Amazon Prime Original, Mirzapur Season 2, has won top honours at the Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA), Asia Pacific's (APAC) most prestigious awards for creative excellence. The award ceremony was held on 2nd and 3rd December 2021 in Singapore. The awards showcase excellence in the film and television industry across the APAC region.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Mirzapur is a successful show that has won appreciation and love from fans and critics alike. Its win in the ‘Best Original Programme by a Streamer/OTT’ category further solidifies its position as a trailblazing show in the digital space.
“At Prime Video, we are constantly working towards offering our viewers compelling content across genres, categories, languages, and formats, that entertains, inspires, and provokes,” said Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video India.
“Our programming reflects the diverse voices of our customers and provides a global showcase for stories that are deeply rooted in local culture, making them more authentic, engaging, and immersive for viewers across the world. As we complete 5 years in India, our win at the prestigious Asian Academy Creative Awards is validation that our relentless efforts to find and give a platform to the best stories, storytellers, and talent, is working. I would especially like to mention actor, Brahma Mishra, who essayed the role of Lalit in the series and met with a tragic demise this week. This award is a tribute to him and the hard work put in by him and his co-actors and technicians in making the series what it is today.”
Puneet Krishna, Creator, on receiving the award for Mirzapur Season 2 said, “It is a huge moment for every technician and talent from Mirzapur, a series that has become a household name. The show’s authenticity and relatability make it a rather unique and interesting series, one that engages the audience at a deeper level. A heartfelt thanks to every actor and every person working extremely hard behind the camera to make Mirzapur a memorable viewing experience for the audiences. Thank you, Asian Academy Creative Awards, for recognizing our efforts. We would like to dedicate this award to Brahma Mishra, one of the most talented actors that we have worked with, and only wish that he was here to share this moment with us.”
Mirzapur 2 stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Rasika Dugal, Amit Sial, Isha Talwar, Divyendu Sharma, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in primary characters.
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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