Films, music, art and food from the subcontinent are integral to modern British life
By Mira KaushikAug 17, 2024
FRANKIE GOES TO BOLLYWOOD, a musical, is currently on show at the South Bank Centre.
Unusually for an ethnical minority programme, Queen Elizabeth Hall has been booked for 15 days. So, who is the audience? Obviously, Indians or south Asians alone would not have filled this hall at a prominent centre of British art.
Indians are the largest migrant community in the UK, and India is the largest market for British trade. Culture is the most robust conduit to protect this living relationship. And Frankie Goes to Bollywood is a good symbol for that.
Meera Syal
India’s cultural imprint in the United Kingdom is as diverse as it is profound. King Charles himself is a patron of the British Asian Trust and has been active in validating this influence.
A visit to the British Council India website would suggest its calculated transformation into a marketing portal for the UK education industry. The portal presents the country as an English language coaching centre, targeting middle-class students from second-tier Indian cities who are pouring into Britain to pursue higher education.
This prime British institution is chasing and grooming future decision-makers of India, an emerging global power. No wonder India is now the single largest country to supply students to UK universities, with China in second place, providing vital financial support to these institutions.
This Indian-British interaction significantly impacts the cultural demography and the future direction of mainstream arts organisations.
Eastern Eye’s Arts, Culture and Theatre Awards (ACTA) are a manifestation of this reality.
India has traditionally provided a vast number of health workers and teachers to the UK.
Tanika Gupta
But this former British colony is now also sending a large number of computer engineers and other technology professionals to the country.
The Indian community here is relatively young. According to the 2021 census, 16.9 per cent of people from the Indian ethnic group were between the ages of 18 and 24, making it the highest of all five Asian ethnic groups in the UK.
Indo-UK cultural relations were established before Vasco de Gama discovered India in 1498. The East India Company’s Wiliam Hawkins arrived in the court of Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1608, laying the foundation of cultural ties for the next 400 years.
The relationship shaped by centuries of rule, trade, migration, and cultural exchanges has profoundly impacted British culture. The colonial Britons brought back wealth, cultural influences, goods and ideas that would impact their aesthetics and values back home.
Assets brought from India are still visible in museums and antique markets across the UK. Indian architecture has also put its stamp of influence on this country, with Sezincote Palace and the Brighton Pavilion as just two examples of that.
Though British narratives have been fragmented through an educational amnesia about its colonial history, Indian influence is visible in various everevolving aspects of British life, impacting all five human senses – from cuisine, fashion, language and literature, to performing arts. Indian multiculturalism, ayurveda, yoga, philosophy and spirituality are other Indian influences enhancing the British culture.
A significant milestone in this context was the introduction of spices into British cuisine during colonial times. Now it is hard to imagine dishes in this country without spices.
Indhu Rubasingham
Indian textiles like cotton, cashmere, and silk, and designs like paisley remain staples in British fashion and design. The use of vibrant colours, intricate embroidery and traditional Indian jewellery is now part of this cultural legacy. Zandra Rhodes is a key Indianised influencer in the design industry.
The popularity of Indian music in Britain has grown tremendously in the past 50 years. Beginning with the Beatles and sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, the fusion of Indian and British sounds is evident on the music scene.
BBC Proms are now unthinkable without Indian music programmes.
Sheila Chandra’s Monsoon, Cornershop’s hit single Brimful of Asha and Talvin Singh’s Mercury Prizewinning OK are some significant moments in the British music scene, bringing Indian influences on the mainstream and highlighting the growing presence of British Asian artists in the UK music industry.
The 1990s saw another intriguing cultural crossover with the “bindi craze,” popularised partly by Madonna. Indian women no longer had to explain the coloured dots on their foreheads.
Bollywood, India’s vibrant Hindi-language film industry, has also had a significant and lasting impact on British entertainment.
Also, the global success of Gandhi (1982) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Bollywood-themed Strictly Come Dancing performances and pop stars like Gareth Gates participating in Bollywood-inspired charity events are examples of that.
Organisations such as Akademi – South Asian Dance UK have been leading the promotion of Indian classical and contemporary dance in Britain. These performances, often staged in public spaces and festivals, celebrate rich traditions of Indian dance, while also experimenting with modern forms.
The impact of Indian culture on British television is also evident in comedy. Goodness Gracious Me and Citizen Khan were groundbreaking shows in portraying British Asian life through sharp, satirical humour, which tackled issues of identity, race, and the immigrant experience.
Integral to this cultural influence are figures like Indhu Rubasingham, Tanika Gupta, Pooja Ghai, Meera Syal, and Sanjeev Bhaskar, who are pioneers in bringing British Indian narratives to theatre audiences. Shobana Jeyasingh, Aakash Odedra and Akram Khan have created some of the best British contemporary dance shows.
Musicians like Anoushka Shankar, Nitin Sawhney, Talveen Singh, and Shrikanth Sriram have woven Indian sounds with contemporary British music. At the same time, visual artists like Anish Kapoor, Chila Burman, the Singh Sisters, and Raqib Shaw have brought Indian aesthetics to the British art scene.
There’s no doubt that India’s cultural contributions have enriched Britain’s multicultural landscape, creating a legacy celebrated across generations.
Amanda Anisimova defeats world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets
The American advances to her first Grand Slam final
Sabalenka’s run of Grand Slam finals ends
Anisimova will face either Swiatek or Bencic on Saturday
With the win, Anisimova is projected to reach world No. 7
American tennis star Amanda Anisimova produced the biggest win of her career by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the semi-finals of Wimbledon on Thursday. The result sends the 23-year-old into her first Grand Slam final, where she will face either Iga Swiatek or Belinda Bencic on Saturday.
The contest on Centre Court lasted two hours and 37 minutes and was interrupted twice during the first set due to spectators feeling unwell in the heat. Despite the stoppages, both players maintained their focus in a match marked by intense rallies and shifting momentum.
Anisimova, currently ranked 12th, held her nerve in key moments. Although she was broken for the first time in the second set after leading 30-love, she regrouped in the deciding set. After losing her serve in the opening game, she immediately broke back and went on a run of three consecutive games to take control of the match.
Sabalenka’s defeat ends her streak of reaching the last two Grand Slam finals and marks her third straight Grand Slam loss to an American player this year, following defeats to Coco Gauff at Roland Garros and Madison Keys in Melbourne.
Anisimova, the last American woman remaining in the draw, is set to climb to a career-high world No. 7 following this result. Sabalenka will retain her No. 1 ranking for a 39th consecutive week despite the loss.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
HYBE Cine Fest 2025: How HYBE Cine Fest 2025 is India’s K-pop soft launch
You step into your local PVR today. The smell of popcorn hits you, but instead of previews for the latest Bollywood hit, the lobby is a sea of ARMY Bombs and CARAT Bong light sticks. Fans in TXT tees are swapping photocards. Someone’s already belting out a LE SSERAFIM chorus into a mic at the pop-up Noraebang station. Inside Screen 3? It isn’t a film, but a full-blown K-pop concert. Thousands of voices scream every word of BTS’s Dynamite, and tears well up during Jungkook’s solo. But this isn’t Seoul. It’s Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, all this weekend. And HYBE? They’re taking notes, big ones!
What is Hybe Cine fest?
HYBE Cine Fest 2025 is a three-day cinema event (from 10 to 12 July) that brings some of the biggest K-pop concert experiences to the big screen across India. Organised by South Korean entertainment giant HYBE in partnership with PVR INOX and Trafalgar Releasing, the fest features full-length concert films from BTS, SEVENTEEN, TXT, ENHYPEN, ILLIT, and Katseye. Expect stadium-level production with cinematic visuals, surround sound, and collective fan chants, everything fans love about a K-pop concert, recreated inside a cinema.
HYBE didn’t pick India at random. It’s a calculated move. The company has confirmed it will open an Indian office in Mumbai or Delhi by September or October 2025. This festival is a soft launch, a proof-of-concept to test the waters. By partnering with PVR INOX and global distributor Trafalgar Releasing (which brought in over 260,000 fans during the Latin American edition), HYBE is laying the groundwork for bigger things. With India’s entertainment market projected to grow from £22.9 billion to £32.2 billion (₹2.45 trillion to ₹3.45 trillion) by 2028, the timing is no accident.
HYBE isn’t just here to screen films. This is step one in a long-term strategy:
Live concerts: The biggest fan demand. Data from this weekend supports the case for bringing TXT, ENHYPEN, or SEVENTEEN to Indian stages post-2025.
Local talent & collaborations: HYBE’s upcoming Indian office could scout homegrown talent or spark Indo-Korean music projects, similar to what HYBE America did with Katseye.
Lifestyle takeover: Pop-up merch counters are only the beginning. HYBE wants to control K-pop fashion, fan experiences, and digital platforms (like Weverse) in India.
Expect ticket prices between £7.50–£14 (₹800–₹1,500), depending on location and seat type. Morning and midday weekday shows are filling up fastest, so book early if you want the full fan-crowd vibe.
While Indian ARMYs, CARATs, MOAs, and ENGENEs lose their voices this weekend inside packed theatres, HYBE’s executives are wide awake, analysing ticket data, fan turnout, and social media buzz. Every chant, every Noraebang sing-along, every sold-out show is a datapoint fuelling their next big move.
HYBE Cine Fest 2025 is more than a weekend spectacle. It’s a strategic push to embed K-pop deep into India’s entertainment ecosystem. The concert films are just the beginning, the real goal is long-term cultural presence, local talent scouting, and eventually, massive live tours. The light sticks are lit. The playbook is open. And HYBE’s Indian takeover has officially begun.
Keep ReadingShow less
Starlink will next need to acquire spectrum from the government, build ground infrastructure, and carry out testing and trials to meet the agreed security requirements. (Photo: Reuters)
INDIA’s space regulator on Wednesday granted Starlink a licence to begin commercial operations in the country, removing the final regulatory barrier for the satellite internet provider.
The company, led by Elon Musk, has been waiting since 2022 for licences to start operations in India. It received an initial approval last month from India’s telecom ministry and was waiting for clearance from the space regulator.
The licence, issued by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), is valid for five years.
Earlier on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing sources, that Starlink had secured the licence from IN-SPACe.
Starlink is now the third company to receive approval to enter the Indian satellite communications market. India has previously cleared applications from Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio.
The company will next need to acquire spectrum from the government, build ground infrastructure, and carry out testing and trials to meet the agreed security requirements.
Musk and Reliance Jio’s Mukesh Ambani had disagreed for several months over how spectrum should be allocated for satellite services. The Indian government later supported Musk’s position that spectrum should be assigned, not auctioned.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Keep ReadingShow less
The launch of Grok 4 comes amid criticism of the previous version
Elon Musk unveils Grok 4, calling it “the smartest AI in the world”
Grok 4 reportedly trained 100 times more than Grok 2
Musk says it performs at PhD-level across nearly all subjects
The launch follows controversy around Grok 3’s offensive responses
Musk launches Grok 4 AI model with bold claims of intelligence
Elon Musk has launched Grok 4, the latest artificial intelligence model developed by his xAI company, claiming it surpasses PhD-level intelligence across all academic fields.
Speaking at the launch, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said Grok 4 had been trained using 100 times more data than Grok 2, which was replaced by Grok 3 in February this year. Musk described the new model as “the smartest AI in the world” and said it could achieve near-perfect results in graduate-level exams in almost every subject.
“Grok 4 is smarter than nearly all graduate students in all subjects simultaneously,” Musk said. He referred to the current pace of AI development as an “intelligence big bang” and suggested the model may soon contribute to significant technological breakthroughs.
Potential and concerns over AI ethics
While praising Grok 4’s capabilities, Musk acknowledged that the model “may lack common sense” despite its advanced reasoning skills. He stressed that the most important quality for any AI system is to be “truth-seeking” and stated that it is possible to embed values such as honesty and honour into AI, much like instilling values in a child.
Musk also predicted that the first “watchable half-hour” of television produced entirely by AI could be released by the end of 2025.
The launch of Grok 4 comes amid criticism of the previous version, Grok 3, after it generated antisemitic content, including messages that praised Adolf Hitler. In response, the official Grok account on X (formerly Twitter) said: “We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts.”
Musk distances Grok from 'woke' competitors
Musk has positioned Grok as an alternative to other chatbots such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, which he has previously criticised for being “woke”. In June, he invited users on X to help train Grok using “divisive facts” — a term he used for politically incorrect but factually accurate statements.
The update also follows news that X CEO Linda Yaccarino is stepping down, nearly two years after being appointed by Musk to lead the platform he acquired for $44 billion (£32.4 billion) in 2022.
PAKISTAN’S army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday (7) rejected Delhi’s allegation that his military received active support from longtime ally China in its conflict with India in May.
The Indian Army’s deputy chief, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, said last week that China gave Islamabad “live inputs” on key Indian positions.
Singh did not elaborate on how India knew about the live inputs from China.
Regarding the possibility of China providing satellite imagery or other real-time intelligence, India’s chief of defence staff had said such imagery was commercially available and could have been procured from China or elsewhere.
The “insinuations regarding external support” are “irresponsible and factually incorrect”, Munir said in an address to graduating officers of the national security and war course in Islamabad, according to an army statement.
Pakistani officials have previously dismissed allegations of receiving active support from China in the conflict.
Beijing and Islamabad have longstanding close relations, with billions of dollars of Chinese investment in the country’s energy and infrastructure.
India’s relationship with China meanwhile was strained after a 2020 border clash that sparked a four-year military standoff, but tensions began to ease after the countries reached a pact to step back in October.
India and Pakistan used missiles, drones and artillery fire during the four days of fighting in May – their worst in decades – triggered by an attack in April on tourists in Indian Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, before agreeing to a ceasefire.
Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack in April.
Singh also added that Turkey provided key support to Pakistan during the fighting, equipping it with Bayraktar and “numerous other” drones, as well as “trained individuals”.
Ankara has strong ties with Islamabad, and had expressed solidarity with it during the clash, prompting Indians to boycott everything from Turkish coffee to holidays in the country.
Turkey’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the allegations.