As many people know Arpita was not born in the Khan household but she holds a special place in their heart, mostly Salman’s. She is also quite popular amongst the Bollywood fans, despite not being in the industry. Arpita always says Salman is the ‘best brother’ anyone could ever have. He sure is because he fulfilled all her dreams and desires, including booking the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad for two days for her wedding back in 2014, as Arpita likes the royal look of the palace a lot. She didn't manage to tie rakhi to him this year as Salman was in Malta shooting for Bharat.
Anshula and Arjun Kapoor
Arjun Kapoor’s younger sister Anshula is not on the big screen but active on social media and goes to different functions hosted by stars of Bollywood. Since their mother Mona Shourie Kapoor passed away Arjun always supported his sister on every step as you can tell from her posts on Instagram. Even though there’s eight years difference between them two but they still have their fun and laugh. This year they celebrated raksha bandhan at their Uncle Sanjay Kapoor’s house with their sisters Janhvi and Khushi as well as their cousins.
Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem
Huma and Saqid came from a non-filmy background and made their names in the Bollywood industry with their hard work. They live together in Mumbai and support each other professionally and personally as Huma said during an interview. These two celebrated raksha bandhan this year by putting rakhi on each other’s hands as they think a sister is also able to protect the brother, the same way a brother does.
Shweta Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan
Shweta and Abhishek always held a special bond as siblings, you can also tell by seeing Big B’s post on Instagram of them two. This year Abhishek went to Shweta’s house for rakhi before leaving for work.
Sara and Ibrahim Ali Khan
Even though Sara and Ibrahim were always on the media as the children of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh but they still kept themselves away from the media. However, now they’re known more with their name especially Sara Ali Khan. Her and her brother bond seem to be strong and loving as she said “I hope you continue to boss me around and bully me till you get your way” on an Instagram post.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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