Bend It Like Beckham gets 5 Olivier nominations

The West End musical stage adaptation of Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham is setting new records in London.

The stage version of Chadha's 2002 cult film has bagged five nominations in the prestigious Olivier Awards, the British stage equivalent of the Oscars.

Bend It Like Beckham has bagged the Olivier nominations for Best Costume Design (Katrina Lindsay), Outstanding Achievement in Music (composer Howard Goodall, lyricist Charles Hart and orchestration by Howard Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra), Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Preeya Kalidas), Best Actress in a Musical (Natalie Dew) and Best New Musical.

Exultant, Chadha says, "We have breathed fresh air into the traditional West End with our resolutely British Punjabi musical. To be acknowledged by our peers with these nominations makes my heart sing! In one generation, Indians in Britain have made their mark in every walk of life, even the traditional hallowed preserve of the West End Theatre."

The Olivier Awards will be presented on April 3.

Image: Gurinder Chadha. Photograph: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images