Born as Taran Kaur Dhillon found herself interested in hip hop music when she was in school. She came out with her solo album in 2007 called Superwoman. Hard is the first Asian female rap artist of UK back then. Being a female rap artist in the world of male rappers is not easy however she made her name in the industry with back to back songs like Move Your Body (2007), Lucky Boy (2008), Sadda Dil Vi Tu Ga Ga Ga Ganpati ( 2013), and Kaara Fankaara (2017).
Yo Yo Honey Singh
YoY o Honey Singh’s birth name is Hirdesh Singh. He came out with his album in 2011 called International Villager and his debut for Hindi song as a music director was for the movie Shakal Pe Mat Ja’s title track. He sang for movies like Kick (2014), Ragini MMS 2 (2014), Gabbar is Back (2015) Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2017), Loveratiri (2018) and many more.
Badshah
Born as Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, started his music career along with Yo Yo Honey Singh and went on to become a solo artist with the song Kar Gayi Chull, which was later used for 2016 movie called Kapoor and Sons. His single from 2015 called DJ Waley Babu became a hit and was ranked number one on Indian i-Tunes charts. He also sung for movies like Humpty Sharma Ki Dhulhania, Khoobsurat and Noor.
Raftar
Dillin Nair, knows as his stage name Rafter was also part of the group Mafia Mundeer, formed by Yo Yo Honey Singh. Then he joined a Punjabi band called RDB. After the spilt of RDB, he started working with Manj Musik as well as a solo artist. He won BristAsia Award in 2014 for his song Swag Mera Desi for Best Urban Song. Raftar debuted in the Bengali music industry with the movie called One.
Ikka Singh
Ikka Singh’s birth name is Ankit Singh Patyal. He started his career in 2014 with In Da Club for the film Tamanchey. He sung for movies like Badrinath Ki Dhulhania, Hindi Medium, Poster Boys and Satyameva Jayate.
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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