By Jake Brown
Thursday, 18 July 2024
South Asian Heritage Month happens every year from 18 July to 18 August. It was set up in 2020 to recognise and champion the contributions South Asian communities have made to the UK. You can find out more about what’s on to celebrate the month on the official website.
Last year we celebrated the month by providing you recommendations to watch, read and listen. This year we’re back to provide you a new list of compelling and critically acclaimed TV shows, films and books to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month and this years theme “free to be me.”
TV SHOWS
We Are Lady Parts
This comedy series follows an all-female Muslim punk band in the UK. Friendships, relationships and cultural differences are explored as the band seeks musical success.
Available for free on Channel 4.
Being British Bangladeshi
British-Bangladeshi Ali Shahalom sets out to explore the full breadth of British-Bangladeshi contributions to Britain. He meets chefs, rappers and MPs to hear their successes, failures and the obstacles they faced.
Available for free on BBC iPlayer.
Man Like Mobeen
Comedian Guz Khan is Mobeen Dean, a reformed former drug dealer raising his younger sister and trying to improve his community. This comedy series fuses the West Midlands, working-class traditions with Pakistani-Muslim culture.
Available for free on BBC iPlayer.
Love + Hate
Adam and Naseema share the desire to break free, something they discover they have in common which develops into something more. This love story explores race and communities in a town in northern England.
Available for free on BBC iPlayer.
FILMS
Blinded by the Light
This comedy-drama musical is based on the life of University of Bedfordshire’s chancellor, Sarfraz Manzoor and set in Luton, Bedfordshire.
Available to rent on YouTube (from £2.49) and Amazon Prime Video (from £3.49)
Ali & Ava
In the backdrop of working-class Bradford, this romantic film explores British Pakistani Ali and Ava’s struggle to overcome their respective family entanglements and prejudices.
Available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer.
Bend It Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham follows Jess, who comes from an orthodox Punjabi family and is obsessed with David Beckham and football. The film gave actress Parminder Nagra her first break, actress Keira Knightly widespread recognition and was directed by British-Indian director Gurinder Chadha.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video from £1.99.
Mogul Mowgli
British-Pakistani rapper Zed believes he is about to break into the big time – until he is suddenly struck by a deliberating illness that threatens to derail his lifetime ambition. Co-written and starring Riz Ahmed.
Available to rent on BFI Player from £2.50 and Amazon Prime Video from £3.49.
BOOKS
The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer
This historical account takes readers to early twentieth century Britain, where George Edalji, son of the first Indian to have a parish in England, is improbably arrested. Following his release from prison, George turns to Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the detective Sherlock Holmes, to clear his name.
The Roles we Play
Two thirds of today’s British Pakistani population trace their origins back to Mirpur in Azad Kashmir. This memoir by Sabba Khan explores her family origins and paints a vivid snapshot of contemporary British Asian life.
Greetings from Bury Park: Race. Religion. Rock ‘n’ Roll
The book that inspired the film Blinded by the Light, Greetings from Bury Park is the autobiography of the University of Bedfordshire’s current Chancellor, Sarfraz Manzoor, reconciling with growing up as both British and Muslim in Luton.
The Right Sort of Girl
This memoir by Anita Rani explores her youth growing up in eighties Yorkshire with her Punjabi family. Throughout, Anita writes for anyone who has ever felt different or alone, sharing lessons she wishes her younger self could have known.
Get involved!
If you have stories you would like to share in celebration of South Asian Heritage Month we would love to hear from you. Email us and mention in the subject that it is FAO (for attention of) the Comms team.
[We will also be holding some events to celebrate the month. Check out our events page [add hyperlink]]