Gurinder Chadha's latest film, Christmas Karma, is a leaden update of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol that has as much Yuletide spirit as a dead rat in the eggnog, according to critics. The film, starring Kunal Nayyar as a Scrooge-like character, has been described as joyless and nausea-inducing.
Nayyar plays Mr Sood, a moneylender in London who was part of the Ugandan south Asian community expelled by Idi Amin in his childhood. Embittered by early poverty and a soured romance, he becomes a grasping and unpleasant old man. The cast includes Hugh Bonneville as his dead partner Jacob Marley, and Danny Dyer as a cheerful Cockney cabbie. The ghosts of Christmas past, present and future are played by Eva Longoria, Billy Porter and Boy George.
One of the most criticised moments is the depiction of Bob Cratchit's home, which is set in the affluent Notting Hill area, undermining the story's themes of poverty. The film has been called the worst Christmas film since last year's Red One, starring Dwayne Johnson.
Critics suggest that for a better twist on A Christmas Carol, viewers should watch the version featuring Kermit, Miss Piggy and Michael Caine.
