UK Asian Film Festival 2025 - Still films and events to enjoy & gallery

HERE are five films or events to look out for as the UK Asian Film Festival enters its last half until Sunday, May 11 – and this is all in London with one film we have highlighted screening in Leicester… we also review the opening film and post our interviews from the red carpet (already posted to social media earlier – see below…)

Film – Friday (May 9) – 5pm London (Soas University of London)

It’s titled ‘Benegal’s Women’ – Shyam Benegal is one of India’s most original and arresting voices and had nearly seven decades behind the camera before passing away last year.
Screening one of his most acclaimed films – ‘Mandi’ – it also highlights Benegal’s commitment to equality and his modern and progressive views long before they became fashionable or widely accepted.
The film is set in a red light district and stars Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.
There is also a panel discussion with well-known Indian author and journalist Shobhaa De and acclaimed Indian director Gautam Ghosh.

Friday (May 9), from 5pm – Brunei Gallery, SOAS University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square London WC1H 0XG
https://www.tonguesonfire.com/whats-on/benegals-women-a-panel-discussion-about-the-women-in-shyam-benegals-film

Film Business & Network – Saturday, May 10 (morning) London (BFI Southbank)
10.30am NFT 3

IF YOU are interested in making films in India and live in the UK – like Sandhya Suri, a Brit, whose first feature ‘Santosh’ is set totally in Uttar Pradesh, read on… Her film premiered to great acclaim in Cannes last year, and signalled a new eagerness to making films in India.
There are still some tickets available – but hurry!
Called Future Forward: The Evolving Landscape of India-UK Co-Productions, it is about the landscape of the India-UK co production treaty and shows the benefits of embarking on such, with a panel ready to share their knowledge and expertise on this. There’s also a screening and networking. Suri appears as a guest at the Closing Awards Ceremony (see below).

Saturday May 10 10.30am
More info: https://www.tonguesonfire.com/whats-on/future-forward
Tickets (BFI) £12-14: https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/mapSelect.asp

Film – Saturday May 10 – 5.15pm – Leicester

BOLLYWOOD superstar Hrithik Roshan introduces this film, ‘Pushtaini’ which is by actor and director Vinod Rawat and generated some controversy in India.
A struggling Bollywood actor returns to his ancestral homeland in the Himalayas and meets some characters who force him to reevaluate his existence and ambitions… don’t say you haven’t been warned… (it’s an 18 certification) and well-known Indian actor Rajkummar Rao appears too.

Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre, 4 Midland Street, Leicester LE1 1TG.
https://www.phoenix.org.uk/whats-on/programme/pushtaini/

Minis – Saturday (May 10) – 7PM London (Central)

Islah Abdur-Rahman is behind ‘*The Corner Shop Show*‘

A SERIES of short films – including one which tackles the riots that broke out last year in Britain – screen at Regent Street Cinema, just 100 metres away from Oxford Circus tube in the heart of our capital – what’s your excuse, if you are in London and interested in the next generation of upcoming British talent…?
‘Get Out of my Country’ is by former BBC Asian Network presenter and YouTube comedy writer-director Islah Abdur-Rahman.
There are nine other films which also showcase South Asian experiences. The whole programme is just over two hours long.

Saturday (May 10) 7pm Regent Street Cinema, 307 Regent Street, London W1B 2HW
More info/tickets: https://www.regentstreetcinema.com/movie/short-films—uk-asian-film-festival/

Wrap – Sunday (May 11) – 12pm London (Hammersmith)

Sonali Shah at the Opening Gala Film of the UK Asian Film Festival

THERE are still tickets for the Awards Ceremony – which is a bit more and is almost a day of activity and has food, dance and music thrown in.
Among the highlights are conversations with 1970s pop icon Biddu, author and journalist and well-known Indian socialite Shobaa De, rising star director Sandhya Suri, whose ‘Santosh’ premiered at Cannes last year and has won several awards.
The conversations will be hosted by presenter Sonali Shah and Heteash Chowdhry.
There is a screening of a documentary, ‘Kehta Hai Joker’ about one of India’s biggest stars and often regarded as the father of modern Bollywood in some ways, Raj Kapoor. It is 60 minutes and marks the star’s 100th birthday anniversary.
Following the awards ceremony, there will be party and music hosted by the legendary DJ Ritu.

Sunday, May 11 – 12pm start London
Riverside Studios, 101 Queen Caroline Street London W6 9BN
More info: https://www.tonguesonfire.com/whats-on/ukaff-2025-awards-ceremony
Info/Tickets: https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/ukaff-2025-awards-ceremony-174286/

The last feature film in this year’s UKAFF is the ‘The Glass Worker‘ on Saturday in London and in Leicester on Sunday – we have reviewed and covered this film when it was unveiled in Cannes last year. Check the link below for listings…

UK Asian Film Festival

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