India’s Tourism Ministry is looking to review its ‘Incredible India’ advertising and marketing account across the British media.

It announced this week that it will appoint agencies to handle TV, print, online and radio campaigns.
Continue reading…

The Evening Standard newspaper this week announced that the former BBC employee would start writing a weekly sports interview column for the London paper.

Mihir Bose recently left the BBC under a cloud when he abruply said he was resigning from his position as sports news editor.

“We are absolutely delighted that Mihir will be writing regularly for the paper and be bringing his incisive and brilliant writing to the sports pages,” said the Standard’s managing editor Doug Wills.

Singer Mumzy, a protege of producer Rishi Rich, releases two music videos to his singles, this week.

The singer has released two promo singles so far: ‘Stranger’ and ‘Let’s Party’.

He recently released the video to ‘One More Dance’, and now ‘Showgirl’.
Continue reading…

Picture above by professional photographer Sonalle, who has just completed a project called Ethnic Minorities Coming Out’, which will tour London and nationally from August 2009 until August 2010. More at her website.

The Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has joined hands with Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & group to pay tribute to one of the world’s greatest vocalists: the late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Continue reading…

Star, the India-based television network, is launching a day long event next month to showcase its programming in the UK.

The event will also serve as a type of Mela with live performances, celebrity interviews and appearances, exhibitor stalls, a food court and an array of activities for families.

The ‘Simply Star’ event will be held on 12th September in London.
Continue reading…

Former Club Asia co-founder Sumerah Ahmed today confirmed to AIM Magazine that the radio station had indeed gone into administration.

She said administrators had finally been appointed as of yesterday.
Continue reading…

The Cineforum is announcing a call for films to be featured at a two-day climate change event, to be held in London on 4th-5th December 2009. It serves as a showcase for both the mainstream and from lesser known sections of society.

Criteria: All types of film, from all genres, from short to feature length, will be accepted. There is no submission fee. The call for entries is open until 15th September 2009
More info

Broadcaster Channel 4 has commissioned its first ever Urdu-language drama.

The stylish black-and-white comedy will be screened next week on August 25th just before midnight.
Continue reading…

A group of young men who decided in the early 1980’s to try and make an impact. And that too for one night only.
You can follow the lives of: The Sultans of Soul here, exclusively on AIM.

by Ravi Mangat
Writer

[Earlier chapters: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13]

Ramesh nuzzled up to Jas on the sofa in her flat. They had just finished off a pizza take-away and were enjoying a film on the TV. A knock on the door disturbed Ramesh’s moment. Jas picked herself up and opened the door.

“Where is he?” came an instant cry. “Where the hell is he?”

Ramesh craned his neck at the commotion.

“Who are you?” enquired Jas.

“You don’t know me…but I know you Jas”. The loud lady barged into the flat.

“Hey…wait a minute”, protested Jas.
Continue reading…

Former editor and writer Farah Damji may be remanded in police custody after being arrested last week.

AIM Magazine has heard from several sources that she is back in prison but has been unable to confirm it officially from the prison service or the Courts.
Continue reading…

The future of east London based Club Asia radio looks uncertain after media regulator Ofcom confirmed that it had gone into administration.

Reports from presenters and industry insiders earlier this week indicated it had started broadcasting erratically and presenters were asked not to come in to work.
Continue reading…

Presenter Bobby Friction has abruptly departed from Radio 1, it was announced yesterday, ending the long-running ‘Bobby Friction & Nihal Present…’ show and splitting up the duo.

An insider at Radio 1 told AIM magazine that their “brand” had become “a bit tired and stale” and it was probably for the best.

Bobby Friction and Nihal’s specialist music show on Radio 1 had been running for seven years and had been nominated for numerous awards.
Continue reading…

Slowly but surely Mandeep Singh Jutla is making a name for himself.

The music video director (pictured, right) recently became the first British Asian to be signed by international agency Colonel Blimp – behind videos such as Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal, Crazy by U2 and Make Her Say by Kid Cudi and Kanye West.

It would be fair to say that while he is awed to be in such company, he tries to remain nonchalant.

“It’s certainly a confidence booster,” he says.
Continue reading…

A film with actress Lisa Ray came out on DVD this week (trailer below). Kill Kill Faster Faster was winner of the London Independent Film Festival Best International Feature Film 2008.

Based on the crime novel of the same name by Joel Rose, it also stars Gil Bellows (Shawshank RedemptionMcBeal) and was made by British director Gareth Maxwell Roberts.
Continue reading…

While Asian radio stations in the UK generally see audiences fluctuate every quarter thanks to quirks of the measurement system, we can still see long term trends over longer periods.

AIM Magazine has put together figures for seven radio stations going back two years to give you a better idea of how the stations are doing.
Continue reading…

Executive at BBC Asian Network breathed a sigh of relief today after the latest figures showed a slight up-turn in listenership.

Audience numbers published by Rajar today showed that audience for the digital radio station increased from 405,000 to 421,000 over the last three months.

Other Asian radio stations also showed a rise in listeners.
Continue reading…

A group of young men who decided in the early 1980’s to try and make an impact. And that too for one night only.
You can follow the lives of: The Sultans of Soul here, exclusively on AIM.

by Ravi Mangat
Writer

[Earlier chapters: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12]

Ashok walked silently with Rupa to school the next morning. He was waiting. She was waiting. They both wanted to talk about the contents of the letter, but neither wanted to be the first to mention it.

“So…did you happen to see if there was anything different in your room this morning?” Ashok enquired slowly.

“No”, Rupa’s reply was instant. “But I did see a letter last night”.

“Last night? Did you wake up during the night?”

“No…I was awake when you left it there”.

“Oh, I see. Well why didn’t you mention anything?”

“Why didn’t you?” retorted Rupa.

“So, do you understand what I was trying to say?”

“I think so. When are you going?”
Continue reading…

The London Evening Standard has been forced to retract its claims that Farah Damji’s book had been boycotted for review by the Spectator magazine because it was “rude about friends of Speccie’s head honcho, Andrew Neil”.
Continue reading…

Mihir Bose, the respected sports journalist, abruptly resigned from the BBC today. He was one of the top journalists at the corporation – employed as its sports news editor.

The former Daily Telegraph journalist took up his position January 2007 and had been there since.
Continue reading…