wedding]]'' meets ''[[Shaun of the Dead]]''. [[Icon Film Distribution]] is the UK distributor.<ref>{{cite news|title=Here comes summer: The cultural events of the season|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/here-comes-summer-the-cultural-events-of-the-season-1945758.html?action=Popup&ino=4|publisher=Independent | location=London | date=16 April 2010}}</ref>

===Filming===
Principal photography began in London on 28 March 2009.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gurinder Chadha begins shooting for It's A Wonderful Afterlife|url=http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=12581&page=24|publisher=Business of Cinema|date=30 May 2009}}</ref> Most of the filming took place in Southall in London and at [[Ealing Studios]]. Chadha and Berges took inspiration for the horror elements from [[Ridley Scott]]'s sci-fi classic ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'', [[Brian De Palma]]’s adaptation of [[Stephen King]]'s ''[[Carrie (1976 film)|Carrie]]'', and [[John Landis]]’ 1981 horror classic ''[[An American Werewolf in London]]''. Several scenes required [[Special effect|SFX]] to create the effect of ghosts and [[supernatural phenomena]].

==Music and sound==
{{Anchor|Music|Soundtrack}}
{{Infobox album
| name = It's a Wonderful Afterlife
| type = compilation
| artist = Various Artists
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 9 April 2010
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[blues-rock]], [[Britpop]], [[hip hop music|hip hop]], [[Bhangra (music)|Bhangra]], [[indie rock]]
| length = 62:02
| label = Sony Music
| producer = Sony Music
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
The soundtrack features a mix of licensed tracks, remixed tracks and original compositions, including mainstream music such as [[disco]] and [[hip-hop]] with the [[Desi dhol]] and [[Bhangra (music)|Bhangra]]. It includes songs by popular British-Asian and Bhangra artists such as [[Panjabi MC]] and [[Taz (singer)|Taz]] of [[Stereo Nation]]. It has 14 tracks in total, including [[Rahat Fateh Ali Khan]], [[Neeraj Shridhar]] of [[Bombay Vikings]], a makeover of a disco track by the [[Bee Gees]], "[[Stayin Alive]]", re-composed by noted British-Asian DJ and music producer [[Bally Sagoo]]. Bally developed the track "Staying Alive Desified" by fusing traditional Bhangra beats with a performance from the Bee Gees tribute band Stayin' Alive UK. In a nod to the film's title, "[[Wonderful Life (Black song)|Wonderful Life]]" by the British band [[Black (English band)|Black]] features in its original form on the soundtrack. Promotional music videos feat. Stereo nation are choreographed by [[Rohit Chawla]].

{{track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Artist
| extra_credits = yes
| title1 = Punjabi Soldiers A Team Theme
| note1 =
| extra1 = [[Punjabi MC]]
| length1 = 3:32
| title2 = Bhangra Chic / Bhangra Rap
| note2 =
| extra2 = Kidd Skilly
| length2 = 3:05
| title3 = So Real So Right
| note3 =
| extra3 = [[San-j Sanj]] featuring Natty A
| length3 = 4:01
| title4 = Larl Larl Buleeya
| note4 =
| extra4 = [[Taz (singer)|Taz]] with Stereo Nation featuring Mumzy
| length4 = 3:35
| title5 = Do the Nach
| note5 =
| extra5 = Chillitown featuring 10shott
| length5 = 3:11
| title6 = [[Wonderful Life (Black song)|Wonderful Life]]
| note6 =
| extra6 = Colin Vearncombe/Performed by [[Black (English band)|Black]]
| length6 = 5:46
| title7 = Disco Bhangra
| note7 =
| extra7 = [[Bally Sagoo]] Featuring Niraj Shridhar
| length7 = 3:27
| title8 = Crazee
| note8 =
| extra8 = [[Taz (singer)|Taz]] with Stereo Nation
| length8 = 3:42
| title9 = Nikkiye (Madhanian)
| note9 =
| extra9 = Parminder Chadha
| length9 = 2:20
| title10 = Ghum Suhm
| note10 =
| extra10 = [[Sukshinder Shinda]] and Rahet Fateh Ali Khan
| length10 = 3:22
| title11 = Stayin Alive Desified
| note11 =
| extra11 = Bally Sagoo and Stayin' Alive UK
| length11 = 4:39
| title12 = [[Stayin Alive]]
| note12 =
| extra12 = [[Bee Gees]]
| length12 = 3:24
| title13 = [[It's Love]]
| note13 =
| extra13 = [[Mica Paris]], Andrew Griffiths, Syrona Marie and Bally Sagoo, Gurinder Chadha & Paul Mayeda Berges
| length13 = 4:16
| title14 = Ghosts of Ealing
| note14 =
| extra14 = [[Craig Pruess]] and Bally Sagoo
| length14 = 3:09
|
}}

==Reception==
The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with ''[[The Scotsman]]'' calling it an "exceptionally lazy effort, which, like the similarly weak ''[[Bride and Prejudice]]'', is more of a pun in search of a story than an actual fully-fledged idea".<ref>[http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/Film-Review-It39s-a-Wonderful.6248066.jp Film review:It's a Wonderful Afterlife" The Scotsman 21 April 2010] Retrieved 24 April 2010</ref> ''[[The Radio Times]]'' suggested, "The gags are brash, the plot is messy and there's an element of mild horror (culminating in a send-up of ''[[Carrie (1976 film)|Carrie]]'') that feels totally random."<ref>[http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet_film/com.icl.beeb.rtfilms.client.simpleSearchServlet?searchTypeSelect=5&frn=49508 It's a Wonderful Afterlife Radio Times.com]{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} Retrieved 24 April 2010</ref> It was described as "the worst British film of the year" by ''[[Daily Express|The Express]]''.<ref>[http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/170983/It-s-A-Wonderful-Afterlife-film-review-and-trailer Express.co.uk April 23 2010] Retrieved 26 April 2010</ref> Noyon Jyoti Parasara of [[AOL India]] stated "Every filmmaker has their bad days. And after watching ''It's a Wonderful Afterlife'' I am confident that Gurinder Chadha is in one of hers."<ref>{{cite web|last=Parasara|first=Noyon Jyoti|title=It's a Wonderful Afterlife Review|url= http://www.aol.in/bollywood-story/Its-a-Wonderful-Afterlife-review/900227|publisher=AOL India|access-date=7 May 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|1319716}}

{{Gurinder Chadha}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:It's A Wonderful Afterlife}}
[[Category:2010 films]]
[[Category:2010 comedy films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:British Indian films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Gurinder Chadha]]
[[Category:Films set in London]]
[[Category:British independent films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Paul Mayeda Berges]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Gurinder Chadha]]
[[Category:2010 English-language films]]
[[Category:2010 British films]]
[[Category:English-language comedy films]]

It's a Wonderful Afterlife - Revision history

IgnacioElem3 at 23:40, 5 May 2026