Wednesday, February 25, 2009
BBC World’s South Asia staff are going on a strike this week over outsourcing of content to the sub-continent.
Staff members are concerned that the corporation is looking to outsource production of services broadcast in Urdu, Hindi and Nepali to Pakistan, India and Nepal.
Continue reading…
Monday, February 23, 2009
“My kids are too old to remember this now but, when they were much younger, I swore to them if this miracle ever happened, I would receive it in the spirit of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, and that’s what that was.”
Danny Boyle, explaining why he was bouncing up and down, when accepting his award.
-
“There are certain places you never imagine standing – the moon, the South Pole, the Miss World podium and here.”
From writer Simon Beaufoy’s acceptance speech.
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Slumdog Millionaire cast were not afraid to strut their stuff on the Oscars red carpet. More pictures…
Monday, February 23, 2009
With an eight Oscar haul, the Slumdog Milionaire cast was constantly making journeys to the podium to receive their Oscars. Here are some pictures from the award ceremony itself.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sky News reporter and presenter Ashish Joshi is quitting the country. Swapping the cold shores of Britain for warmer climes, he is off to head Sky’s new foreign bureau in Dubai.
Plans to open a bureau in the gulf region had been under consideration since early 2008, and Sky News has now confirmed that it will open its doors in mid-late March 2009. Ashish has been named as the new correspondent and will be taking up his new role in March this year.
Continue reading…
Monday, February 23, 2009
The annual UK Asian Music Awards (UKAMAs) will be held next week at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
The award ceremony aims to recognise and reward music talent from across the British Asian music industry.
It will take place on 5th March and is hosted by singer and actress Karen David alongside B4U’s Mumbai based presenter Salil.
Continue reading…
Sunday, February 22, 2009
I’ve been planning for some time to see the film Slumdog Millionaire. I have lived in Bombay and have seen the reality, and even now I’m a frequent visitor to that city.
But now, as a visitor I can avert my eyes from the painful reality. So I’m a bit reluctant to watch that painful reality on the big screen, in all its misery.
Continue reading…
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Eastenders Masood family will see another member of the clan join them in May, BBC bosses have revealed.
Marc Elliott (pictured) will play the role of Syed Masood, the “handsome, suave and sophisticated” eldest child of the family.
Continue reading…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
In Mumbai and Delhi the number of street beggar kids and the families that survive on handouts now exceeds the entire population of Great Britain.
Now, a one-off Sky1 documentary next week will transport the viewer to Mumbai – the commercial heartbeat of India – to have a deeper look at their way of life.
Continue reading…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
An anthology of literary pieces tackling the controversial topic of ‘the veil’ will be launched in March, in London. Behind the Hijab has contributions from both Muslim and Non-Muslim women in the UK.
Monsoon Press, which is partly behind the event, say the aim of the book is to enlighten those who have preconceived ideas about women who wear the hijab and perhaps encourage a greater level of understanding and mutual respect.
Continue reading…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The UK Film Council, supported by UK Trade and Investment, (UKTI) is taking the first ever UK export delegation to Mumbai from 16-21 February to meet with Mumbai companies and attend the FICCI Frames Entertainment Conference from 16-19 February.
It is also organising a seminar at Frames on co-production between the UK and India, making best use of the new treaty, and promoting the UK’s strength within international film sales.
Continue reading…
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Online advertising firm Indoor Media has extended its partners to include websites of Chinese and South East Asian origin, the company announced last week. It currently offers advertisers the opportunity to reach ethnic minority audiences online in the UK, covering Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans and Polish.
A spokesperson said: “This is a continuation of our long-term goal to help advertisers effectively reach out to all ethnic minority groups in the UK, with relevant targeted communications.”
Its clients include Mercedes, Vodafone, Barclays and Sony.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
What would you give up to be famous? Bad Karma: My Life Through a Lens, follows the struggles of 4 young adults from Southall, West London, desperate to make it big in a dark insight into the entertainment industry.
The series uncovers the lengths an aspiring actress, a film and TV director, a Bollywood Hero, and rapper/comic book artist will go to fulfil their ambitions. Along the way they encounter scandals, blackmail and even murder.
Continue reading…
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Digital radio station BBC Asian Network is making changes to its daytime weekday schedule from April to support a new breakfast show with presenter Adil Ray. It will also beef up the station’s news and discussion output.
Continue reading…
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
by Jaspreet Pandohar
Freelance journalist
Jai Ho! That was the triumphant sound ringing out across London’s Covent Garden on Sunday afternoon as I stepped onto the red carpet outside the Royal Opera House.
It was a song I’d literally been dancing to the evening before at one of London’s newest Bollywood club nights, it seemed almost surreal watching the likes of Hollywood A-listers Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep and Sharon Stone glide past to the rhythm of A R Rahman’s award-winning anthem.
But somehow the melodious tune didn’t seem out of place reverberating around the prestigious venue in the cold winter air. Like the Indian maestro’s legendary scores, it formed the perfect soundtrack to the Orange British Academy Film Awards. Not only the most prominent event in the British movie calendar, the glitzy occasion turned out to be a great night for Anglo-Indian relations and world cinema.
Continue reading…
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Not only did the Slumdog Millionaire cast scoop most of the awards, but they also spent more than their share of time on the red carpet talking to the international media.
Jaspeet Pandohar has exclusive pictures from the red carpet for AIM magazine.
(more below the fold)
Anil Kapoor, Freida Pinto and Dev Patel
Continue reading…
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Online ticket agent Chilli Tickets has launched a new entertainment initiative to help raise money for the charity World Vision. The campaign enables its clients to donate a percentage of their ticket sales via the website to the charity.
“We wish to help those working within some of the world’s poorest areas, and especially help vulnerable children fulfill their positive roles in society. That’s why we are doing our bit by working with World Vision as our preferred charity,” said Urvashi Lad, director of Chilli Tickets.
It hopes to raise over £10,000 for charity over the next 12 months.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Star television, a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation, announced this week it had appointmented Yeshpal Sharma as its VP for distribution and advertising sales for U.K. and continental Europe.
Yeshpal Sharma joins the broadcaster, which is available on selected Sky packages and Virgin media, from Eurosport where he has served as sponsorship director. Prior to this, he was the business development director for Octagon in the UK.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A&R man Aadil Rasheed has launched a new venture with global record company EMI to produce what he calls a Motown for Asian artists.
Rasheed recently took the industry by storm by launching the Canadian singer Raghav five years ago. He has had less success with pushing singer Sona Rele however, and is now working with a new Asian boy band: 3Mix.
Continue reading…
Monday, February 9, 2009
Slumdog Millionaire took the Bafta awards by storm yesterday, winning an incredible seven awards, including Best Film.
The results were not unexpected, however it was a surprise the British/Indian film managed to soundly beat the critically acclaimed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt.
Continue reading…
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
On 7th January the Sun newspaper splashed with a front-page story alleging that Muslim extremists on internet forum were drawing up a “hit-list” of prominent British Jewish figures, including businessman Alan Sugar and musician Mark Ronson.
But it may turn out the story isn’t true after an investigation by political bloggers alleged the ‘extremist’ in question may actually be the expert quoted in the original Sun story.
Continue reading…