LIVE PERFORMANCE
SUHANI SHAH: SPELLBOUND 2.0
When: Until Saturday, August 10
Where: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
What: India’s most-famous mind reader delves into the depths of mental mysteries with unexpected twists, compelling storytelling, and interactive audience engagement.
VAGYO RE DHOL WITH BHOOMI TRIVEDI
When: Saturday, August 10Where: Mattioli Arena, 12 Memory Lane, Leicester LE1 3UL
What: A pre-Navratri event with vibrant music and dancing, headlined by Bhoomi Trivedi.
ORCHESTRAL QAWWALI PROJECT
When: Saturday, August 10Where: Curve Theatre, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB
What: The genre-defying Sufi act present a special, one off and intimate show as part of An Indian Summer festival.
Arijit Singh
ARIJIT SINGH
When: Friday, August 16Where: Utilita Arena, King Edwards Road, Birmingham B1 2AA
What: The popular Indian singer embarks on another UK tour with a full live band, where he will perform his greatest hits, along with much loved film classics.
RAJBHA GADHVI & GOPAL SADHU
When: Saturday, August 17Where: Maher Centre, 15 Ravensbridge Drive, Leicester LE4 0BZ
What: The renowned artists will take audiences on a culturally rich musical journey through the vibrant world of Lok Dayro.ZEESHAN ROKHRI
When: Sunday, August 25Where: Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2UE
What: The popular folk singer pays tribute to his legendary father Saifullah Rokhri with a full live band, at a culturally rich concert.
NAVRATRI RANGOTSAV
When: Friday, August 30Where: Harrow Leisure Centre, Christchurch Avenue, Harrow HA3 5BD
What: Musical event celebrating the colours of Navratri with garba, dandiya and live performance by Jaysinh Gadhvi. There is also food stalls and prizes for the best dressed attendees.
SHYAM NAYAN PRESENTS DHARA
When: Saturday, August 31Where: The Bhavan, 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HE
What: The London based dancer will share timeless, hereditary pieces from both the Jaipur and Banaras gharanas of Kathak. The evening will showcase the rich heritage of classical Indian music, dance, and literature.
ADITYA GADHVI
When: Friday, September 6 and Sunday September 8Where: OVO Arena, Arena Square, Engineers Way, London HA9 0AA; and Maher Centre, 15 Ravensbridge Drive, Leicester LE4 0BZ
What: Indian singer Aditya Gadhvi brings his infectious garba vibes with popular Gujarati songs and pulsating rhythms.
BHOOLI BISRI YAADEIN
When: Saturday, September 7Where: Elliot Hall, Harrow Arts Centre, 171 Uxbridge Road, Pinner HA5 4EA
What: Top singing talents present a musical evening filled with the mesmerising melodies of Bollywood music legends Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar.
JASDEEP SINGH DEGUN
When: Friday, September 13Where: Curve Theatre, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB
What: The award-winning British sitar maestro delivers a concert celebrating India’s rich musical heritage. He will be accompanied by Shahbaz Hussain in tabla.
FALGUNI PATHAK
When: Friday, September 20Where: OVO Arena, Arena Square, Engineers Way, London HA9 0AA
What: The undisputed queen of dandiya music returns with a live show filled with much-loved songs, mesmerising melodies and infectious energy.
REWIND QUEENS
When: Saturday, September 21 - Sunday, September 22Where: Resorts World Arena, Perimeter Road, Birmingham B40 1NT; and OVO Arena, Arena Square, Engineers Way, London HA9 0AA
What: Concert headlined by popular singers Alka Yagnik, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Anuradha Paudwal and Alisha Chinai, performing their greatest hits with a full live band.
BOLLYWOOD CANDLELIGHT CONCERT
When: Sunday, September 22Where: Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2UE
What: Concert of live Bollywood songs, Punjabi geet and beautiful ghazals from top UK talents, including Mangal Singh, Shin (DCS), Priti Kaur and the 515 Crew.
THEATRE
FRANKIE GOES TO BOLLYWOOD
When: Until Sunday, August 18Where: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
What: New theatre musical about a British woman negotiating the cutthroat world of Bollywood, filled with romance, songs and dance.
PALI AND JAY’S ULTIMATE ASIAN WEDDING DJ ROADSHOW
When: Until Sunday August 25Where: Assembly George Square Studios, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LH
What: New musical comedy show about an uncle and nephew DJing duo navigating their latest gig to save the company and ultimately, their relationship.
RUN REBEL
When: Thursday, September 26 – Saturday, October 5Where: Theatre Peckham, 221 Havil Street, London SE5 7SB
What: Stage adaptation of Manjeet Mann’s powerful award-winning winning novel of a young girl, who finds strength to finally break free from her claustrophobic and abusive home life, embarks on another UK tour.
COMEDY
UROOJ ASHFAQ: IT’S FUNNY TO ME
When: Until Wednesday, August 14Where: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
What: Award-winning stand-up comedian Urooj Ashfaq presents a work in progress of her new show, ahead of a premiere at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
NISH, DON’T KILL MY VIBE
When: Friday, September 6Where: Oxford Playhouse, 11-12 Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2LWWhat: Popular stand-up comedian Nish Kumar’s new show dissects politics, climate collapse and income inequality. Check website for further tour dates.
DESI CENTRAL COMEDY SHOW
When: Saturday, September 7Where: The Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes UB3 2UE
What: Stand-up comedy show featuring terrific talents Farhan Solo, Prince Abdi, Tommy Sandhu, Janine Harouni and Eshaan Akbar.
Tez Ilyas
ADITI MITTAL: BAD ALTITUDE
When: Monday, September 9 - Saturday, September 14Where: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
What: The popular Indian stand-up comedian returns with a live show about her trek to Mount Everest.
TEZ ILYAS: AFTER EIGHT
When: Saturday, September 7Where: G Live, London Road, Guildford GU1 2AA
What: The popular stand-up comedian embarks on another UK tour with his new show about the changing world and trying to make sense of his new life as a married man. Check website for further tour dates and availability.
ANUBHAV SINGH BASSI: KISI KO BATANA MAT
When: Sunday, September 15Where: Indigo at The O2, 205 Peninsula Square, London SE10 0ES What: Popular Indian stand-up comedian presents his laughter filled show, with two performances, at 2pm and 6pm.
EVENTS
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE
When: Until Monday, August 26Where: Various venues across Edinburgh
What: The annual arts festival once again has a very strong South Asian representation with shows from top Indian talents including Vir Das, Urooj Ashfaq, Anirban Dasgupta, Kanan Gill, Rahul Subramanian and Suhani Shah.
LEICESTER MELA
When: Saturday, August 17 – Sunday, August 18Where: Leicester city centre
What: Free family friendly event featuring live music, dance, food, fashion, arts, culture and a wide array of stalls.
CLASSES
BOLLYWOOD DANCE CLASS
When: Saturday, August 10, 17, 24, 31Where: CRATE, 35 Saint James Street, London E17 7FY
What: Fun Bollywood dance class focusing on movement and mindfulness.
FULL DAY SIMPLE INDIAN COOKERY COURSE
When: Saturday, September 14Where: Hounslow, London
What: A practical hands-on homestyle cooking course learning how to prepare a variety of Indian dishes using spices for depth of flavour. Check website for further cooking courses.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.