LIVE PERFORMANCE
DEEPAVALI: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT
When: Saturday, November 6
Where: Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH
What: Uplifting family-friendly performances in celebration of Diwali, which
showcase Bollywood, Kathak, Bharatanatyam and bhangra by some of the best British south Asian dance artists, companies, and community groups.
www.macbirmingham.co.uk
USTAD NISHAT KHAN
When: Thursday, November 11
Where: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
What: The legendary sitar maestro presents evening and night ragas live
in a rich classical Indian concert.
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
SONU NIGAM: RAFI KISHORE AUR MAIN
When: Saturday, November 13; Sunday, November 14
Where: Resorts World Arena, Perimeter Road, Birmingham B40 1NT and SSE Arena, Arena Square, Engineers Way, London HA9 0AA
What: The popular Bollywood singer returns for a two-date UK tour, which
sees him mix up his own hits with classic film songs by golden greats Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar.
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
YUVA NARTAN
When: Saturday, November 13
Where: Curve Theatre, Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB
What: An exhilarating evening of vibrant Indian classical and contemporary dance featuring several emerging and established artists, performing Odissi, Kathak, Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance styles.
www.curveonline.co.uk
VIJAY IYER, LINDA MAY HAN OH, TYSHAWN SOREY
When: Sunday, November 14
Where: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
What: The jazz trio made up of pianist Vijay Iyer, bassist Linda May Han Oh
and drummer Tyshawn Sorey showcase their innovative and dynamic new album UnEasy.
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
When: Thursday, November 18– Friday, November 19
Where: Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells, 183 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4TJ
What: The Pagrav Dance Company presents a contemporary Kathak production that taps into the competitive chaos, creativity, and colour of Uttarayan, the world-famous international kite festival of Gujarat.
www.sadlerswells.com
EVENTS
BADNAAM
When: Saturday, November 6
Where: Sway Bar 61-65 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5BZ
What: First Saturday of the month residency with DJ Shai Guy playing
Bollywood and urban desi, alongside rotating special guests DJs.
www.eventbrite.com
SUNDAY SHOWDOWN
When: Sunday, November 14
Where: Floripa, 91-92 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HZ
What: Enjoy a full day of live Bollywood music, spicy comedy, and south
Asian dance with Bombay Funkadelic. Food menu for the famished, drinks for the thirsty, DJs and dance floor for the energetic.
www.eventbrite.com
DESI VIBEZ
When: Saturday, November 20
Where: The Vault, East Wing, 300 Strand, Bush House, KCLSU South, London WC2R 1AE
What: Student party at The Vault Bar within the Kings College London campus. DJ Enay, DJ Nish and other top DJ/producers playing the best in old and new school Bollywood, bhangra and urban desi beats.
www.eventbrite.com
THEATRE
EAST IS EAST
When: Until November 6
Where: Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Way, Chichester PO19 6AP
What: The 25th-anniversary production of Ayub Khan Din’s widely acclaimed 1970’s set comedy about children brought up by their strict Pakistani father and white English mother.
www.cft.org.uk
10 NIGHTS
When: Until November 6
Where: Bush Theatre, 7 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 8LJ
What: Theatre play about one man’s journey of self-discovery as he decides
to take part in itikaf, sleeping and fasting in the mosque for the last 10 nights of Ramadan, as he navigates smug worshippers, shared bathrooms, and recurring thoughts of chunky chips.
www.bushtheatre.co.uk
THE WASTE LAND & BIDROHI
When: Sunday, November 14
Where: Rich Mix Arts Centre 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA
What: A haunting theatrical performance of the two epitomic masterpieces of the 20th century, The Waste Land by T S Elliot, and Bidrohi by Kazi Nazrul Islam. This live music, spoken word and theatrical performance is directed by poet T M Ahmed Kaysher.
www.richmix.org.uk
COMEDY
AHIR SHAH
When: Until Saturday, November 13
Where: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
What: The double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee returns with a new stand-up show about significance, insignificance, and scurvy.
www.sohotheatre.com
PAUL CHOWDHRY: FAMILYFRIENDLY COMEDIAN
When: Sunday, November 7; Friday, November 12; Saturday, November 13
Where: Portsmouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth PO1 2AB; Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans AL1 3LD; Grand Opera House, Cumberland Street, York YO1 9SW
What: The popular comedian returns with a brand-new stand-up show about UK’s handling of the pandemic, why the rules of six only worked for white people, fame, England football fans and Tom Cruise landing his helicopter in someone’s garden.
www.paulchowdhry.com
SINDHU VEE: ALPHABET
When: Monday, November 8; Tuesday, November 9; Thursday, November 11
Where: The Pillar Room, Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA; Komedia, 44-47 Gardner St, Brighton BN1 1UN; Connaught Theatre, Union Pl, Worthing BN11 1LG
What: A brand-new stand-up show with the popular comedian about the hair we want, the friends we have, and living the vast difference between virus
and viral.
www.sindhuvee.com
DESI CENTRAL COMEDY SHOW
When: Saturday, November 13; Sunday, November 14
Where: The Core Theatre, Homer Road, Touchwood, Solihull B91 3RG;
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, Upper Clifton Road, Sutton Coldfield B73 6DA
What: The stand-up tour continues with two events featuring four comedy
talents at each venue delivering plenty of laughs. Full line-ups available on the official site.
www.luventertainment.co.uk
TEZ ILYAS: THE VICKED TOUR
When: Thursday, November 11; Saturday, November 12; Sunday, November 13
Where: Rondo Theatre, St Saviours Road, Bath BA1 6RT; The Old Market,
11A Upper Market Street, Brighton, Hove BN3 1AS; Marine Theatre, Church Street, Lyme Regis DT7 3QB
What: A brand-new stand-up show with the comedian, TV personality and
author as he uses his trademark silly, smart, and subversive humour to celebrate all that we still have.
www.tezilyas.com
CLASSES
SHAKTI DIVAS BHANGRA FUSION 2021
When: Until Tuesday, December 14
Where: Heston Community School, Heston Road, Heston, Hounslow TW5 0QR
What: A weekly bhangra-Bollywood dance class led by renowned choreographer Rakhi Sood, which is designed to keep you fit in a fun and friendly environment.
www.watermans.org.uk
INDIAN BLOCK PRINTING
When: Friday, November 5–Friday, November 19
Where: Beeston Library, Foster Avenue, Beeston NG9 1AE
What: Three-session course, every Friday, that teaches you how to confidently create prints with traditional carved blocks from India. It also looks at the history of Indian print blocking and how it is done today.
www.eventbrite.com
FULL DAY SIMPLE INDIAN COOKERY COURSE
When: Saturday, November 13
Where: Hounslow, London
What: A trip to the local Indian shop to learn about ingredients will be followed by a practical hands-on cooking course learning how to make a variety of delicious dishes.
www.cookingwithmonisha.com
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.