Bird Bites E-feed: ‘The Apprentice’; DJ Yasser; ‘RRR’; Sundance and our Honours 2022 update…

By Mamie Colfox

Four Asians vying for Lord Alan Sugar’s sweet spot…

TONIGHT (January 6) it’s back that programme where multimillionaire tycoon Lord Sugar eventually says: “You’re hired.”
There are four Asians bidding to be the apple of Lord Sugar’s eye, as ‘The Apprentice’ Series 16 makes a return to BBC1 this evening.
Akshay Thakrar, 28, owns his own digital marketing agency. He claims his first word was “profit”, and he thinks that sleeping is a “waste of time”. He speaks seven languages and claims he can speak to anyone. His friends say he is a “killer salesperson”. Just who will he murder?
Harry Mahmood, 35, wants to help people after being inspired by his grandparents. He describes himself as “the Asian version of Lord Sugar”, and wants to develop his bath bomb business. Let’s hope he doesn’t (bomb) too quickly or at all.
Harpreet Kaur, 30, isn’t there to make friends, as she seeks Lord Sugar’s ear and cash to scale up her successful coffee and cake business. A Yorkshire lass – she’s there to have her cake and eat it.
Shama Amin, is a 41-year-old mother of five and knows a lot is stacked against her, but she’s been defying expectations and knows the early education sector well enough to believe she will be Lord Sugar’s next Apprentice.
There are sixteen candidates vying for the title and £250,000 seed money for their own business and the tycoon’s well-trained ear and bank of successful advisors.
Listing: Starts tonight 9pm BBC One (UK only)
Programme website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4246v5SxGDYkDPY6mVG211M/meet-the-candidates

Asian Network regular Yasser Ranjha moves to Capital

DJ AND PRESENTER Yasser Ranjha has joined Capital Xtra’s new drive time show after leaving BBC Asian Network following his nine years at the national network.
He will be playing Hip-Hop & RnB anthems, as host of the weekday afternoon shows from 4-7pm.
DJ Yasser,as he is popularly known, has featured on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra, as well as being a regular host on the CBBC Playlist and hosted the CBBC Chart Show and Trending Live on 4 Music. Adding to this, he has fronted the BBC Introducing Stages at Glastonbury, T in the Park and Reading and Leeds Festival.
There was an official welcome announcement on Capital Xtra’s Instagram.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Capital Xtra and cannot wait to get started on the drive show. It’s a privilege to be part of the Global family and share the corridors with some of the most iconic names in broadcasting.”

Indian blockbuster ‘RRR’ is postponed

FANS OF AUTUER director SS Rajamouli will have to wait just a bit longer for his epic ‘RRR’ to come out.
Originally scheduled to release worldwide tomorrow (January 7), the producers announced they were pulling the film for the time being. The rise in omicron cases in India has seen many states re-introduce restrictions and it meant an unbridled nationwide release just wasn’t possible any more.
A period drama set in the early 20th century of British rule, the film features NTR Jr, Ram Charan, and Bollywood stars Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt. It juxtaposes two very different journeys of freedom fighters, played by two huge stars of Telugu cinema, NTR and Charan.
‘RRR’ is the first film for Rajamouli, since his ‘Baahubali’ films of 2015 and 2017, which made were huge international hits and led to the director and his main cast and musical director Mm Keeravani come to the Royal Albert Hall for a live performance in front of an orchestra in 2019.

Sundance Film Festival to go digital only

RESPONSIBLE for launching both ‘Flee’ and ‘Writing with Fire’ into the world last year, organisers of the Sundance Film Festival (January 20-30) have announced it will be a digital only offering.
It has cancelled its in person events in Park City, Utah due to an unprecedented rise in covid-19 cases. Like last years’ event, the festival will host screenings online and around the US and internationally.
“With case numbers forecasted to peak in our host community the week of the festival we cannot knowingly put our staff and community at risk,” it said in a statement released to the media yesterday (January 6).
ACV will be covering the festival again remotely – last year Riz Ahmed’s executively produced, ‘Flee’ enjoyed its world premiere there, as did the Indian documentary, ‘Writing with Fire’ which is about a Dalit (low caste) all-women’s media collective. Both films are in the 2022 Oscar longlist. ACV also much enjoyed Himalayan drama, ‘Fire in the Mountain’ (Please see links below).
Links
You can purchase digital passes: https://www.sundance.org/
http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/riz-ahmed-and-director-aneil-karia-tell-acv-they-are-hugely-moved-by-oscars-shortlist-for-their-very-personal-film-the-long-goodbye/
http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/sundance-2021-indian-success-for-documentary-about-all-women-media-team-in-writing-with-fire-riz-ahmed-flee-also-wins-award-fire-in-the-mountains-world-premiere-wrap-and-links/

Finally, update on Honours List 2022 story….

WE HAVE updated our Honours story from December 31/January 1 – catching up with artist and theatremaker Arti Prashar who was presented with an OBE for her stage work – helping those who have learning disabilities and dementia make theatre and performing herself.
We’ve also looked at the Indian connections and long career that saw filmmaker Horace Ové become Sir Horace.

That’s it for now, heep following the bird, stay nourished and fly high!