What: Concert featuring the acclaimed multicultural soul band that reboots Bollywood classics with a unique soul funk twist, which takes you on a musical trip from Memphis to Mumbai.
www.botown.co.uk/gigs
RAVI SHANKAR CENTENARY
When: Saturday March 5
Where: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
What: Musical celebration of the life and career of late sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, headlined by his daughters Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones. They are joined by acclaimed musicians from around the world including Nitin Sawhney, Bikram Ghosh, and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
Where: Gem Arts, Gateshead Central Library, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead NE8 4LN
What: The Pagrav Dance Company presents a contemporary Kathak production that taps into the competitive chaos, creativity, and colour of Uttarayan, the world-famous international kite festival of Gujarat.
What: The popular Pakistani composer and singer will deliver his biggest hits at the musically rich show. He is accompanied by rising singing star Sehar Gul Khan who is the voice behind hit anthem Bol Kaffara.
www.becktheatre.org.uk
SARTAAJ LIVE
When: Sunday March 6
Where: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP
What: The popular singer, songwriter, composer, and poet continues his UK tour with a musically rich concert that will include his greatest hits, along with familiar classics.
www.royalalberthall.com
AN EVENING OF QAWWALI
When: Friday March 11 and Saturday March 12
Where: Harrow Arts Centre, 171 Uxbridge Road, Middlesex HA5 4EA and Kenneth More Theatre, Oakfield Rd, Ilford IG1 1BT
What: An evening of qawwali music paying tribute to great legends like Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen and Sabri Brothers performed by Nafees Irfan Qalandar Qawwali band.
www.planyourentertainment.com
NITIN SAWHNEY
When: Tuesday March 22
Where: Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ
What: The critically acclaimed composer and musician will deliver his greatest hits, including songs from his latest album Immigrants.
www.bmusic.co.uk
RAHEN NA RAHEN HUM MAHEKA KARENGE
When: Saturday March 26
Where: Elliot Hall, Harrow Arts Centre, 171 Uxbridge Road, Middlesex HA5 4EA
What: Concert with full band, headlined by talented singer Anila Gohil, which will be a musical tribute to legends of the Indian music industry.
www.harrowarts.com
SEVENS
When: Wednesday March 30
Where: Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH
What: An ensemble cast of UK-based Indian classical dancers and musicians share the stage in this triple bill show conceptualised by award-winning Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer Nina Rajarani MBE, which explores the sacred, and sometimes sinful, significance of the number seven.
www.macbirmingham.co.uk
THEATRE
LIFE OF PI
When: Until Sunday July 24
Where: Wyndham's Theatre, 32-36 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DA
What: Theatre play based on Yann Martel’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name, which revolves around the sole human survivor of a shipwreck struck on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, as they battle to survive an epic voyage across the ocean.
www.londontheatre.co.uk
BROKEN WINGS
When: Until Saturday March 26
Where: Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL
What: New theatre production based on best-selling novelist Kahlil Gibran's (The Prophet) poetic book, which takes audiences on a musical voyage, exploring issues of gender equality, immigration, the freedom to love who we love, and what 'home' really means.
What: A new adaptation of the classic Mike Leigh play directed by Pravesh Kumar set against the backdrop of an evolving Britain of the 1970s. The cast of the comedy about marriage and class includes Goldy Notay.
www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk
VAYU NAIDU – SHE
When: Sunday March 13
Where: Tara Theatre, 356 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield, London SW18 4ES
What: Vayu Naidu tells thought-provoking stories about rivers, storms and the magnitude of women, forgotten and remembered, as part of the Women In The Arts festival.
www.taratheatre.com
QUEEN OF HEARTS
When: Friday March 25 – Monday March 28
Where: Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH
What: Story of a fading Bollywood struggling to reconcile how she sees herself, versus how the world perceives her and the dialogue she has with her younger self.
www.macbirmingham.co.uk
COMEDY
NISH KUMAR - YOUR POWER, YOUR CONTROL
When: Saturday March 5 and Wednesday March 9
Where: City Varieties Music Hall, Swan Street, Leeds LS1 6LW and Town Hall, Ramsden Street, Huddersfield HT1 2TA
What: The popular stand-up comedian’s new stand-up show that tackles important subjects like political upheaval, Covid, current uncertainty and why he is taking it personally. Check website for further tour dates.
www.nishkumar.co.uk
ARABS VS ASIANS
When: Saturday March 5 and Thursday March 17
Where: The Arts Centre, First Floor, Treaty Centre, High Street, Hounslow TW3 1ES and Grand Sapphire Hotel and Banqueting, 45 Imperial Way, Croydon CR0 4RR
What: The popular Arabs vs Asians returns for another laughter-filled comedy show hosted by Salman Malik and featuring stand-up talents.
www.planyourentertainment.com
PAUL CHOWDHRY - FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMEDIAN
When: Sunday March 6 and Friday March 11
Where: Richmond Theatre, 1 Little Green, Richmond TW9 1QH and The Victoria Theatre, Fountain Street, Halifax HX1 1BP
What: The popular comedian returns with a brand-new stand-up show about UK’s handling of the pandemic, why the rules of six only worked for white people, fame, England football fans and Tom Cruise landing his helicopter in someone’s garden. Check website for further tour dates.
www.paulchowdhry.com
AHIR SHAH: DRESS
When: Thursday March 10 and Friday March 11
Where: Hen & Chicken, 210 North Street, Southville, Bristol BS3 1JF and Barbican Theatre, Castle Street, Plymouth PL1 2NJ
What: The double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee returns with a new stand-up show about significance, insignificance, and scurvy.
www.ahirshah.com
CLASSES
FREE BHARATNATYAM CLASSES
When: Wednesdays March 9, 16, 23, 30 and Thursdays March 10, 17, 24, 31
What: The Consulate General of India in Birmingham is organising regular free dance weekly classes on its premises. Participants need to register beforehand and will be allocated places on first come first serve basis.
www.eventbrite.com
FULL DAY SIMPLE INDIAN COOKERY COURSE
When: Saturday March 12
Where: Hounslow, London
What: A trip to the local Indian shop to learn about ingredients will be followed by a practical hands-on cooking course learning how to make a variety of Indian dishes, along with learning how to use spices to add a depth of flavour.
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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