South Asian: Last News

Naman Ramachandran As South Asians increasingly make their mark on the world film and TV stage, an initiative to find emerging talent from the region and propel them globally is being launched. Alongside talent from the region who are already entrenched in Hollywood, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Freida Pinto, in recent years several South Asian actors have appeared in international projects.

Naman Ramachandran The South Asian House initiative is back at SXSW with the festival’s first-ever South Asian music showcase. Featured acts include Jay Dhami, Bodur, Simar, Avara, Meetu Chilana, The Tabla Queen, DJ Anupi, Bollyflow and The Diversity Band.

EXCLUSIVE: The Black List is opening submissions for six diversity lists in partnership with GLAAD, CAPE, the MPAC Hollywood Bureau, The Salon, the Latin Tracking Board, NALIP, 1IN4 Coalition, and the WGA Disabled Writers Committee, in addition to establishing the Desi List-–a new, curated list that will shine a light on the most promising feature scripts and pilots from South Asian writers.

One of India’s biggest stars has been announced as the first south Asian artist to perform at Manchester’s newest arena Co-Op Live.

Watching proceedings at this year’s Christmas pantomime at Manchester’s Contact theatre, you may be led to think that it’s service as normal when it comes to the panto tradition: Drags as dames - check, a classic fairy-tale - check, and family-appropriate innuendos - check, check, check. But, in reality, this festive production is making history in a number of ways.

EXCLUSIVE: Bohemian Rhapsody actor Ben Hardy and newcomer Jason Patel were kept apart during the pre-production phase of Unicorns, a love story between an Essex car mechanic and a South Asian drag queen.

Indian singer Harrdy Sandhu prophesizes that Punjabi music will take over the world (if it hasn’t already).

EXCLUSIVE: The UK has a new South Asian-focused film talk show.

The Daily Record launched the Our Kids…Our Future campaign in February 2023 after a series of shocking attacks involving children across Scotland.

A rapist has been jailed for nine years after sexually assaulting and raping five women.

Clarkson’s Farm producer Expectation is adapting author Pope Lonergan’s memoir about a decade spent caring for the elderly for TV.

A group of South Asian filmmakers, including Indian director Anurag Kashyap (Kennedy) and the team behind Pakistani Directors Fortnight title In Flames talked on a Cannes panel about how cinema can cross the political barriers that are keeping their countries apart. 

May is Asian Heritage Month, and to commemorate the occasion we’ve gathered five quotes from Priyanka Chopra, in which the “Citadel” star shares her insights on making her mark on Hollywood as a South Asian woman.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas couldn’t be prouder of the female actors of her generation.

Northern has teamed up with Community Rail Lancashire (CRL) – a not-for-profit organisation that provides a link between operators and the travelling public – to launch a project called Try the Train.

Naman Ramachandran British Asian actor and writer Ambreen Razia has secured a development deal with Expectation Entertainment (BAFTA-winning series “Alma’s Not Normal”) to write an original comedy drama series about addiction and postpartum depression between a South Asian mother and daughter. The series, which has the working title “Wasted,” will follow the story of a junior doctor and the ancestral legacy which looms over today’s generation of Muslim immigrants. As an actor Razia most recently played Shandy Fine in hit Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso.” Razia’s previous writing credits include “Hounslow Diaries” for BBC Three, which was adapted from the stage play “Diary of a Hounslow Girl,” a project that looked at the lives of modern Muslim girls in London. Recent stage plays include “POT” and “Favour.” She has also been part of the writers’ room for Channel 4’s BAFTA-winning series “We Are Lady Parts,” directed by Nida Manzoor, and Disney+ show “Extraordinary.”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Nearly a week after the Oscars, the hurt and disappointment of a missed opportunity still weighs heavily on the minds of some South Asian American dancers, who are setting out to ensure it never happens again. Many in the South Asian dance community were dismayed by the astonishing dearth of South Asian representation in the “Naatu Naatu” performance at Sunday’s Academy Awards. While singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava were on hand to perform their hit tune from Tollywood smash “RRR” — which made history for India that night by winning best original song — they were joined on stage by not a single dancer of South Asian heritage.

EXCLUSIVE: Management company Grandview has promoted Shivani Doraiswami and Brennan O’Donnell to manager.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is opening up about finally earning as much as her male costar in Hollywood. The Indian and South Asian actor is starring in Prime Video’s Citadel where she shares the leading role with Game of Thrones alum Richard Madden.

Holly Willoughby as a fellow presenter. "I wouldn't be able to comment on [queuegate] because I didn't see what happened," she mused."[However], she's a very accomplished presenter and she's always got a smile on her face."I think people who watch her in the morning probably feel at ease so I have a lot of admiration for her ability," Isa continued.Meanwhile, Isa, who broke records by becoming the first South Asian woman ever to represent Britain in sport at the age of 17, also shared details of other important female role models in her life.She recently met Mel C, who performed as Sporty Spice back in the day, and was able to use the occasion to nostalgically relive all her childhood Girl Power memories.Recalling the group as a "real symbol of her childhood", she revealed "I remember a trip that I'd booked to India - I think I was about 10 or 11 - and my grandparents had a TV that was quite global, with a music channel."Wannabe was just played relentlessly on that show and I was so inspired by what they were doing and how independent they were, and how much they were amazing, inspiring role models for young women."Speaking of her ancestry from Kolkata - once India's capital - Isa said she felt The Spice Girls' attitude to feminism matched the "strong female voices" she was seeing in her family at that time."I'm very lucky as there is a tradition of powerful female leaders [over there], whether it be in the arts world or outside of that," she reflected."Women are encouraged to speak up.They are respected."Isa credits her late mother Roma as one of her biggest role models and the woman who inspired her to set up the female empowerment organisation she has just launched, Take Her Lead.When she first catapulted into the

While promoting HBO Max’s Velma at New York Comic Con Thursday, star and EP Mindy Kaling admitted that she was surprised by the social media reaction to her decision to make the beloved character a South Asian girl.