'Bend It Like Beckham’ is aired on North Korea TV

'Bend it like Beckham' became the first western movie to be aired on North Korean TV, a nation known to revere football.

The 2002 British football-based movie ,starring Keira Knightley was shown on Sunday to mark ties between London and Pyongyang.

Martin Uden, London's envoy to North Korea, who helped arrange the broadcast tweeted about it. Happy Christmas in Pyongyang. On 26/12 Bend it Like Beckham was 1st ever western-made film to air on TV. Well done to UK Embassy 4 arranging, Uden wrote.

The film’s airing surprised a lot of followers of the nation . North Korea is known for its aversion to western fare including its movies. Also the subjects dealt in the movie, like multi-culturalism, homosexuality and religion, are taboo in the country.

The 2002 movie following the travails of an Indian girl’s love for football and her pursuit of the sport against her family’s wishes was edited down to just one hour. The movie, besides Keira stars, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Parminder Nagra.
The world is still thrilled that the most reclusive nation allowed a small chink in its iron curtain.