Channel 4′s editor for religion, Aaqil Ahmed, has re-commissioned a series on suicide bombers. The third series of Cult of the Suicide Bomber, featuring former CIA agent Robert Baer, will look at how the authorities hunt down suspects. The hour-long programme follows the critical success of the first two instalments, in which Baer analysed how westerners became suicide bombers and the growth in female bombers.

Aaqil Ahmed said: “If we don’t understand the complexity of this subject, we won’t know how to come to terms with it. It has been important to understand the subject area. To just demonise these as acts of evil is just not good enough.”

Mira Nair’s highly anticipated film The Namesake, based on an award-winning book by Jhumpa Lahiri, will be released on UK screens later this week. You can watch the trailer from below.

Akademi director, Mira Kaushik, was presented with an honorary Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell on 8 March, for her contribution to dance in the UK.

Mira Kaushik has been the director of Akademi since 1988 and has overseen the transformation of the company into one of global importance. It currently serves an audience of millions through its dance and education programmes. Among Mira Kaushik’s key achievements with Akademi are the production of shows Coming of Age (2000) and Escapade (2003) at the South Bank Centre and Waterscapes (2004) at Somerset House.
Footage of Akademi’s work can be viewed at: youtube.com/profile?user=AkademiSouthAsianDan

The film festival Tongues on Fire will close its annual month-long event and celebrate the achievements of the legendary Bollywood dancer, Helen, who sizzled her way through many cabaret numbers from the 1950s – 1970s with a dance competition this weekend.

Helen, who is of English and Burmese parentage entered Hindi cinema as a chorus girl, but her first major hit was dancing to the number, Mera Nam Chin Chin Chu for the film, Howrah Bridge, 1958, by O.P. Nayyar. Other memorable songs include Mehbooba from Sholay, Yeh Mera Dil from Don and the classic, Piya Tu Ab To Aa Jaa from Caravan. According to author Jerry Pinto, Helen is reputed to have performed in over 500 films, and was nick-named “H-Bomb” at the height of her career.

Tongues on Fire & Sare-gama, plc, will launch a souvenir CD of songs from the hit films of Helen, who will be the special guest at the Closing Gala. There will also be a dance competition at the event.
Saturday 31 March, 7pm, New Players Theatre
www.tonguesonfire.com

City University has teamed up with acclaimed music venue the Roundhouse so students on a two-year Foundation Degree in Creative industries can use their fantastic facilities to train and prepare for careers or self-employment in the media and music biz. People who are already working in the industry can study part time over four years to get the qualification and improve their prospects.

The course will be taught by industry professionals and they are holding an open day on Wednesday 28th March 2007 where you could meet some of them. The next open day is scheduled for April 24th and the course starts in September 2007
More details: www.city.ac.uk/ell/foundation

Gautam Malkani, author of the book Londonstani, has been nominated for the Decibel Writer of the Year Award at this year’s British Book Awards. This is a new award for a writer of fiction, narrative non-fiction or poetry who is of African, Caribbean or Asian descent and has made the greatest contribution towards or impact on the literary year.

Set in Hounslow, it’s the story of the lives of a gang of four young Asian men trying to work out a place for themselves in the shadow of the divergent cultures of their parents’ generation.
Also see: Gautam interviewed for AIM magazine.
www.gautammalkani.com

Applications are now open for trainees to the Film London Company Placement Scheme for new entrants into the Film and TV industries, with a range of production companies offering six-month paid work placements. Now in its second year, the training scheme aims to attract applicants from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) and other under-represented groups.

Returning to the scheme are Diverse Productions, Number 9 Films and Tigerlily Films; whilst new companies to participate include F&ME (Film & Music Entertainment), Headline Pictures, Ipso Facto and Warp X.

Set up in response to industry demand, the scheme seeks to support, assist and improve recruitment across the sector and attract new entrants to the workforce. Film London will work with companies to look at their recruitment practices and co-ordinate bespoke training plans for each trainee and their mentor.
More details on Film London website

At AIM magazine we were tempted to see the new British-Asian flick, Don’t Stop Dreaming, just because the trailer itself was so bad that reviewing the film would have been an absolute joy. Alas, we have been denied.

On the BBC Online site Poonam Joshi trashes the film and takes out all the fun of us doing so. She says:

But try as you might, there is nothing to recommend Don’t Stop Dreaming. Singer Taz stars alongside Sunil Shetty and Michelle Collins in this embarrassingly hackneyed story of wannabe singers going for their dream. An unrivalled contender for the worst Brit-Asian film ever made.
…
Technically it’s flawed on every level, with poor camera work, inept editing and suspect lighting. The characterization, which veers firmly towards caricature, is further marred by gut-wrenchingly bad dialogue, a narrative that lacks any depth and stilted acting. Taz’s soundtrack is possibly the only redeeming feature. Shame the same cannot be said for his acting, which is utterly cringe-worthy. But then, he’s in good company.

The cast of Don’t Stop Dreaming will want to head for the hills, adopt a new identity and deny ever having any involvement in this film. Cheap, incompetent, unfunny and crude, the film’s greatest achievement is that it ever got a cinema release.

We like our reviews brutal and to the point so thanks for that Poonam, even if you took the wind out of our own sails.

The delightful comedy ‘Zohra’ easily won the Tongues on Fire short film competition at the ICA in London, on Tuesday 20th March. The 15 minute film is directed by Kemal Akhtar and based on real life events. It is set in 1960s Karachi and London and follows the sudden departure of of an eighteen year old girl, Zohra, from the Pakistani city to a new country. It shows her excitedly trying to negotiate a new world with some surprises and interesting encounters.

Flower Girl by Rajan Khosa took second place while Those Were The Days by Mandeep Singh Jutla was judged third. The Tongues on Fire film festival continues until the end of the month.

Featuring an impressive cast of Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson, Rebecca Pidgeon, Nandita Das and Robbie Coltrane, the repeatedly postponed date for the film Provoked’s release has now been set – to Friday 6th April.

Provoked is the true life depiction of Kiranjit Ahluwalia (played by Aishwarya Rai), the Asian woman who overturned the British judicial system’s interpretation of “provocation” in the case of physically abused women. It was a landmark victory for women subjected to domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse.

The film, based on Ahluwalia’s autobiography Circle of Light, by Rahila Gupta, follows her lonely struggle in an abusive 10-year marriage, her retaliation through the murder of her violent husband and the efforts of activists Southall Black Sisters to bring her justice.

Racism: A History (Part 1 of 3)
Series looking at how racism impacts on people’s lives. This edition examines how ideas of racial difference have evolved in response to historical events.
9pm – 10pm / Wednesday 21st March on BBC 4

Question Time: Iraq
To mark the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war, David Dimbleby chairs a special debate from London with a panel including senior figures from Britain, the United States and the Arab World.
10:40pm to 11:40pm / Thursday 22nd March on BBC 1

Hardeep Does Race
Funny-man Hardeep Singh Kohli is proud to be British, but he is only too aware that not everybody in this country wants him to be. As a Glaswegian Sikh is he any less British than a white person? He doesn’t think so, but some people disagree. Hardeep undertakes a personal mission to ask the awkward race questions.
10pm to 10:30pm / Monday 26th March on Channel 4

Child Slavery
Documentary report by Rageh Omaar exploring the global story of child slavery today, in which 8.5 million children are estimated to be caught up.
9pm – 10:30pm / Monday 26th March on BBC 2

Desi DNA
Asian arts and lifestyle magazine. Has multiculturalism brought us closer together or has it turned Britain into an apartheid state? Writer Benjamin Zephaniah and academic Kenan Malik go head to head to air their views for and against the debate. Also featured are the Muslim artists who are using traditional Islamic influences to help them create avant-garde art.
11:20pm – 11:50pm / Thursday 29th March on BBC 2

A Village in Bangladesh
Series of educational programmes for seven-to-11-year-olds. A thematic look at village life in Bangladesh. The series starts with a journey from Dhaka to the village of Gangkul and gives a vivid insight into village life, farming and Ramadan.
10:30pm – 10:40pm / Friday 30th March on BBC 2

Birmingham based Raj TV, known for its willingness to broadcast full-on wedding videos from years ago, and profiled in the hilarious documentary – No Time for Tea at RajTV – relaunched its services last week.

From 6am until 9pm every day you can find them on Sky Channel 187 with a new range of general entertainment programmes. They say: “There is sure to be something for every member of the family, ranging from the ever-popular Shaadi Show in its new primetime evening slot, to hard-hitting politics with controversial public figures including the outspoken MP George Galloway hosting a regular 6pm show from Monday to Thursday.”

Shiva Soundsystem has launched it second series of podcasts to entertain its fans in new ways. The theme for this series is ‘Influences’, DJ Nerm tells us. Guest presenters for the show will include Anita Rani, Asian Dub Foundation, Audio Dakoos, Aziz, D-Code, Fundamental, Rock ID, State Of Bengal and Swami.

You can listen to the first episode mp3 by clicking here. You can also subscribe through iTunes or directly use the xml file.

Granada Television is currently working on a documentary about young brides. They are looking for girls aged 16 to 18 who plan to marry before the end of May 2007. If this applies to you please email Melanie Tompkins – Melanie.Tompkins@ITVplc.com

To celebrate 35 Years of Bangladeshi Independence, Human Rights Organisation Drishtipat are hosting an evening of festivities including a reading by acclaimed new author Tahmima Anam from her book A Golden Age and musical performance by the exciting folk and blues band Parapar next week.

A Golden Age, a novel by Tahmima Anam, tells the story of Rehana Haque, who awakes one March morning, preparing to throw a party, but none of the guests at Rehana’s party can foresee what will happen in the days and months that follow in East Pakistan in 1971, a country on the brink of war.

Tahmima Anam was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1975 and grew up in Paris, Bangkok, and New York City and comes from a family of writers. Her grandfather was a famous political satirist whose books are part of the national school curriculum in Bangladesh; her father, Mahfuz Anam, edits Bangladesh’s largest English-language daily newspaper.

Parapar is a band with members in Kolkata and London. Their music is built around the voice of singer-songwriter Moushumi Bhowmik and draws its repertoire both from Moushumi’s own compositions and the rich folk heritage of Bengal.
23rd of March at 5.45pm at the Brady Centre, Hanbury Street, London, E1.

Only last week AIM magazine revealed that Sacha Dhawan had been nominated for a Royal Television Society (RTS) award. Guess what?

Our congratulations to him for winning the ‘Breakthrough award – on screen’. The full list of winners are here.

The Guardian journalist Riazat Butt presented another edition of Islamophonic yesterday. That is the title given to their weekly Muslim podcast which covers a whole range of issues.

This edition focused on British Muslim magazines, with a short interview with Sarah Joseph of Emel. There’s also a discussion between AIM editor Sunny Hundal and writer / journalist Sarfraz Manzoor on the content of such magazines.
Listen from here.

Pooja Shah the former Eastenders star has signed to play Amy, the lead female role in the independent British action film Ten Dead Men.

She joins a cast and crew of top British talent including Brendan Carr, Terry Stone and Lee Latchford-Evans. The producer-director team of Phil Hobden & Ross Boyask earlier made the cult favourite Left For Dead. Ten Dead Men will be shot across the South of England in Eastbourne, Brighton, Bovingdon and the West-End.

Shah also appeared in the hit comedy Bend It Like Beckham. In addition she has featured in films such as Cash & Curry, Jesus The Curry King and on numerous TV shows such as Holby City, Strictly Dance Fever and more.

The film is being sold at Cannes 2007 and will be released internationally this year and next.
www.tendeadmen.co.uk

Slough based Asian Star Community Radio Ltd went on air from last week with a five-year community radio license. The station will broadcast on 101.6FM and on the internet 24 hours a day.

Station founders Ray Siddique and Pritam Chaggar said they were “overwhelmed” by the success of their efforts in getting it off the ground. Their presenters will include the eponymous Pedro Carvalho, of F-NIK PR, who is going back into radio after 15 years. We wish them well.
www.asianstar1016.co.uk

Writer Nirjay Mahindru’s excellent play – The Hot Zone – reviewed here, is back for ten days at the Battersea Arts Centre from Tuesday 13th – 25th March.

It is part of Time Out’s Critics Choice Season where they pick what they felt were the three best plays of last season to remount.
Hot Zone has been produced by Nirjay’s own company Conspirators Kitchen. The play is well worth seeing.

The BBC want your ideas on how it can work to promote equality for women, men and transgender/transsexual people. What do you think are the most important things that the BBC needs to do to achieve this?

Tell them what you think. Your ideas could be included in a three-year Gender Equality Scheme action plan that is legally enforceable under the new Gender Equality Duty (April 2007).
See this website.

Channel 4 Radio and 4Talent are launching the first ever commercial radio nationwide search for new radio playwrights as part of the channel’s The Play’s The Thing initiative. The competition will give four aspiring writers the opportunity to have their words brought to life, with their scripts professionally produced and broadcast on Channel 4 Radio.

With radio drama an ideal arena for honing writing talent, this year the search is on to discover fresh radio talent by inviting previously un-produced writers to submit their scripts for a 15-minute radio drama. The scripts can cover any genre and users can submit their entries via www.channel4.com/theplay. Individuals and writing teams of up to three people have until Monday 26 March, 2007, to submit excerpts and character sketches from their radio script, which will then be assessed by a judging panel.

Slam is the word on the street and for the sixth year the Poetry Society and Mayor of London are calling on all young performance poets, rappers and emcees across the boroughs of London to take part in the ‘Rise’ London-wide Youth Slam Championship 2007.

If you’ve got the words, the verse and the nerve to flaunt your skills over four exhilarating quarter finals at top London venues – as well as two live and kicking semi finals at City Hall – you could earn a chance to perform at the Rise: London United festival. It will take place this year take place in Clapham Common, South London, on Sunday 15 July.

To find out more see this page.

Londonstani author Gautam Malkani will be reading from his debut book at the monthly Bookslam event alongside Salena Godden, the notorious poet and singer. This monthly night mixes up the spoken word with DJ sets and live music. It kicks off at 7.30pm at Neighbourhood nightclub in Notting Hill. Tickets are £5.
www.bookslam.com

The Army in Scotland is on a mission to raise its profile among Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and plans to carry out an awareness building campaign by working with organisations at a grass roots level. It has enlisted the services of Oceanic Consulting, a PR agency who also serves clients like Strathclyde Police, Glasgow City Council, the BBC and Eastern Eye Scotland.

Oceanic will be working closely with Golley Slater, the marketing company retained nationally by the Army to drive its marketing and PR recruitment strategy, to create and maintain links within Scotland’s BME communities. The company will also provide a discussion forum in a bid to improve dialogue and redress the balance of under representation of BME members in the Army’s ranks.