Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Vishal and Sheykhar to unveil DDLJ musical journey at UK Asian Film Festival 2025 closing gala

The iconic music duo joins global film voices in London for an evening celebrating connection, culture and the power of storytelling.

Vishal and Sheykhar to Premiere DDLJ Musical Tribute at UKAFF 2025 Closing Gala

Vishal Dadlani and Sheykhar Ravjiani to share insights on Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical at the UK Asian Film Festival 2025

Instagram/DDLJMusical/ bollyspice
Pooja Pillai
By Pooja PillaiMay 06, 2025
Pooja Pillai
Pooja was born in Kochi and raised on a mix of newspapers, pop culture, and too many questions. She studied Communicative English and Journalism before earning her Master’s in Journalism from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and began her career interning at The Times of India and Channel I'M — where she later became a news anchor, scripting and presenting her own stories. Between deadlines, she’s worked across digital media platforms, covering politics, gender, pop culture, cinema, and everything in between. She has interviewed actors, creators, and changemakers, and occasionally edits her own video content — thanks to being certified in Photoshop and InDesign. In 2025, she joined the Asian Media Group in her first “official” newsroom gig, where she now covers entertainment, lifestyle, and the layered realities of South Asian identity. She believes storytelling should feel personal — even when it’s public — and likes to write not to please, but to provoke, question, and occasionally stir the pot.
See Full Bio
Follow:

This weekend, the spotlight at the UK Asian Film Festival’s final evening will shine on music legends Vishal Dadlani and Sheykhar Ravjiani, better known as the powerhouse duo, Vishal & Sheykhar. On Sunday, 11 May at Riverside Studios in London, the two will open up about their journey and latest venture: the upcoming stage musical Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical.

The production reimagines one of Indian cinema’s most iconic love stories Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), this time for the global stage. Directed by Aditya Chopra, who also helmed the original film, the musical is set to premiere at Manchester Opera House on 29 May. British-Indian talent Jena Pandya will step into the role of Simran, while Ashley Day will play Roger, a character adapted for the stage.

- YouTubeyoutu.be


With over two decades in the industry, Vishal & Sheykhar have shaped the sound of modern Bollywood. Their discography includes chart-toppers that have dominated playlists, radio waves and stadiums alike. They’ve collected awards, smashed streaming records, and brought fresh sounds into the mainstream, leaving a distinct mark on how India and the world experiences Hindi film music.


But they’re not the only stars of the gala. The evening will also feature a live conversation with music producer Biddu, whose pioneering work helped bring Indian pop to the global stage. Celebrated writer and filmmaker Yavar Abbas, novelist and columnist Shobhaa De, director Sandhya Suri, and filmmaker Onir will also be honoured during the closing ceremony. From fiction to documentary, activism to commentary, these voices have each reshaped how stories are told across continents.

This year’s UK Asian Film Festival, running across London, Leicester and Coventry, has focused on the theme Longing and Belonging, reflecting on how cinema captures the deep human need for love, identity and home. From stories of migration to inner transformation, the films in this edition have spoken to the ties that bind us, no matter where we are.


Presented by Tongues on Fire, with support from the BFI and broadcast partners Lyca Radio and Geo TV, the festival continues to highlight South Asian creativity across borders, showing us that storytelling, especially when wrapped in music and memory, always finds a way to connect.

aditya chopraddlj musicaldilwale dulhania le jayengelonging and belongingmusic legendssheykhar ravjianisouth asian creativityvishal dadlaniuk asian film festival 2025

Related News

Gwyneth Paltrow
Entertainment

Gwyneth Paltrow becomes Astronomer’s surprise spokesperson after Coldplay kiss-cam scandal

Nicola Peltz shares nude photo
Hollywood

Nicola Peltz shares nude photo taken by Brooklyn Beckham amid rising tensions with Beckham family

Urooj Ashfaq
Entertainment

Urooj Ashfaq's hilarious journey: Her top 10 comedy moments so far

Parle Patel: British‑Indian Reframes Big Screen Identity
Entertainment

Parle Patel’s great Gujarati leap: How the entertainer brought British-Indian identity to the big screen

More For You

Ducky Bhai arrested

Ducky Bhai arrested in Lahore over gambling app promotions

Youtube Screengrabs/PakistaniDiary

YouTuber Ducky Bhai arrested in Lahore for promoting gambling apps

Highlights:

  • Popular Pakistani YouTuber Ducky Bhai, real name Saad ur Rehman, arrested at Lahore airport.
  • Accused of promoting illegal gambling apps including Binomo, 1xBet, Bet 365, and B9 Game.
  • Court granted National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) a two-day remand for further probe.
  • FIR cites fraud, electronic forgery, spamming, and cheating charges under PECA and Pakistan Penal Code.

Pakistani YouTuber Ducky Bhai, whose real name is Saad ur Rehman, was arrested on Sunday morning at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore while allegedly attempting to leave the country. The arrest was carried out by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which accused him of promoting unregistered gambling and betting applications through his online platforms.

The 27-year-old content creator was later presented before a judicial magistrate, who approved a two-day physical remand and directed the agency to submit a complete investigation report by Tuesday, 19 August 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren share their views on the future of James Bond

Getty Images

Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan spark debate as they insist the next James Bond must remain male

Highlights:

  • Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 in four films, says the next James Bond “has to be a man”.
  • Dame Helen Mirren agrees, stating Bond “just doesn’t work” as a female character.
  • Both actors previously criticised the franchise for sexism but now believe a male lead keeps Bond’s identity intact.
  • Speculation continues over who will replace Daniel Craig, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Callum Turner among frontrunners.

The future of James Bond continues to dominate film debates as former 007 star Pierce Brosnan and Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren both argued that the next incarnation of the spy must remain male. Their comments are a clear shift from earlier years, when Brosnan had suggested it was time to hand the role to a woman.

Speaking to Saga magazine, Brosnan, who fronted the franchise in four films between 1995 and 2002, said he is eager to see “a new man” take on the part after Daniel Craig’s exit in No Time to Die. “Oh, I think it has to be a man,” said the 72-year-old Irish actor. “I’m so excited to see the next man come on the stage and to see a whole new exuberance and life for this character.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Sophie Turner kissing Kit Harington

Sophie Turner admitted kissing Harington felt “vile” despite their strong sibling bond from Game of Thrones

Getty Images

Sophie Turner says kissing Kit Harington in 'The Dreadful' was worse than filming with rats and cockroaches

Highlights:

  • Sophie Turner revealed kissing Kit Harington in their new gothic horror The Dreadful was “vile.”
  • The actors spent eight seasons as siblings Sansa Stark and Jon Snow on Game of Thrones.
  • Turner, who is also a producer on the film, suggested Harington for the role despite their sibling-like bond.
  • The film has yet to receive an official release date but features Turner, Harington, Marcia Gay Harden, and Laurence O’Fuarain.

Sophie Turner has admitted that kissing her Game of Thrones co-star Kit Harington for their new gothic horror film The Dreadful was far from romantic. Speaking during her recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the actress said the scene was so uncomfortable that both she and Harington were “retching.”

Turner, who played Sansa Stark across eight seasons of HBO’s Game of Thrones, explained that while she and Harington have not shared the screen since 2019, their sibling-like relationship remained intact. That history made their romantic scenes in The Dreadful especially challenging.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds teases Deadpool’s Avengers connection with graffiti artwork on Instagram

Getty Images

Ryan Reynolds’ 'Deadpool' to appear in 'Avengers: Doomsday' while Robert Downey Jr returns as Doctor Doom

Highlights:

  • Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but not as an Avenger.
  • The Hollywood Reporter confirmed his role after Reynolds teased it on Instagram.
  • The film will release on 18 December 2026, with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom.
  • Wolverine and other X-Men characters are still expected, though not officially confirmed.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is preparing for its biggest crossover since Avengers: Endgame, and Ryan Reynolds has just reignited fan excitement. After weeks of speculation, reports now confirm that Deadpool will feature in Avengers: Doomsday. However, unlike Thor, Doctor Strange, or Spider-Man, Wade Wilson won’t be lining up with the Avengers team.

The news follows a cryptic Instagram post from Reynolds showing the Avengers “A” marked with Deadpool-style graffiti, fuelling speculation that Marvel’s most unpredictable hero would return.

Keep ReadingShow less
Urvashi Pathania

Urvashi Pathania reveals how a childhood bleaching memory shaped her haunting short Skin on colourism

Getty Images

Exclusive: ‘Skin’ filmmaker Urvashi Pathania reveals how a childhood bleaching memory inspired her horror on colourism

Highlights

  • Skin confronts colourism through horror, transforming memory into a grotesque clinic where melanin is harvested as a commodity.
  • Urvashi Pathania recalls her earliest memory of being bleached at nine after relatives said her dark skin would affect marriage prospects.
  • The film frames colourism as an “economic horror,” linking beauty standards to exploitation and resource plunder.
  • Skin was workshopped at the prestigious Sundance Labs and is being developed into a feature-length project.
  • Pathania believes horror is the most visceral way to capture inherited prejudice and social cruelty.
  • Full interview and the complete video are available on the Eastern Eye YouTube channel.

When filmmaker Urvashi Pathania talks about her short film Skin, her words carry the same sharpness and intimacy as the story itself. The short film leaves audiences equally unsettled and haunted. It’s not merely genre horror but a brave examination of colourism, where a personal wound becomes a grotesque clinic that harvests melanin as a commodity. In this Eastern Eye exclusive, Pathania discusses the origins and inspirations behind her film.

Filmmaker Urvashi Pathania opens up about the childhood memory that inspired her acclaimed short film Skin Getty Images

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025 Garavi Gujarat Publications Ltd & Asian Media Group USA Inc
Contact Us