To attend the Closing Gala of the UK Asian Film Festival 25th Anniversary Edition
Festival runs 4th – 14th May across London, Leicester, Manchester and Glasgow
Pan-generational Bollywood stars, Poonam Dhillon and Rajkummar Rao, will be among the film gifts in discussion at the ending Gala of the 25th anniversary edition of the UK Asian Film Festival – the world’s longest-running South Asian film jubilee. The ending Gala Event and UK Asian Film Festival Awards will take place on Sunday 14th May, at BFI Southbank.
Poonam Dhillon is a multi-award-winning artist and tableware screen icon, having acted in over 100 flicks in Hindi, Telegu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati and Punjabi, in blockbusters including Noorie, Trishul, Yeh Vaada Raha and Sohni Mahiwal among innumerous others. One of the top womanish actors in Indian cinema in the 1970s and 1980s, she went on to make her incursion on TV in diurnals similar to Andaz and Kitty Party. Her largely- accredited theatrical performances include The Perfect Husband, The Perfect Wife, Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi and the accredited U-Turn.
Her forthcoming flicks include Super Woman and Ek Kori Prem Katha on digital platforms. Dhillon innovated the conception of mobile makeup vans in the Indian film assiduity and is the only film fraternity member of FCAT, an appellate bench for flicks facing suppression in India.
Rajkummar Rao is one of the most talented and protean actors in India moment. Being a stranger to the assiduity, he has sculpted a niche for himself with the different tones of character he plays, and his choices in pictures showcasing his diversity as an artist. Rao has piloted flicks that have garnered both critical sun and Box Office success. He has appeared in further than 30 flicks since 2010 and is the philanthropist of several accolades including a National Film Award; three Filmfare Awards; and an Asia Pacific Screen Award. In 2017, he appeared on Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list.
Also in discussion at the UK Asian Film Festival ending Gala will be Jamil Dehlavi, celebrated independent film director and patron. His notable flicks include Jinnah( 1998), about the partition of India and the birth of Pakistan, which won the Grand Prize at the Festival of the Dhow Countries; Best International Film at the World Film Awards in Indonesia; the Gold Award at Worldfest Flagstaff; Stylish Foreign Film at Worldfest Houston; and was nominated for a Golden Aggregate at the Cairo International Film Festival.
Dehlavi’s The Blood of Hussain( 1980) was named the Director’s Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Grand Prize at the Taormina Film Festival. In 2018, BFI Southbank presented a retrospective of his work entitled Between The Sacred And The Profane The Cinema Of Jamil Dehlavi, which was described as” a rare occasion to examine the donation of one of the most interesting and least understood numbers of cinema.
” The ending Event will also feature a special centenary festivity webbing of A Meeting Of Societies, a heritage film told through the eyes of BA2 cotillion scholars from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, marking the centenary of the launch of the iconic collaboration between Prima Ballerina, Anna Pavlova, and famed Indian cotillion, Uday Shankar, from their first performance at Royal Opera House in 1923.
Actor, Jassa Ahluwalia, will also host the UK Asian Film Festival 2023 Awards. UK Asian Film Festival will run at venues across London, Leicester, Manchester and Glasgow from Thursday 4th – to Sunday 14th of May, The UK Asian Film Festival is presented by speeches on Fire and is supported by the BFI and Trades Council England, both awarding finances from the public Lottery, as well as support from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport( DCMS).#HereforCulture.
Over the last 25 times, the jubilee has been a force to support South Asian womanish-centric cinema and celebrate women in film – both behind and in front of the camera. A jubilee piloted by women and feminist abettors, its programmes have annually sought to disrupt the patriarchal status quo and initiate gruelling exchanges in its charge to advocate and promote gender equivalency in cinema.
The ‘ Celebrating Our Stories ’ theme of the jubilee’s tableware festival time will present a curation of film stories centring on the British Asian experience – reconsidering and reimagining one’s roots and dreams in a foreign land – and will celebrate the individuality and oneness of trans generational, South Asian migratory stories.
UK Asian Film Festival is powered by broadcast mates, SONY TV and Lyca Radio; and the TV Partner for the UKAFF Short Film Competition is Films Television. The Opening Gala will present the UK Premiere of Sanaa( India, 2022; Dir Sudhanshu Saria; Language Hindi with English mottoes ) on Thursday 4th May, at BFI Southbank.
The film is an observation of the choices and dilemmas facing women in the commercial plant, pressing gender differences. Smita Tharoor will host a Q&A with lead actor, Radhika Madan( Pataakha), and director, Sudhanshu Saria( Loev), following the BFI Opening Gala. A fresh webbing will take place on Thursday 11th May, in Phoenix Leicester. The UK Premiere of Kamli( Pakistan, 2022; Dir Sarmad Khoosat; Language Urdu with English mottoes ) takes place on Friday 5th May, at GMAC Film, Glasgow with fresh wireworks on Saturday 6th March, Rich Mix, Shoreditch followed by a Q&A with pen, Fatimah Sattar; and Friday 13th May, Phoenix Leicester followed by a Q&A with actor, Nimra Bucha.
The rearmost immolation from Sarmad Khoosat, one of Pakistan’s most instigative directors, and starring Saba Qamar and Nimra Bucha, the film portrays a woman’s struggle between her sense of fidelity to her hubby, missing eight times, and the carnal solicitations that prompt her to move on. As part of the jubilee’s LGBTQ beachfront, the UK Premiere of Trans Kashmir( India, 2022; DirsS.A. Hanan, Surbhi Dewan; Language English and Kashmiri Urdu with English mottoes ) takes place on Sunday 7th May, Rich Mix, Shoreditch. Offering an intimate regard into the unique culture, adaptability and beauty of ambisexual women in Kashmir, this talkie chronicles their growing movement to secure introductory mortal rights. The webbing will be followed by a Q&A with DJ Ritu, Rita H( Club Kali) and Asifa Lahore( drag artist).
UK Asian Film Festival annually hosts a miscellaneous blend of flicks; a study-provoking lecture series; followership shops; live performances; visual trades exhibitions; masterclasses; and the periodic Short Film Competition. It celebrates the veritably stylish in flicks with a link to South Asia and the myriad confines of South Asian trades and culture.
The 25th Anniversary festivity of Goodness Gracious Me will take place on Monday 8th May, at Beck Theatre, Hayes. As the UK Asian Film Festival( formerly known as Speeches on Fire) and seminal, British Asian comedy, virtuousness Gracious Me, independently celebrate 25 times, these artistic institutions come together to Celebrate Our Stories – Of Shared Identity, Culture And Future.
A special webbing of one of the most popular occurrences, Going For An English, will be followed by a Q&A with pen/ actors, Nina Wadia and Kulvinder Ghir; and pen, Sanjeev Kohli, hosted by actor, Jassa Ahluwalia. Talking Life on Friday 12th May, The British Library will present Padma Bhushan philanthropist, screenwriter, lyrist and minstrel, Javed Akhtar; and TV patron and pen, Nasreen Munni Kabir, bringing their conversational book to life in a discussion that will give perceptivity into the life and mind of a creative genius.
They will be joined by Akhtar’s woman, award-winning actor Shabana Azmi. Directors Masterclass with Alankrita Srivastava will take place on Friday 12th May, Phoenix Leicester and Saturday 13th May, Studio, BFI Southbank. Award-winning filmmaker, pen, director and showrunner, Alankrita Shrivastava will partake precious perceptivity in her work, probing into her craft and career line. Regarded as one of India’s leading contemporary visionaries, Alankrita has a partiality for telling women’s stories and exploring the interior world of women through her flicks. Her critically- accredited features include Lipstick Under My Burkha, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare, and Turning 30; and popular web series, Made in Heaven and Bombay Begums.
UK Asian Film Festival Creative Director, Samir Bhamra says, “I’m ecstatic! What an honour to have been part of the Tongues on Fire UK Asian Film Festival journey! I started as a volunteer for the festival in 2002 and was moved by the astonishing drive and ambition of the founders, Dr Pushpinder Chowdhry and Harvinder Nath. They spearheaded an incredible film festival against all the odds to screen powerful South Asian stories to transform our communities. Our beloved festival strives to highlight new perspectives and shines the spotlight on acclaimed filmmakers. Our silver jubilee celebrations are rolling out the red carpet to welcome you back with an incredible line up of rich experiences. Join us for new discoveries and fan favourites at a cinema or theatre in London, Leicester or Scotland!”
Miyrah Mistry, Head of Marketing for Sony Pictures Networks UK & Europe says, “SONY TV is excited to continue their partnership with UK Asian Film Festival who are back with a spectacular program to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The festival has opened doors to thousands by providing a platform to showcase and promote South Asian talent globally. This year UKAFF will showcase the best films and give you the opportunity to mingle with well-known actors, directors and music artists. We look forward to seeing you there!”
Raj Baddhan, CEO of Lyca Radio says, “We are super excited to be partnering with the biggest South Asian film festival in the UK. The UK Asian Film Festival has grown to become one of the most loved festivals in Europe. We are very excited to be bringing our listeners coverage from the much talked about festival on Lyca Radio!”
Nidhi Sharma, Director, Mango Marketing & Events says, “We are hugely proud to be selected as the preferred marketing and sales partner for UKAFF. There are some major plans for UKAFF this year and together with our sponsors, moviegoers are in for the real treat.”
More than £30M is raised each week for good causes across the UK by the National Lottery.
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