'Bend It Like Beckham' in the list of British classics

LONDON: Indian-origin filmmaker Gurinder Chadha's award-winning film about a British Sikh family, ' Bend It Like Beckham', has made it to a prestigious list of classics to be recognised as part of an iconic stamp series.

The Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley starrer women's football team saga has been picked alongside movie greats such as 'Lawrence Of Arabia' and 'Chariots Of Fire' to feature in a new series of Royal Mail stamps celebrating the rich history of British film.

"This is awesome... Just wait till the West End stage musical of BILB. Dare I say it, I think it may be better than the movie," Chadha said on Twitter.

The musical version is expected to hit the stage next year and includes an A-list theatre team comprising of lyricist Charles Heart and producer Sonia Friedman.

"I believe my film changed race relations in this country from an 'us and them' culture to more of an 'us and us' culture. The proof is right here in the Royal Mail collection," Chadha added.

Movie experts, film historians and the public helped choose the titles to be included in the set issued this month.

"This stamp issue takes in landmark films, epics and influential movies that evoke the distinctiveness and quality of British film and story-telling across key genres. We hope they are enjoyed by anyone who has a love of great British filmmaking at its very best," said Royal Mail spokesman Andrew Hammond.

There series also includes additional films on a miniature sheet focusing on the work of the GPO film unit which created documentaries, animations and information films in the 1930s and 1940s.