Alka Bagri shares her excitement as LIFF’s title supporter for the seventh year
The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) 2021 is set for it's Gala Opening Night on the 17th June in London, with a positive, power-packed documentary Women Of My Billion (WOMB); in a back-drop of a rather grim Covid scenario in India. LIFF this year is poised to premiere the very best of new indie films from the Indian subcontinent with...
Dance to Nihira Joshi Deshpande’s authentic Cuban music with Hindi lyrics
Germany based Nihira Joshi Deshpande has created an independent song with Hindi lyrics set to the melody of authentic Cuban music. This song Ishq Manayein Kya? has gone viral. Nihira is an internationally acclaimed popular singer, composer, independent music producer, Spanish translator come interpreter. Nihira Joshi Deshpande has been singing for many Marathi and Hindi films, worked with Shankar...
Vikram Hazra and Soumya Jyoti Ghosh to rock the stage in London and Manchester
Vikram Hazra, an unparalleled name in Indi-jazz-rock-contemporary music returns to UK after nearly 14 years to mesmerise his fans in London at Bush Hall on 1 June and in Manchester at the Band on the Wall on 2 June. Vikram will be accompanied by Soumya Jyoti Ghosh in the concert, titled ‘Song of the Soul’, organised by SAJDA (South...
Lockdown Diaries: Baithak UK brings artists virtually together for music video celebrating togetherness
Despite the logistical issues posed by COVID-19, Baithak UK has managed to bring together artists virtually in order to make a music video which celebrates togetherness. "Those were the days" celebrates the power of music and memory, beautifully melding the globally popular folk song by Robert Burns "Auld Lang Syne", its Bengali adaptation by Rabindranath Tagore, and the recent translation (written exclusively...
Exploring the not-so-touristy but magnificent French countryside with a car lover
Let's go to France for half term! This was October 2018 and in a few weeks it was all booked, the farmhouse by Khilna and all we had to do was book the ferry. There were many phone calls and texts to get it all co-ordinated so we were all travelling on the same boat and go in convoy....
Sukhdeep Singh’s documentary Sab Rab De Bande on LGBTQ Sikhs reaches London
A novel documentary that brings forth the LGBTQ Sikh community's challenges and the different ways in which they reconcile their faith, gender, and sexual identities, Sab Rab De Bande, will be showcasing in the ongoing South Asian Heritage month in the UK this year. Making his debut as a filmmaker with this extraordinary documentary, Director Sukhdeep Singh, through interviews with LGBTQ Sikhs captures...
KASHISH 2021: Film Submissions open for South Asia’s biggest LGBTQI Film Festival
The twelfth edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is scheduled to be held online next year from May 20 to 30, taking into consideration the prevailing pandemic situation. The organisers have mentioned that they are still considering a two day on-ground festival if the situation improves, a decision which will be taken only in February 2021. Festival director Sridhar...
Remembering Chiku, our squirrel child
This poem's been inspired by real events and has been written to make children understand the power of compassion towards animals. It is meant to encourage them to love them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I heard the crows scream out quite loud And ran outside to see, There lay on the grass in our Mumbai backyard Tiny balls of three! It was early hours, we were barely awake But...
Short story: “Homecoming”
If it weren’t for the fact that I make a lot of money, I would really hate what I do for a living. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a highwayman who murders unwary travellers. Nor a Wall Street equities dealer who feeds off the financial flesh of innocent individual investors. I would die before becoming a lawyer who defends...
London Indian Film Festival 2019 – Roundup
This year's London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) showcased talents from all over South Asia, with a range of documentaries and movies which celebrate independent cinema. Dip into the Extraordinary Lives stream with "This Shaking Keeps Me Steady", or the best of Bengal with "Vinci Da", or be uplifted with the movies in the Young Rebel strand like "Roohba" or "Bulbul...
