Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.
She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.
She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.
Justin Bieber isn’t holding back anymore. In a recent Instagram post, the 31-year-old pop star shared a side of himself fans don’t often see. Despite more than a decade in the spotlight, massive success, and millions of loyal followers, Bieber says he frequently struggles with feelings of unworthiness and self-doubt.
“I’ve always felt like a fraud,” he wrote. “People say I deserve what I have. But if they knew the thoughts I have sometimes, how selfish I can be, they wouldn’t say that.” It was a brutally honest admission from one of the world’s most loved musicians.
— (@)
Bieber first exploded onto the scene at 16 with his hit song Baby, and since then, his career has been a whirlwind of chart-topping albums and sold-out shows. Yet even after winning Grammy Awards and topping charts with albums like Purpose, Changes, and Justice, Bieber revealed that the success has done little to quiet the inner critic in his head.
Justin Bieber Says He’s Battling Imposter Syndrome: “Am I Good Enough?”Getty Images
“If you’ve ever felt sneaky or like you don’t measure up, you’re not alone,” Bieber added. “Most days, I feel unequipped and unqualified too.” He shared these words alongside a song fittingly titled Sneaky Sneaky by Gold-Tiger.
The post comes just weeks after his representatives shut down gossip swirling about his health and personal life. Rumours had been spreading online, accusing Bieber of drug abuse and suggesting trouble in his marriage to Hailey Bieber. His team called the rumours “exhausting and pitiful,” firmly denying the drug allegations.
Despite the noise, Bieber and Hailey have been focusing on their family life, especially after welcoming their baby boy, Jack Blues Bieber, in August 2024. Insiders close to the couple say Justin has been investing time in both fatherhood and his music.
Justin and Hailey Bieber at the Met GalaGetty Images
In fact, fans might not have to wait long for new songs. Bieber recently shared a photo of himself at the piano, hinting he’s back in the studio. It’s been four years since his last album, Justice, and many believe he’s gearing up for a big comeback.
For now, though, Bieber seems more focused on being real about his mental health struggles. “There’s nothing to prove,” he said in an earlier post. “Sometimes it’s about letting go instead of trying harder.”
His message is clear: even the most successful people question themselves, but they keep going anyway.
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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