Plot

Jesminder "Jess" Bhamra is the 18-year-old daughter of Punjabi Sikh Indians from Hounslow in west London. Jess is infatuated with football but her parents have forbidden her to play because she is a girl. She plays in the park sometimes with her good friend Tony, and his buddies, where her skills draw the attention of Juliette "Jules" Paxton, who plays for the women's team of the local club, the fictional Hounslow Harriers. Their coach, Joe, is impressed with her play and puts her on the team. Jess pretends to have a job to play with the team and Jules and Jess become best friends, despite the fact that both are attracted to Joe. Jess enlists her sister Pinky to cover for her when the team travels to Germany for a big match, but everything unravels when Jules spies Joe and Jess almost kiss, causing a breach between them, and Jess's parents find out and forbid her to continue. Meanwhile, Jules's mother wrongly thinks Jules is a lesbian and the girls' spat is a lovers' quarrel. Jess's parents are confronted by a similar accusation before Jess reveals the truth about her attraction to Joe. While the elder Bhamras are distracted by the elaborate preparations for Pinky's upcoming wedding, Jess continues to play and the Hounslow Harriers make their way towards the top of the league. Joe encourages Jess to come clean with her parents and eventually approaches Mr. Bhamra to explain she has a chance to win a prestigious scholarship, but Mr. Bhamra refuses to believe it. Jess and Jules must sort their differences, make peace with their parents, and overcome cultural prejudice to win the league championship, and earn scholarships to Santa Clara University in California.

Cast

Main characters: Parminder Nagra as Jesminder Kaur "Jess" Bhamra Keira Knightley as Juliette "Jules" Paxton Archie Panjabi as "Pinky" Bhamra Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Joe Shaznay Lewis as Marlena "Mel" Goines Anupam Kher as Mohaan Singh Bhamra Shaheen Khan as Mrs. Bhamra Juliet Stevenson as Paula Paxton Frank Harper as Alan Paxton Other characters: Ameet Chana as Tony Kulvinder Ghir as Teetu Pooja Shah as Meena Preeya Kalidas as Monica Trey Farley as Taz Saraj Chaudhry as Sonny Paven Virk as Bubbly Nithin Sathya as Waiter Emma Daly as team player Nina Wadia as Wedding Caterer Ace Bhatti as Nairobi Grandson

Production and Location

The film was filmed in 2002 at:

• Bara Hall Park, Hayes, Middlesex, England, UK
• Hamburg, Germany
• Hotel Steigenberger, Hamburg, Germany
• Hounslow, Middlesex, England, UK
• London Heathrow Airport, London Borough of Hillingdon, London, England, UK
• Southall, Middlesex, England, UK
• Contessa Lingerie Shop, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK
• Damini Store, Southall, Middlesex, England, UK
• Elbe River, Lower Saxony, Germany
• Gunnersbury Park, London, England, UK
• Hounslow Central tube station, Hounslow, Middlesex, England, UK
• Molesey Football Club, Walton Road, West Molesey, Surrey, England, UK
• Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK
• Soccer Scene, Carnaby Street, Soho, London, England, UK
• Sutton Square, Heston, Hounslow, Middlesex, England, UK
• The Broadway, Southall, Middlesex, England, UK
• Twickenham Film Studios, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK
• Yeading Football Club, Middlesex, England, UK
• Piccadilly Circus, Piccadilly, London, England, UK