Divya Khosla Kumar started her career by featuring in music videos. She recently featured in the recreated version of the song Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi which has received a good response. In 2004, she starred in a film titled Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo opposite Akshay Kumar. She then didn’t feature in any of the films and opted to turn her way towards the direction.
But next year, she will be making her big-screen comeback with Satyameva Jayate 2. It will be after 16 years, we will get to see her on the silver screen.
We recently met Divya and asked her what made her say ‘yes’ to Satyameva Jayate 2. The actress stated, “After Sanam Re, I thought that I will give the direction a little bit of a break and concentrate on acting. I was kind of meeting a few people, I didn’t really know how to go about it because being a part of T-Series, it was very difficult for me to go and approach people. So, I did a short film Bulbul and thankfully people liked that.”
“Nikkhil Advani, Monisha Advani and Milap Zaveri (Satyameva Jayate 2 team), they liked Bulbul and then they approached me and said that this is the role. My only thing was like it has to be a strong role because I have just featured in one film and if I am acting again after a long time I have to be presented very well. Then Milap said that I have written a very good role for you and it is going to be a very strong and powerful female character. As you see in the poster that they have given to me, it is really like a bharatiya naari character, so I am very excited. John is also so warm and happy to have me. So, I am also excited to pair up with him," she added.
When asked her if she is open to working outside T-Series, Divya said, “Yes, Of course. In fact, the video (Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi) is a Rao and Sapru productions, it is not T-Series. Even Satyameva Jayate 2 is an Emmay Entertainment. So, when I was on the set there was no one from the T-Series over there.”
Satyameva Jayate 2 is slated to release on Gandhi Jayanti next year.
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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