A theatre group from Thailand performed a play based on the Ramayana at the Tulsi Udyan in Ayodhya.
One of the performers said, "I am from the Ministry of Culture, Thailand, and today we will perform dance and stage an episode of lord Ram. We are surprised that in Ayodhya people are celebrating saying Jai Shree Sam. It's impressive. In, Thailand Ramayan is called Ramakiyan. Lord Ram has influenced Thai people, especially with his thoughts."
Notably, the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla was held on January 22 with PM Modi performing the ceremony, led by a group of priests.
The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the elaborate Pran Pratishtha ceremony, which involved hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the ceremony.
The temple was open to the public from the next day onwards.
Meanwhile, amid the rush of devotees and long queues in Ayodhya for a sighting (darshan) of Ram Lalla, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Union Cabinet during which he advised his top ministers to defer their visit to the grand temple.
According to government sources, Prime Minister Modi voiced concern over the heavy rush of devotees and the inconvenience caused to the public by VVIP and VIP visits to the temple town along with elaborate security details.
He proposed that Union ministers plan or defer their Ayodhya visits in March to ensure a smoother and more organised experience for everyone involved, sources said.
On Wednesday, the frenzy and fervour among the visiting devotees and locals were noticeable as they were on the prior when the temple was opened for darshan. The temple witnessed surging footfalls following the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla and the grand opening on Monday.
Security was tightened in the holy city after the first day of darshan on Tuesday drew an estimated several thousand devotees.
Qawwali remains popular with cross-cultural audiences, but very few get the chance to experience one of the world’s oldest music genres in its purest form. Whether it is the diluted style seen in Bollywood adaptations or fusion with contemporary sounds, the tradition is often watered down.
Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers Qawwali Group stand apart from that commercialised crowd, presenting the Sufi genre in its most authentic style. The five talented brothers – sons of the late qawwali icon Ustad Bahauddin Khan Qawwal – belong to a remarkable lineage that traces directly back to the first group formed by the genre’s founding father in the 13th century.
Currently on a UK tour, the group delivered a stunning stage performance that confirmed their brilliance. Unlike most qawwali ensembles that rely on one or two lead singers, all five brothers took turns leading, gracefully exchanging vocal passages to produce a timeless, mesmerising sound. The power, passion and grace of their high-energy performance shone through as they delivered beloved classics such as QaulQalbana, Rang and Naat Shareef. The concert opened in high gear and gained momentum with each composition, before culminating in a thunderous rendition of Mast Qalandar.
They also performed khayal and tarana-style qawwalis, alongside pieces deeply rooted in mysticism. Accompanied by a superb percussionist, their sound remained untouched by modern influences, yet felt completely relevant and accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Their tour continues across the UK until mid-July, and they are certain to keep transporting audiences back in time through a forward-looking, spiritually rich performance – the kind few qawwali acts worldwide can deliver. The only downside? The show had to end. It felt as though the group were just getting started – they could have easily played for several more hours.
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The year 1975 was significant in Indian cinema for newly crowned superstar Amitabh Bachchan
The year 1975 was significant in Indian cinema for newly crowned superstar Amitabh Bachchan, as he starred in the two biggest films of that year, and also his career, Deewaar and Sholay.
These blockbusters cemented his position at the top. In between their releases came Mili, Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s decidedly different tearjerker.
Known for his non-starry social dramas, the acclaimed producer-director delivered a message-driven story about Mili (Jaya Bhaduri), a terminally ill but bubbly young woman, and the profound impact she has on those around her – including depressed alcoholic Shekhar, played by Bachchan. The real-life couple headlined a multi-layered film anchored by subtle, deeply emotive performances.
Eastern Eye marks 50 years of the underrated classic on June 20 by presenting the 10 best scenes from this story of hope, anguish and learning how to live.
Enter the grouch: Known for her pranks and cheerful attitude, Mili is taken aback by new neighbour Shekhar’s aloofness. His introduction, during the haunting Badi Sooni Sooni Hai song, shows him as a tormented alcoholic. It establishes the contrast between the two main characters – she smiles through life’s challenges, while he seeks refuge in alcohol.
Visual highlights from MiliRotten Tomatoes
Confrontation: Unable to understand Shekhar’s solitude and unfriendliness, Mili ropes in the children from their building to disturb his peace in protest. What begins as an immature territorial clash soon reveals Mili’s intuitive response to the darkness surrounding him. Her inner child recognises and challenges the negativity threatening their otherwise pleasant environment.
Their innocence and kindness melt his hardened exteriorIMDb
Compassion: After provoking Shekhar, the children apologise sincerely. Their innocence and kindness melt his hardened exterior, and he invites them, along with Mili, to play on his terrace. In the song Maine Kaha Phoolon Se, Shekhar, glass still in hand, watches them dance and smiles for the first time. The warmth of this moment even leads him to request tea instead of whisky in the next scene, to his servant’s delight.
Visual highlights from Mili
In the song Maine Kaha Phoolon SeIMDb
Crossroads: In a drunken breakdown, Shekhar slashes his wrist and is saved by Mili. For the first time, she shows visible anger and tears. Her outburst marks a new level of closeness in their friendship and signals the beginning of something deeper. In his vulnerable state, Shekhar is moved by Mili’s scolding – a sign of care he desperately craves.
The raw emotions of every characterInstagram/ hindifilimography
Romance: Shekhar’s growing vulnerability draws him closer to Mili. He begins confiding in her about childhood trauma, his mother, and the root of his pain. He is receptive of her solace and outlook on life. Their bond strengthens as they exchange notes when Mili falls ill. He experiences joy for the first time, unaware of the seriousness of her condition.
The heart-rending scene between father and daughterInstagram/ hindifilimography
Tragedy: The film reaches its most emotional point when Mili’s father (Ashok Kumar) learns that she has only days to live. The harrowing scenes that follow reveal the raw emotions of every character, from shock to grief to quiet acceptance. The heart-rending scene between father and daughter, with Kumar and Bhaduri in each other’s arms, delivers an emotional poignancy audiences can relate to.
The woman who taught him how to liveRotten Tomatoes
Role reversal: Initially unable to process the truth about Mili’s illness, Shekhar has a change of heart about leaving after confronting some hard realities. The woman who taught him how to live is dying, and he feels betrayed by fate. Determined not to give up, he sets out to explore every possible option that might offer her a chance of recovery.
He sets out to explore every possible option Rotten Tomatoes
Selfless love: Unaware that Shekhar already knows the truth, Mili urges her father not to tell him about her illness. Having changed him for the better, she fears that the news will undo his progress and send him back into despair. In that moment, she puts his well-being above her own.
Having changed him for the betterInstagram/ hindifilimography
Proposal: In the film’s penultimate scene, its message becomes clear – the purpose of life is happiness. Shekhar realises he can fulfil one of Mili’s dreams by marrying her. He proposes not out of pity or obligation, but love. Their decision to embrace a short but meaningful life together speaks volumes.
Fifty years later, those sentiments still ring trueInstagram/ hindifilimography
Farewell: The story, told in flashback, returns to its starting point as the newlyweds leave for Switzerland in search of a cure. Mili’s father waves to their aircraft, perhaps knowing she may never return. As the plane takes off, the audience is left with a lasting message – that hope should never die. Fifty years later, those sentiments still ring true.
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William Dalrymple with his artist wife Olivia Fraser
EASTERN EYE is supporting this year’s Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) at the British Library next Friday (13) to Sunday (15) as its media partner.
“We are happy to do so as we aim to be ‘the voice of British Asians’, as we say on our masthead,” said Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of the newspaper.
JLF also seeks to attract all sections of the community in the UK.
Many of the speakers in this year’s event have featured in Eastern Eye in recent years.
For example, Sheela Banerjee won Eastern Eye’s Arts, Culture & Theatre Award (ACTA) in the non-fiction category last year for What’s in a Name: Friendship, Identity and History in Multicultural Britain.
Vaseem Khan, the first Asian chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association in 70 years, won an ACTA in the fiction category in 2018 for The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star.
The BBC’s Reeta Chakrabarti was named best presenter in ACTA this year. She was also shortlisted in the fiction category for her debut novel featuring schizophrenia, Finding Belle.
In the newly introduced category for crime fiction, the winner was Ram Murali, author of Death in the Air, which has been described as “a love letter to Agatha Christie”.
Eastern Eye has also written about Sushma Jansari, who has curated the British Museum’s new exhibition, Ancient India: Living traditions.
Among the headline speakers this year is Banu Mushtaq, whose book Heart Lamp, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, is the first short-story collection to win the International Booker Prize.
Ram Murali
Hanif Kureishi will be discussing his book, Shattered: “After a devastating fall in Rome, Hanif Kureishi was left immobile. From his hospital bed, he began to dictate powerful reflections on illness, identity, love, and writing. Shattered is the result: an odyssey of survival.”
JLF 2025 is bringing together some established authors from India, such as the MP Shashi Tharoor. His latest book, Our Living Constitution, “offers a masterful analysis of India’s constitutional framework, highlighting how it transcends political rhetoric to reflect the nation’s core ideals”, according to the festival organisers.
Although Tharoor belongs to the opposition Congress party in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of parliament, he expressed strong support for Narendra Modi’s Operation Sindoor military action against Pakistan. He was picked to lead one of seven Indian government delegations explaining New Delhi’s foreign policy in countries around the world, including Panama, Guyana, Colombia, Brazil and the US.
Other authors from India include William Dalrymple, whose Eastern Eye lecture on The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World at the Bhavan in London last October was attended by nearly 250 people.
His son, Sam Dalrymple, will be speaking at JLF on his book, Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia. This was shortlisted for an ACTA this year in the history category.
JLF describes his book as “a sweeping narrative of how the once-unified Indian empire splintered into 12 modern nations. Drawing on rare archives, untranslated memoirs, and interviews across multiple languages, Dalrymple excavates five key partitions that reshaped the political, cultural, and emotional geography of the region. From boardroom deals and battlefield lines to personal stories of loss, resistance, and reinvention, the session reflects on how borders are drawn and the human cost they carry.”
His father, William, one of the founding directors of the festival, said: ”At JLF London at the British Library, we bring together some of the finest minds from across the world to explore the great questions of our time – from the rise of AI to the legacies of empire, from the pleasures of food and art to the complexities of geopolitics.
“This year’s edition reflects the festival’s commitment to rich, nuanced discourse, bridging cultures and offering a truly global literary experience.”
Namita Gokhale, a festival co-director – she will be talking about the re-publication of her novel, Paro, which came out in 1984 – commented: “At this volatile moment of change and transformation, we seek to make sense of our fractured world, and to explore and understand it through our shared stories.”
The éminence grise behind JLF is Sanjoy K Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts, which describes itself as “a highly versatile production company with roots in the performing arts, social action and the corporate world”.
Sanjoy K Roy
He said: “We celebrate the power of literary thought to foster meaningful conversations and build bridges between cultures through our sessions at JLF London. The 12th edition of JLF London hosts diverse themes ranging from history and artificial intelligence to culture and geopolitics, food and art.”
Incidentally, Roy will be speaking to Bafta-winning playwright David Hare, celebrated as “the finest living British dramatist”.
Hare will provide “a peek into his remarkable career that has redefined contemporary theatre. Renowned for iconic works such as Skylight, Plenty and Racing Demon, Hare’s plays explore the intricacies of politics, power, and human relationships with unflinching honesty and wit. His innovative storytelling, blending sharp dialogue with profound moral inquiry, has left an indelible mark on stage and screen.”
Support for the festival was expressed by Jamie Andrews, the British Library’s director of public engagement: “The British Library looks after one of the world’s most significant south Asian collections, and international collaboration is at the heart of our mission as a library.”
The British Library had a message for Asians in the UK and typically Eastern Eye readers:
“We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that gets bigger every day. Although our roots extend back centuries, we aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and far into the future.
“Our trusted experts care for this collection and open it up for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things.
Sheela Banerjee’s award-winning book
“We have millions of books, and much more besides. Our London and Yorkshire sites hold collections ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings, patents, academic journals, as well as a copy of every UK domain website and blog.
“Our public spaces provide a place to research, to meet friends, to start up a new business or simply to get inspired by visiting our galleries and events. We work with partners and libraries across the UK and the world to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to use and explore our collections, events and expertise. And we’re always open online, along with more and more of our digitised collection.”
After this year’s London Book Fair, Eastern Eye reported that the British Library republishes crime novels, which first came out decades ago.
This year, Shobaa De is likely to prove a big draw at JLF, which says that the celebrity writer and columnist “is unapologetically bold, fiercely candid, and never afraid to stir the pot. Her popular column, Politically Incorrect, and her bestseller novels like Socialite Evenings and the more recent Insatiable, have won her global acclaim. She has spent decades challenging conventions with her sharp wit and candid observations. Her upcoming book, The Sensualist, is a provocative look at passion, power, and the private lives of modern Indians. In an unfiltered conversation with Yasser Usman, De talks about writing, relationships, and the art of being unapologetically herself.”
Dr Deborah Swallow, an expert on Indian art, will take part in a session on “libraries, museums and archives”, and Asma Khan, founder of the restaurant Darjeeling Express, will talk about food.
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Aamir Khan’s iconic transformation in Bollywood over the decades
Aamir Khan returns to the big screen this month in Sitare Zameen Par, a heart-warming Bollywood remake of the Spanish comedy-drama Campiones. He plays a disgraced basketball coach who takes on an unexpected challenge with a team of individuals with special needs.
Sporting a look unlike any from the past decade, the film – due out on 20 June – adds to the many transformations he has embraced over his career, from shifting hairstyles to dramatic facial hair.
Eastern Eye uses this new role as a chance to revisit the superstar’s evolving on-screen appearances.
Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973): An eight-year-old Aamir Khan made his film debut in a song sequence of this smash hit, produced and directed by his uncle Nasir Hussain. It marked the first time cinema audiences saw him on screen.
The actor’s evolving style from youth to maturity getty images
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988): After working in further films as a child star and assistant director, the baby-faced actor was launched as a leading man with the hit romantic musical. He established himself with that same clean-cut look in subsequent films.
Aamir Khan embracing vintage looks with classic charmgetty images
Baazi (1995): This action thriller failed at the box office but is remembered for Khan dressing in drag. The striking female get-up was arguably the only memorable aspect of an otherwise forgettable film.
Rangeela (1995): In this musical hit, Khan played a street-smart ruffian and debuted a rugged new look with heavy stubble. The image shift helped him fully inhabit the role and showcased a different side of him to audiences.
Bold and dramatic changes defining Aamir Khan’s careergetty images
Ghulam (1998): Heavily inspired by the 1954 Hollywood classic On the Waterfront, this film saw Khan blend ruggedness with a more heroic edge. His portrayal of a hoodlum with boxing skills left a lasting impact.
Dil Chahta Hai (2001): With its fresh haircuts and urban styling, Farhan Akhtar’s directorial debut introduced a new wave of contemporary cool to Hindi cinema. Khan’s image underwent a complete makeover as part of the film’s trendsetting aesthetic.
From rugged to refined Aamir Khan’s versatile appearancesgetty images
Mangal Pandey The Rising (2005): After a four-year hiatus, Khan returned with his most dramatic transformation yet – long hair and an epic moustache that brought to life the spirit of the 19th-century freedom fighter.
Rang De Basanti (2006): This story of youthful defiance gave Khan a refreshed haircut. In historical flashbacks, he adopted other appearances inspired by the past, adding further layers to his portrayal.
Ghajini (2008): In this remake of a Tamil film – itself inspired by Hollywood drama Memento – Khan adopted a dramatic new look with a muscular physique and buzz cut that intensified the film’s emotional and action-driven edge.
Memorable film moments showcasing Aamir Khan’s unique stylegetty images
3 Idiots (2009): Khan turned back the clock in this record-breaking film, transforming his appearance to convincingly play a young engineering student. He changed his weight, hairstyle and mannerisms to suit the role.
Delhi Belly (2011): Producing this crime caper, Khan made a cameo in a song sequence where he donned a retro disco look. Funky glasses, glittery costumes and exaggerated 70s flair helped him stand out in yet another memorable appearance.
Talaash The Answer Lies Within (2012): As a serious police officer, Khan adopted a subdued look – short hair, a neatly trimmed moustache and a haunted expression, completed by a simple police uniform.
Dhoom 3 (2013): To play identical twins with different personalities, Khan adopted a muscular physique, sharp haircut, tight outfits, a bowler hat and intense expressions. This gave him another memorable identity.
Aamir Khan’s blend of classic and contemporary fashiongetty images
PK (2014): Portraying an alien, Khan had to create an entirely unfamiliar look. He did this by pushing out his ears, widening his eyes and pairing innocent expressions with mismatched clothes to enhance the character’s quirky charm.
Dangal (2016): Although he appeared as a younger, muscular version of his character, Khan’s look in this record-breaking movie was defined by older age. He transformed himself with extra weight, grey hair and weather-worn expressions.
Secret Superstar (2017): In this acclaimed film, which he also produced, Khan played a flamboyant music director. Leather jackets, tight trousers, eccentric hairstyles, earrings, facial hair and a rockstar swagger made it one of his most over-the-top looks.
Thugs of Hindostan (2018): The actor pierced his nose for this swashbuckling period film. With long curly hair, a scruffy beard, old-fashioned clothes and roguish expressions, he embraced the character’s mischief and flair.
Aamir Khan’s dedication to authentic character portrayals getty images
Laal Singh Chaddha (2022): In this remake of Forrest Gump, Khan portrayed his character across different stages of life. From clean-shaven youth to a heavily bearded older man, he showcased a broad spectrum of looks in a single film.
Sitare Zameen Par (2025): In the Hindi remake of Campiones, Khan plays a short-tempered basketball coach. After decades of dramatic transformations, the 60-year-old returns to a look that closely mirrors his everyday appearance.
Rang De Basanti (2006): This story of youthful defiance gave Khan a refreshed haircut. In historical flashbacks, he adopted other appearances inspired by the past, adding further layers to his portrayal.
Ghajini (2008): In this remake of a Tamil film – itself inspired by Hollywood drama Memento – Khan adopted a dramatic new look with a muscular physique and buzz cut that intensified the film’s emotional and action-driven edge.
3 Idiots (2009): Khan turned back the clock in this record-breaking film, transforming his appearance to convincingly play a young engineering student. He changed his weight, hairstyle and mannerisms to suit the role.
Delhi Belly (2011): Producing this crime caper, Khan made a cameo in a song sequence where he donned a retro disco look. Funky glasses, glittery costumes and exaggerated 70s flair helped him stand out in yet another memorable appearance.
Talaash: The Answer Lies Within (2012): As a serious police officer, Khan adopted a subdued look – short hair, a neatly trimmed moustache and a haunted expression, completed by a simple police uniform.
Dhoom 3 (2013): To play identical twins with different personalities, Khan adopted a muscular physique, sharp haircut, tight outfits, a bowler hat and intense expressions. This gave him another memorable identity.
Cinematic milestones reflected in Aamir Khan’s on-screen imagegetty images
PK (2014): Portraying an alien, Khan had to create an entirely unfamiliar look. He did this by pushing out his ears, widening his eyes and pairing innocent expressions with mismatched clothes to enhance the character’s quirky charm.
Dangal (2016): Although he appeared as a younger, muscular version of his character, Khan’s look in this record-breaking movie was defined by older age. He transformed himself with extra weight, grey hair and weather-worn expressions.
Secret Superstar (2017): In this acclaimed film, which he also produced, Khan played a flamboyant music director. Leather jackets, tight trousers, eccentric hairstyles, earrings, facial hair and a rockstar swagger made it one of his most over-the-top looks.
Thugs of Hindostan (2018): The actor pierced his nose for this swashbuckling period film. With long curly hair, a scruffy beard, old-fashioned clothes and roguish expressions, he embraced the character’s mischief and flair.
Laal Singh Chaddha (2022): In this remake of Forrest Gump, Khan portrayed his character across different stages of life. From clean-shaven youth to a heavily bearded older man, he showcased a broad spectrum of looks in a single film.
Sitare Zameen Par (2025): In the Hindi remake of Campiones, Khan plays a short-tempered basketball coach. After decades of dramatic transformations, the 60-year-old returns to a look that closely mirrors his everyday appearance.
A NEW play explores the issues faced by this current generation of immigrants and questions the definitions of freedom and liberation, its playwright has said.
Permission, written and co-produced by Hunia Chawla, casts a questioning eye on the trope of ‘the oppressed Muslim woman’ and examines the links between patriarchy, protest, and the global political order.
In an interview with Eastern Eye, Chawla said, “There are not many voices of contemporary immigrants in today’s world. The immigrant stories we hear are from the 1950s and 1970s.
“There is not much discussion taking place, and I believe it is an important discussion to have, given everything that is happening in the world. What is the role of protest? Who gets to decide what freedom is? This tension between the West and the East that we often observe offers a new way of looking at these issues.”
Through the stories of Hanna (played by Anisa Butt) and Minza (Rea Malhotra Mukhtyar), the 70-minute play, which moves between a Heathrow immigration queue and a rooftop in Karachi, explores themes such as friendship, sisterhood, identity politics, and state violence.
“I believe this trope (the oppressed Muslim woman) holds significant importance because it is frequently employed to justify numerous oppressive measures against people from the global south, Muslims, and specific nations,” Chawla, who is in her late 20s pointed out.
“Consider, for instance, the situation in Afghanistan. There exists considerable outcry regarding the Taliban, and quite rightly so, as they are indeed oppressive towards women. However, the response to this oppression is the assertion that “we must save Afghans from the Taliban,” which then leads to sending weapons and dropping bombs on that very country under the guise of liberation. One ends up killing the same people one purports to liberate, and the irony of this situation is not lost on observers
“Similarly, regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, much of the propaganda centres on the claim that all Palestinians are oppressive towards women and gender minorities, and this assertion is then used to justify genocide. Identity politics has become so divorced from actual political violence that it proves harmful at times – indeed, it is sometimes weaponised in deeply damaging ways.”
Hunia Chawla
According to the writer, who is from Karachi and lives in Yorkshire, the solution to the issue lies “simply in maintaining awareness”.
“It is crucial to recognise that Muslim women are not the only ones facing oppression, patriarchy exists everywhere. It is present here in the UK and across the globe, merely manifesting in different forms. The critical factor is determining who tells the story and who it serves.
“Currently, I observe a narrative structure featuring a saviour and the oppressed, with engagement conducted in a manner that serves the so-called saviour, who are, paradoxically, also the oppressors. This approach proves unhelpful and reinforces a colonial mentality of “we are modern and shall liberate you,” while considerable harm is being inflicted that remains largely unacknowledged,” she added.
In the play, Hanna tries to balance her political beliefs and personal choices by presenting herself as a ‘proper’ Pakistani woman. Her best friend, Minza, doesn’t care about appearing respectable to others. Their close friendship, played out in the busy city of Karachi, faces a major challenge when Hanna relocates to London seeking personal freedom and independence, meanwhile Minza stays behind in Karachi to campaign for political change through protests.
Chawla explained that while the play follows a chronological structure, showing Hanna’s journey from Karachi to London, it incorporates numerous flashbacks to her childhood and teenage years, creating a non-linear narrative.
She expressed her fascination with magical realism, noting that incorporating less naturalistic elements allows for greater character dimension and environmental shifts.
The play explores two distinct approaches to seeking freedom through its protagonists. Originally created as a 20-minute one-woman show and performed to a packed audience at The Space in London, Chawla developed the play into its current form over two years. She collaborated with director Neetu Singh to provide a “new vision” for the play.
She explained that Permission initially told the story of an immigrant girl from Pakistan dealing with the contemporary immigration process.
“The story expanded to explore the broader politics of immigration and questions of liberation and freedom, particularly for south Asian women navigating the immigration process and the complexities of dual identity between Karachi and London,” she said.
“Permission came from the essential question of what liberation means and who gets to define it,” Chawla said.
A still from rehearsal
She noted that Western media often presents reductive narratives, such as in Bend It Like Beckham, where a brown girl from a conservative family becomes “liberated” through western ideas, reinforcing a colonial mindset that positions the west as the standard for modernity and liberation.
The British Pakistani artist highlighted the hypocrisy within this narrative, explaining that while the main character Hanna may feel more secure as a woman in the UK, she encounters censorship when attempting to speak about state violence, Palestine, or western complicity in global conflicts.
“The liberation question becomes complicated – you’re not free to do everything. There’s a condition to that freedom,” she observed.
The Asian actor-writer developed an interest in poetry from a very young age. She studied at the University of Warwick and pursued a career in the financial sector upon completing her studies. She completed the Old Vic Theatre Makers programme and is currently part of the Soho Writers Lab.
Chawla added, “Viewers don’t need to be politically engaged to appreciate the production, as the play’s strength lies in intimate moments and the beautiful portrayal of friendship and sisterhood between its characters. Permission operates on multiple levels, combining serious political themes with genuine entertainment value. It is genuinely funny and engaging.”
She expressed confidence in the production’s broad appeal, noting that previous performances attracted diverse audiences who responded enthusiastically.