Musical version of 'Bend It Like Beckham' set to hit West End

A musical version of the hit British comedy film 'Bend It Like Beckham' is to open in the West End next year, it has been revealed.

The original film's director, Gurinder Chadha, who would be writing and directing the stage show, said that developing the film for the stage has been the most enjoyable creative process of her career so far, the BBC reported.

The 52-year-old film maker added that the musical would be brand new and that would include "part West End, part London Punjabi, but be whole-heartedly British."

The film, which also starred Keira Knightely and was nominated for Bafta, Golden Globe in 2003, and had won a British Comedy Award for best film, revolved around a teenaged Punjabi Sikh, Jess, who loves football but was forbidden to play by her parents.

The show has been said to open at the Phoenix Theatre in June 2015, with previews starting from mid May.