ReelN Ltd and entertainment portal Filme Shilmy joined forces to launch a brand new and
bespoke live audience talk show, The Filme Shilmy Show, which was sponsored by State Bank
of India UK (SBI) in partnership with ROQ RAW Radio, Nashtaa Café and Popcorn Pixel. The
first edition took place at East London’s Rich Mix cinema on Friday 22nd September, headlined
as “A Spotlight On British-Asian Filmmakers”. Attendees on the night included filmmakers,
actors and influencers, who came together to celebrate this unique model of a show. The key
talent included three award-winning and acclaimed filmmakers Pravesh Kumar MBE, Nathalia
Syam and Dr Parvinder Shergill. Popular film journalist and presenter Anuj Radia, the founder of
Filme Shilmy, moderated the in-depth discussion. As well as reflecting on their individual journeys,
the conversation also touched on vast industry-related subjects.
The three panellists have been champions of making cinema that is rooted and reflective of ethnic
lives within the Western world, as well as touching on other pertinent, industry-related subjects.
Pravesh, the head of Rifco Theatre Company, touches on topics like ambition and mental health
in his BFI-supported feature debut, Little English. Nathalia also made her feature debut with the
award-winning Footprints On Water, which has successfully toured international film festivals
and highlights the issue of illegal immigration in Birmingham. It is a rare film which showcases the
integration of the Malayali and Bihari communities within the United Kingdom. Parvinder, who is
both the co-producer and lead actress in the ITVX short film Kaur, endeavours to destigmatise
Sikh women wearing turbans. It is currently being developed into a feature-length picture and
shortlisted at this year’s Asian Media Awards.
Anuj Radia, the show’s presenter and the Founder of Filme Shilmy says: “As far as we’re
aware, there has not been a consistent talk show which celebrates and promotes South-Asian
talent by a host of that heritage. With this venture, we would like to encourage more independent
and established creative talents to help bridge this gap and make the cross-cultural representation
an authentic one. It is high time that independent content creators and storytellers themselves
become the mainstream front of Entertainment.”
Aman Dhillon, Managing Founder of ReelN Ltd also says: “After Anuj has become a well-known
and sought-after journalist it seems fitting to now develop the platform as a show with a live
audience. The company continues to support new, emerging talent, and new releases and this
new show concept enables audiences a unique opportunity and immersive experience with talent
and gives talent a platform which is often not available.”
Pravesh Kumar MBE also highlights the importance of unison and representation: “It is vital that
we tell our stories from our own authentic lens. South Asian diaspora is one of the largest in the
world, but still, we are invisible on screens and stages. If we stand together, we have more power
and our collective voice can be louder.”
Nathalia Syam adds: “I looked forward to being one of the panel members at The Filme
Shilmy Show is the first South-Asian talk show to discuss British-Asian creatives working in the film
industry. It’s important to have conversations about each other’s journeys and discuss the
various challenges and solutions experienced along the way. It’s also important to represent the
voices that otherwise often get missed out of the bigger picture.”
After creating Kaur, Dr Parvinder Shergill is hopeful that the film will create more opportunities for
such stories to emerge in cinema. She mentions: “Our authenticity and our voice deserve the
respect to be heard and we should have the honour to be seen. We are here and we are not going
anywhere. Kaur is the hope for more British Asian stories to be told and the empowerment to give
women the platform they are entitled to.”
Arguably the first of its kind, the trailblazing concept has been established to provide an
opportunity for South Asian talents, whether they are UK-based or international, independent
and/or reputable, to promote and reflect on their journeys as storytellers and content creators.
After a successful inauguration this year, the makers aspire to invite more British Asian and South
Asian overseas talent in 2024.
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