A one-off comedy starring Sanjeev Bhaskar and Nitin Ganatra will air on ITV this Wednesday (30th May).

Bhaskar stars as shy accountant Kenny Gupta, a resident of mundane middle-class English suburbia who is reluctantly packed off to India to transform the fortunes of his boss’s newly acquired call centre in Mumbai. Unfortunately for him, it already has a manager in the form of devious Dev (Nitin Ganatra), a man more interested in using the business to fund his own numerous profitable sidelines than making profits for its new Brit owner.

Written by Laurence Marks, Maurice Gran and Sanjeev Bhaskar, this culture-clash tale also includes a cameo appearance by Sixties style icon Twiggy.
10pm – 10:30pm, ITV1.

Student filmmaker Zakir Hossain, who we mentioned previously, is having the premiere for his film The Auction at Cineworld, Galaxy, Luton, on 11th June 2007, 6:30pm.

The film centres around young Runa Begum, a British Bangladeshi girl who goes with her father to Bangladesh on holiday. Her holiday turns into a nightmare when her father sells her to her uncle, who forces her into marriage to his son who is several years younger than Runa.

A first-class graduate from Oxford in Painting, Jafri is one of the most exciting British painters on the contemporary art scene. He’s had recent international sell out shows including an exhibition in conjunction with a recently discovered collection of Warhols which travelled to Dubai and Singapore.

He will have a solo show in London in June at Alexia Goethe Gallery (who has shown Joan Miró, Fernand Léger and Raoul Dufy) called /Disappearing Landscapes/. This new exhibition focuses on the decaying landscapes of London (such as The Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge), drawing our attention to views and vistas that may not be around for much longer.

Jafri’s work has featured in countless publications, on television and on radio. Hailed by BBC London News as ‘The Renaissance Man who is set to seduce us away from conceptual art with his passion for painting’. BBC 2 commented that ‘Jafri has bought back the skill of painting to contemporary art’. The Evening Standard said ‘Sacha seems to have taken the work of Jackson Pollack one step further……His work is truly exciting and, now, highly collected’.

Thursday 7 June – Wednesday 11 July 2007
Alexia Goethe Gallery, London

The world famous musician Anoushka Shankar will play in London next week, with three select performances around the country. Following on from the success of her album ‘Rise’ on EMI / Angel last year, Anoushka continues to give the sitar new expression in a modern context connecting new audiences to this experience with her unmistakable charisma and talent.

Her new music forms the basis of ‘The Anoushka Shankar Project’, in which she continues to develop her own individual voice, drawing on her classical Indian musical roots to create novel forms and expression.
2 June – Wychwood Festival
3 June – Liverpool
4 June – QEH London
Media contact: Pedro at Fnik PR on 07831 556 9951 or fnik@btconnect.com

Practising solicitor Dr Malik launched his book ‘Asian Millionaires: How they make their Millions’ last month to coincide with the release of this year’s Sunday Times Rich List.

The motivational book, published by Direct Million and with a preface written by Dr. Philip Beresford of the Sunday Times Rich List, aims to reveal the secrets of how the Asian in Britain community has amassed vast wealth. Dr Malik also outlines how a correct spiritual approach can help to attract wealth to individuals.

To Bollywood Dance Enthusiasts: The Mayor’s Office want to invite groups to participate in the Bollywood Dance Extravaganza on Sunday 15 July 2007 as part of the Mayor of London’s India Now season this summer.

The aim is to present a day of Bollywood Dance for the public with outdoor performances by groups from every London borough. Details of the Bollywood Dance Extravaganza can be found by emailing bollywoodextravaganza@london.gov.uk. Please note that there are no fees payable for participating groups at this event.

Kapil Raina has moved from Zee TV UK to Aproxis Plc. He was senior manager for air-time sales at Zee and has now become head of media and merchandising sales. Aproxis Plc, through its subsidiary company Acks, has an agreement with the Middle Eastern entertainment brand Rotana to distribute their content and channels in Europe.

The Oscar nominated film Water, starring Lisa Ray and John Abraham, opens in the UK on 1st June.

Seven year old Chuya is a widow in 1930 India. Despite her age, her parents send her to live in the House of Widows in a Holy City where her presence galvanizes the other inhabitants. Shakuntala, thirty, devout and intelligent, has a crisis of faith that drives her into the world of radical politics. Kalyani, eighteen, innocent and beautiful, finds the courage to embrace the love of the fiery and idealistic Narayan. The upheaval is permanent and it reflects nothing less than the changing face of India itself: Ghandi is on the move, freeing India from the British, and from religious interpretations that impede moral and social progress.

The film is directed by Deepa Mehta and features powerful acting, especially by Lisa Ray. Definitely worth seeing.

This week’s Media Guardian’s podcast features its editor Matt Wells giving Andy Duncan, Channel 4 chief executive, an absolute grilling. Listen from here, it is worth it.

Teenager Harpal Mudhar from Essex has won the 2007 Young Drummer of the Year award beating over 440 other contestants. He is the first British Asian to do so .

On his website he says: “I am currently working with my bands and recording with them, as well as playing with many other musicians. Over the next few months I will be busy preparing for and drumming at a number of events around the country including – Opening DrummerLive 2007 and being part of the Back2theBeat clinics at the event, playing at National Drum Fair, Clinic tours with Steve Timms, Charity concerts as well as playing and touring with my bands.”

Fancy a career directing, researching, writing or being part of a film crew? Or just know TV is for you, but not quite sure where to start? Then TVYP could be the experience you need. Television and Young People (TVYP), now in its 17th year, hold a FREE five day event every summer for anyone aged 18+ who wants a job in television. You will work with some of the best talent from behind and in front of the camera and gain invaluable advice, skills and contacts. You don’t need any previous experience, just a passion for television.

Go to www.tvyp.co.uk for further info. Deadline: 14th May.

Following on from its successful run at the Soho Curzon and the Sundance Film Festival, Sadik Khan’s film Tanju Miah was awarded a Royal Television Society prize last week.

It won Best Post-Graduate Factual award at the annual Student Television Awards. The full winners were announced at the awards ceremony at the Barbican London on Friday 4th May 2007.

Sadik is now working on his next project: The Last Thakur. You can also view a collaboration between him and Talvin Singh on YouTube.

Akaash Bhatia is a rising star of British boxing and Britain’s only professional Sikh fighter. Writer and broadcaster Munira Mirza follows his progress as he prepares for his next big fight and explores the changing ethnic face of boxing in Britain.

On Monday 14th May at 11am – 11:30am on BBC Radio 4. Listen after here.

Some upcoming television and radio programmes of interest

Hindi Urdu Bol Chaal 1-10
Ten-part language series teaching basic spoken Hindi and Urdu for beginners. The course is ideal for all who work with the Asian community in Britain.
Time: 2am – 6am; Tuesday 15th May on BBC 2

A Family in Lahore
The Khawaja family represents a growing number of successful professional Pakistani families, living in the suburb of Lahore with servants, and children at private school. The programme interlinks their day with a look at the busy and historic city of Lahore.
Time: 10:50am to 11:10am; Tuesday 15th May on BBC 2

Dispatches: Afghanistan Unveiled
Five years ago, Dispatches revealed the plight of women living under the Taliban in Afghanistan. Beneath the Veil uncovered evidence of women being denied employment, education and any kind of freedom, imprisoned in their own homes. In this film, journalist Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy returns to Afghanistan to find out how life has changed for women in the five years since the invasion by America and its allies and to investigate whether women have been “liberated” as President Bush has claimed.
Time: 9pm – 10pm; Thursday 17th May on Channel 4

Poppy Seeds
By Rachel McGill. An aid worker in Afghanistan decides that the fight to contain the opium trade is not working and that a fresh approach is needed. She starts buying opium direct from the farmers, ensuring not only that they obtain a fair price for their crop but also that the product is not bought by drug cartels. Directed by Graham Frost.
Time: 2:15pm to 3pm; Friday 18th May on BBC Radio Four

The Bedouin Of Israel
The ancient culture of the Bedouin Arabs of Israel is rooted in a life on the plains of the Negev Desert. These proud people have become Israel’s new underclass. As Jon Leyne reports, the Bedouin have become the poorest of the Jewish state.
Time: 9:30pm – 10pm; Saturday 19th May on BBC News 24

Have you dreamed of being a BBC journalist but thought “the BBC’s not for people like me?” Do you believe you have what it takes to write the news fast, fairly and accurately? Do you think you have the creative flair to make great radio?

BBC Radio News is offering 12-month training contracts to two aspiring broadcast journalists. myChance is designed to help us find talented and creative people who might have been put off the idea of a career as a broadcast journalist because of the costs involved. To seize your chance of a training contract with BBC Radio News, please go to www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/myChance

Last week the London Mayor Ken Livingstone held the launch party for the annual London Mela. The event, says his office, is one of the only melas in the country to commission new work and provide a platform for emerging British artists as well as bringing traditional and classical art forms to a wider audience.

This year’s Mela is one of the featured events in ‘India Now’, a festival celebrating Indian culture in London, which takes place from July to September 2007. The Mela will take place on Sunday 12th August in Gunnersbury Park. BBC Asian Network will remain its key media partner.

The British Heart Foundation’s “30 a Day” campaign South Asian launch event, took place last week. The campaign aims to encourage people over 50 to take 30 minutes of physical activity every day, and this event was specifically for people from South Asian communities. It was a 30 minute dancing session, with Channi Singh, celebrity singer, helping to launch the event.

Asian Network has announced its summer schedule of Live Music Events 2007, taking the station and artists to platforms and stages across the country. At its zenith the station will be taking over the Roots Stage on Friday night at Glastonbury with Asian Dub Foundation headlining.

The launchpad begins bank holiday weekend 26/27th May at Paradise Gardens, in Victoria Park, London. It will present live music from: Riz MC; Paris Amore; Sona Family; Nasha Collective; Sunit & Raxstar; Sukh Knight; DJ Vix; Shiva Sound System; Nathan Flutebox Lee; and Asian Network/ Radio 1 DJ Bobby Friction.

You can see the full, 2 day line up and as well the full summer schedule of where Asian Network will be out and about by logging on to bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/events

“In the old days it was Paki-bashing that was the norm,” writes Anila Biag, feature writer, The Sun, “now it’s ‘multiculturalism’ that’s being stalked and beaten over the head,” says Anila Baig, sharing her experiences of growing up in 70’s Bradford as a Pakistani in Channel 4’s new website The Race Debate.

But what is racism? Why are people racist? What are your experiences of racism? These are just some of the questions posed on the site – www.channel4.com/racedebate – which offers an open platform for the public to debate issues around race and what it is to experience racism. It also offers additional facts and figures about Britain’s regional diversity.

To celebrate the achievements of pioneers and leaders from the British Asian business community, the annual Eastern Eye Asian Business Awards will take place on Tuesday 8th May, at The Hilton, Mayfair, London.

Now in its 11th year, the event coincides with the release of Success Magazine, which highlights some of the success stories as well provide an illustration of Asian wealth. It also profiles the ten most powerful females and the most powerful Asians across the respective fields of media, law, fashion and textiles, sport, hotels and property, information technology, and food production and distribution.

Five awards will be announced: Young Achiever of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Community Award and Business of the Year. This year’s hosts for the event will be actor Nitin Ganatra and TV presenter Clare Nasir, with previous hosts including Meera Syal, Kabir Bedi and Laila Rouass.

Dragons’ Den is in its fifth series and continuing to offer entrepreneurs from across the country the chance to make their business dreams come true.

Brixton based Levi Roots secured an investment of £50,000 when he serenaded the Dragons’ convincing them that his Reggae Reggae Sauce was hot stuff. Just 3 ½ weeks after his appearance on the programme he launched his sauce in 607 Sainsbury’s’ stores nationwide with his first batch selling out across the country in the first day. Imran Hakim pitched his I-Teddy, a teddy bear with an integrated multi-media player, securing an investment of £140,000, he has just signed a multi-million pound deal and is preparing to launch later this year.

Of course, not everyone gets investment in the Den but plenty go on to find success. The rules are simple: the entrepreneurs can ask for any amount of investment in return for equity in their business. However, they must get the amount they ask for or they will walk away with nothing. The Dragons are prepared to listen to a pitch for any kind of business but they must be convinced that it will make money.

The BBC is currently searching for Britain’s best entrepreneurs and will be auditioning throughout the coming months. If you would like an application form, email dragonsden@bbc.co.uk or visit www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden