London’s BAFTA weekend spotlighted South Asian cinema with a powerful industry gathering that featured double Oscar nominee Geeta Gandbhir.
A Call for Solidarity
Gandbhir, nominated for both The Perfect Neighbor (Best Documentary Feature) and The Devil Is Busy (Best Documentary Short), addressed the audience with urgency. “We are living in a time, particularly in the U.S., an incredibly alarming and dangerous time,” she said. She credited Spike Lee and the Black community for opening doors in her career, emphasizing the importance of standing together across communities.
Celebrating South Asian Excellence
The event was co-hosted by Society O, a British cultural platform amplifying Asian voices, and U.S.-based Product of Culture. It brought together nominees, filmmakers, and executives to highlight South Asian contributions to global cinema. British filmmaker Luís Hindman, nominated for Magid/Zafar, reflected on the significance of recognition for unapologetically British Asian stories. Rahul Sharda, assistant director of Boong, praised the growing international appetite for Indian regional cinema.
A Historic Reunion
The evening also reunited the cast of Goodness Gracious Me, the groundbreaking BBC comedy series that transformed British Asian representation. Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Kulvinder Ghir, and Nina Wadia appeared together for the first time in a decade.
Building Global Connections
Society O founders Sukki Menon and Parvinder Shergill, alongside Product of Culture’s Archana Misra Jain and Monika Sharma Abbas, stressed the importance of creating spaces that celebrate artistic excellence while strengthening industry connections. With Gandbhir’s words resonating and South Asian creatives gaining recognition across BAFTA and Oscars, the gathering underscored a pivotal moment for representation and solidarity in global cinema.
