Private Project

Bonny Chip

A musical drama-comedy: 'Bonny' arrives at a sea-side town's renowned Chip Shop in search for work, only to find the chippy and it's long time employees on the brink of sinking completely. They're in debt and a slimy, vape-sucking 'Mr Green' threatens to buy the place and chop it up into holiday cottages for the tourists.

Bonny overcomes her lack of self confidence and, with the help of the colourful chippy ladies and some smelly wet batter mix, rejuvenates the chip shop to it's original beating heart of this once bustling, sea-side community. Bonny Chip is told entirely through an original garage/folk musical score.

  • Haley Muraleedharan
    Director
    Nine Years
  • Rosie Fox
    Writer
    Mam, Wisdom Teeth
  • Rosie Fox
    Producer
    Mam, Wisdom Teeth, 9 Years
  • Haley Muraleedharan
    Producer
    9 Years, Wisdom Teeth
  • Hugh Mann Adamson
    Producer
  • Gabriel Fernández-Gil
    Producer
  • Rishi Nair
    Key Cast
    "Mr Green "
    Hollyoaks, Brian and Charles
  • Lesley Saint John
    Key Cast
    "Brenda"
    Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Byker Grove
  • Alison Stanley
    Key Cast
    "Peggy"
  • Deborah Jameson
    Key Cast
    "Eileen"
    The Stand Up Sketch Show ITV
  • Rosie Fox
    Key Cast
    "Bonny"
    Padma, Mam, Wisdom Teeth
  • Edward Bretherton
    Key Cast
    "Gaz the Lad "
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Other
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 15, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    24,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Cast, Crew & Community screening
    Alnwick
    United Kingdom
    February 24, 2024
Director Biography - Haley Muraleedharan

Haley Muraleedharan is a Writer/Director based in Leeds, UK. She also works as an Intimacy Coordinator across HETV, Film and Theatre and is a mother of three. With a 15 year career in theatre making that taught her absolutely nothing about making films, she trained as an assistant director to inform her directing and writing work.

Haley is inspired by working class UK culture, deriving most characters from her experiences working as a barmaid in many of North Lincolnshire’s pubs and the council estate she grew up on. She works in partnership with fellow Northern creative Rosie Fox creating sound-led films, a throwback to their history of working in musical theatre together.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Bonny Chip is a musical ode to Amble in Northumberland. It is somewhat experimental in its directing and storytelling style. During the initial conversations (with writer Rosie Fox) we wanted to see if we could reel in a 'non-musical' audience during the opening few moments of the film and then whisk them off into something more classically 'musical' in it's storytelling. Sometimes there's nothing more intimidating than a big 'tits and teeth' dance-number opening.

The script is taken from real-life interviews that were weaved into a narrative and then into music and songs. The direction was inspired by several iconic music storytellers - 'The Streets' music videos and the legendary Edgar Wright's fast-paced, music-led films.

It was always important to keep to focus on character first, then narrative and style as the people in this film are the beating heart of the whole thing.