Read on as we tell you all about the 5 South Asians who won big at the 25th edition of the UK Asian Film Festival!
The world’s oldest festival internationally celebrating South Asian films – the UK Asian film festival’s 25th edition took place last week. The festival curates and showcases the best of the best South Asian films in cinemas for audiences in the UK.
This year, the theme was ‘Celebrating Our Stories,’ which specially focused on films revolving around the real British Asian experience. So naturally, we focus on 5 South Asians who won big and who, among an array of achievers were most prominent for us!
Coming up first not in any particular order:
1. Nida Manzoor
Nida won the Film Wallah’s Choice Award as director for her debut movie “Polite society”. She was brought up by Pakistani Muslim parents in Singapore and then in London and often wondered about her South Asian experiences but the lack of opportunities to relate it with films on screen.
As a director Nida has aimed to change the way Asian women are perceived on screen through her new action comedy, polite society. She has also been intentional with her choices to do women-centric movies because growing up, she wished to see women like her or the ones she knew, represented on screen. She’s often felt that Asian women are left out of the Arts.
Riz Ahmed, British Pakistani artist. spoke about Nida – “There are artists who defy expectations, and there are artists who explode them. Nida Manzoor is the latter.”
Up next is our very own Sarmad Khoosat!
2. Sarmad Khoosat
Our very own Sarmad Khoosat, who has given us hit dramas and movies one after another was awarded Best Film, Curator’s Choice as director for his locally and internationally acclaimed film Kamli. Born into a family of artists, he initially ventured into Psychology with a Master of Science degree in Psychology from Government College University, Lahore. But returned to his calling – Art.
Considered by many a national treasure, his hit television sitcom in 1999 “Shashlik” led him to rise which he wrote, directed, produced & played a lead in. Wow, that must have been a handful. Since then he has contributed numerous hits to TV & Film. He’s always been known for the complex themes he incorporates in his work and his most famous directorial drama till date was Humsafar which skyrocketed his career – the tale of love between a couple after an arranged marriage became an international hit.
3. Adil Hussain
Adil Hussain has been recognized for his critically acclaimed performances in international theatre and film, ranging from the classic Othello to films such as The Life of Pi, The Reluctant Fundamentalist and so much more – an endless body of outstanding work.
Hailing from Assam, north of India, Hussain is internationally known for his prominent work in international big scale movies such as “Life of Pi” and “Star Trek: Discovery”. He won best actor for his role in “Footprints on Water”
He also has won global awards for “What Will People Say” and “Hotel Salvation.”Hussain also features in both seasons of Netflix’s hit series “Delhi Crime,” and has another Netflix series hit “Toothpari” – both we bet you know about.
4. Nimra Bucha
Nimra Bucha is ecstatic about her multiple wins and expressed her excitement and gratitude for the three wins at the festival. Her recent work includes the movies ‘Kamli’ and ‘Polite Society’ – both of which received applause and awards. Whereas she herself received the Flame Award for Championing Change – rightly so since she has been championing change from the get go of her career.
Inspired by her mother whom she wishes she had stared at more, she started her journey as a theatre performer and a radio jockey and made her television debut with drama serial ‘Daam’ in 2010.
She then also made her silver screen debut in 2015, with the blockbuster hit ‘Manto’, directed by Sarmad Khoosat. The film won several national awards and critical acclaim. Moreover, she also featured recently in Zee 5’s Churails, Sarmad Khoosat’s Kamli, and Disney’s ‘Ms. Marvel’, which has been able to become the highest rated series in Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Up last but certainly not the least …
5. Jamil Dehlavi
Dehlavi was born in 1944, to a Pakistani diplomat father and a French mother. You definitely know this genius of a film maker, who was also behind the notable film Jinnah (1998), which was about the partition of India and the birth of Pakistan. He was presented a Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to Global cinema.
Meant to be a lawyer who studied at the prestigious Oxford and was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn London he ended up becoming a celebrated independent film director and producer.
Changing gears, he ended up studying film directing at Columbia University in New York, subsequently receiving a Master of Fine Arts. He has produced and directed many international award-winning feature films including The Blood Of Hussain, Born Of Fire and Seven Lucky Gods among many more.
His films are widely acclaimed and been shown across screens globally, from Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, London to New York.
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Sources: Guardian, B Recorder, The News, Variety
