Postwar Britain
1 January 1973
British entry to the European Economic Community
1973 saw the first wave of enlargement of the European Community following on from the Hague Summit. This was preceded by the Luxembourg Prime Minister,...
6 October 1972
Leicester City Council publishes a third advertisement in the Ugandan Argus
Leicester City Council published a third advertisement in the Ugandan Argus advising Ugandan Asians not to come to the city.
9 September 1972
National Front hold an anti-immigration march in Leicester
The National Front is a far-right party that came to prominence in the early 1970s amidst economic turmoil and growing non-white Commonwealth immigration. The arrival...
17 August 1972
Leicester City Council publish an advertisement in the Ugandan Argus
The Leicester City Council published the following advertisment in the Ugandan Argus discouraging Asians from settling in Leicester: "AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL...
18 September 1972
Beginning of British airlift initiative
The Ugandan Argus reported on the British airlift of Ugandan Asians as follows: "British Asians airlift gets under way The first 'immigrant special' flight to...
19 September 1972
Ugandan Asians arrive at Stansted
Extract from Martin Adeney and Michael Lake reporting for The Guardian: "In the chilly drizzle at Stansted the Asians managed to retain even more composure...
24 August 1972
Statement by Chairman of the Uganda Resettlement Board
Chairman of the Uganda Resettlement Board made a statement that refugees would be persuaded to settle in places that had not already experienced strains on...
27 September 1972
First chartered flight to Canada organised by the Canadian High Commission
First Canadian chartered flights for Ugandan Asians leave from Entebbe Airport. The Christian Science Monitor reported on the unfolding crisis with the following: "The United...
1945
Mass Migration from the Commonwealth to Britain
The three decades after the end of the Second World War was a period of mass migration to Europe, as once thriving economies were faced...
1948
All About H. Hatterr
Author: G. V. Desani "When this book first appeared 22 years ago, it was praised by a fine clutch of literary pundits--yet disappeared almost without...
1953 - 1961
Asian Club
A BBC television live discussion show intended for people of the Commonwealth. In the same year of the show's inception, the BBC broadcast an interview...
1961
Sunlight on a Broken Column
Author: Attia Hosain "Laila, orphaned daughter of a distinguished Muslim family, is brought up in her grandfather’s traditional household by her aunts, who keep purdah....
1962
Commonwealth Immigrants Act
The Commonwealth Immigrants Act of 1962 was the first major reform to Britain's immigration legislation since the British Nationality Act of 1948. The Act of...
1964
Establishment of the Ministry of Overseas Development
Harold Wilson's government created the Ministry of Overseas Development with the aim of amalgamating aid efforts of various state departments including the Foreign Office. Wilson...
1965
Apna Hi Ghar Samajhiye
Apna Hi Ghar Samajhiye was a radio and television educational programme aimed at South Asian immigrants delivered in Hindustani. Check out a sound clip from...
1965
Shakespeare-Wallah (film)
Director: James Ivory; Writer: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala; Starring: Shashi Kapoor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itJvAnLj0Z0 For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059709/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
1965 - 2009
BBC Asian Programmes Unit
The BBC Asian Programmes Unit was formerly known as the Immigrants Programmes Unit. The change in name was a recognition that many people in Britain...
1966
Look, Listen and Speak
A BBC television programme intended for immigrants seeking to learn English.
1968 - 1982
Nai Zindagi Naya Jeevan
Nai Zindagi Naya Jeevan was a Hindustani-language magazine show which featured discussions, interviews, and live perfomances. See below Jagjit Singh performing 'Sarakti Jaaye Hai Rukh...
1968
Commonwealth Immigrants Act
The Commonwealth Immigrants Act of 1968 furthered restrictions on migration to Britain that had been in place from 1962. The Act was introduced in response...
1969
First Hindu Mandir in Britain
The Radha Krishna Temple, Leicester is the first documented place of Hindu worship in Britain. The Leicester Mercury reported on the procession and installation of...
1971
Immigration Act
The Immigration Act of 1971 was more explicit in its racial underpinnings than its 1968 predecessor. 'Non-patrials', or those that did not have a parent...
1971-1991
Freddie Mercury
Lead singer of iconic British rock band Queen was born Farrokh Bulsara in the Sultanate of Zanzibar, a British protectorate. Bulsara hailed from a Parsi...
1972
Expulsion of Ugandan Asians
On 25 January 1971, General Idi Amin overthrew the civilian government in a military coup against the Milton Obote government. On the day after the...
1972
The Nowhere Man
Author: Kamala Markandaya "Srinivas, an elderly Brahmin, has been living in a south London suburb for thirty years. After the death of his son, and...
1973
Open Door: ‘Black Teachers’
Documentary exploring the experience of Black teachers and students in the English education system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhCbdD30az4
1974
A Private Enterprise (film)
Director: Peter Smith; Starring: Salmaan Peerzada For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067619/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1974 - 1977
Annan Committee
Set up in 1974, the Committee considered the needs of British television broadcasting. One of its key recommendations was the need to diversify television content....
1975
Autobiography of a Princess (film)
Director: James Ivory; Writer: Ruth Prawer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIpAcKlIM6M For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072674/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1977 - 1978
Parosi
An educational bilingual drama in Hindi and English intended for South Asian migrants to Britain.
1977 - 1994
Channi Singh
Alaap was a pioneering British bhangra group led by singer Channi Singh. See below Alaap featuring Asha Bhosle performing 'Chum Chum Nachdi Phiran' in 1990:...
1977 - 1987
Gharbar
Gharbar was a BBC magazine show aimed at Asian women delivered in a mix of English and Hindi. See below a clip from the show...
1978 - 1979
Here Today Here Tomorrow
A three-part film series on British Asian life presented by Zia Mohyeddin. See part-one below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPvpVHO_Jf0
1979
Open Door: ‘Southall on Trial’
BBC documentary exploring the Southall anti-National Front demonstrations, riots, and developments leading up to the events. See below an ITN news report on the Southall...
1979
Open Door: ‘It Ain’t Half Racist, Mum’
Documentary demonstrating the racial bias of the British media. See the documentary below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4oZtBfN87A
1980-1985?
London Minorities Unit
The London Minorities Unit was set up to cater to London's diverse population as part of London Weekend Television. The Unit also went on to...
1980
Skin
London Weekend Television documentary series for London's Asian and Afro-Caribbean community.
1980
Black Media Workers’ Association
Pressure group set up by Black and Asian media professionals. The Guardian reported: "Blacks in media campaign A campaign to attract more black people into...
1980
Babylon
Director: Franco Rosso; Writers: Franco Rosso, Martin Stellman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_xhN87G8bk For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080406/
1981
Feminist Fables
Author: Suniti Namjoshi "First published in 1981, this collection of ingenious tales has become a minor feminist classic. In their timeless sweep through past, present...
1981
Midnight’s Children
Author: Salman Rushdie "Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India’s independence. Greeted by fireworks...
1982
Channel 4 begins transmission
Channel 4 began transmission on 2nd November 1982. See below, Channel 4's first ever news broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni_uY4-iQ64
1982
Gandhi (film)
Director: David Attenborough; Starring: Ben Kinglsey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pENM42-QB8 For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083987/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
1982 - 1985
Black on Black
Channel Four magazine programme aimed at the British Afro-Caribbean community. See below, Tippa Irie performing 'Complain Neighbour' on Black on Black in 1984: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AFOGlqhjF4
1982 - 1985
Eastern Eye
Channel Four magazine programme aimed at the British South Asian community. See below, Nazia & Zoheb Hassan performing 'Aap Hum Kul Waha' and 'Aap Jaisa...
1982
Sheila Chandra
Vocalist on Moonsoon's 'Ever So Lonely'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BpjkK9CBc4
1982 - 1987
Asian Magazine
BBC magazine programme aimed at British South Asians. It was a rebranding of Nai Zindagi Naya Jeevan which had been on air since 1968. See...
1982 - 1989
Ebony
A BBC magazine programme aimed at British Afro-Caribbeans. Created in response to a lack of Afro-Caribbean programming in contrast to Channel Four. See below, Frank...
1984
Appointment of Farrukh Dhondy as Channel 4 Commissioner of Multicultural Programmes
Appointment of Farrukh Dhondy as Channel 4 Commissioner of Multicultural Programmes. Dhondy would go on to commission much of the Black and Asian content of...
1985
My Beautiful Laundrette (film)
Director: Stephen Frears; Writer: Hanif Kureishi; Starring Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, Daniel Day-Lewis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_uVUBcHjzk For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091578/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1985 - 1989
The Bandung File
The Bandung File was a topical international current affairs series told from a global south perspective. See below, an interview with artist Tasaduq Sohail on Bandung...
1987
A Wicked Old Woman
Author: Ravinder Randhawa "In a bustling British city, decked out with NHS specs and Oxfam coat, Kulwant masquerades behind her old woman’s disguise, taking life...
1987
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (film)
Director: Stephen Frears; Writer: Hanif Kureishi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1fOQTm9mR4 For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093913/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1988
Right of Way: Prose and Poetry from the Asian Women Writers’ Collective
Asian Women Writers' Collective Anthology. "The Asian Women Writers Collective (AWWC) published their first anthology, ‘Right of Way’, with The Women’s Press in 1989. During...
1988
Amritvela
Author: Leena Dhingra "Amritvela tells of a story of Meera's return visit to India. Meera, who was taken to England as a child by her...
1988
Madame Soustzka (film)
Director: John Schlesinger; Screenplay: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, John Schlesinger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ0Mu5kniXI For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095564/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
1989
Vastiana Belfon appointed as Editor of African-Caribbean Programming at the BBC
Vastiana Belfon was the first black editor of programming at the BBC. Belfon also worked as a series producer and presenter on Ebony. See below,...
1990-1997?
East
Current affairs series exploring contemporary issues relating to British South Asians. See below, an interview with Amitabh Bachchan on East in 1990: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJfi4jcUfl8
1990
The Buddha of Suburbia
Author: Hanif Kureishi " 'My name is Karim Amir, and I am an Englishman born and bred, almost…' The hero of Hanif Kureishi’s debut novel...
1990
Redemption
Author: Tariq Ali "A bawdy political satire, set in present-day Paris, New York, Mexico City and London, against the backdrop of events in Eastern Europe...
1990
Bombay Duck
Author: Farrukh Dhondy "Bombay duck isn't duck at all but dried fish, and as such works very well as the central metaphor of this energetic...
1991 - 1997
Black Bag
Black Bag was a rebranding of Bandung Files, a topical international current affairs programme invariably told from a global south perspective. See below, the first...
1991
The Red Box
Author: Farhana Sheikh "The Red Box...depicts the double victimization of Pakistani women in Britain through racism and exploitation as cheap manual laborers, often by wealthy...
1992 - 1996
Devil’s Advocate
A debate show centred on black British topics and personalities. See below, an interview with Chris Eubank conducted by Darcus Howe on Devil's Advocate in...
1992
Transmission
Author: Atima Srivastava "Transmission is a novel set in the media world of the nineties. Angie, a second-generation immigrant from india in her twenties, is...
1993
Apache Indian
Boom Shack-A-Lak (Single) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZzBd41NuZw
1993
Bhaji on the Beach (film)
Director: Gurinder Chadha; Writers: Gurinder Chadha, Meera Syal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20KdLa-9d2c For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106408/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1994
Reef
Author: Romesh Gunesekera "A single lighted match banishes Triton from his father’s home to the employ of Mister Salgado, a marine biologist obsessed by swamps,...
1994
Shy FX & UK Apachi
Original Nuttah (Single) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkAYv0MuVTE
1994
Flaming Spirit: Stories from the Asian Writers’ Collective
Asian Women Writers' Collective Anthology "Flaming Spirit’ was published in 1994 by Virago in occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Asian Women Writers Collective...
1995
The Black Album
Author: Hanif Kureishi "The Black Album is a portrait of a young Asian man being pulled in conflicting directions: one way by the lure of...
1995
Brothers in Trouble (film)
Director: Udayan Prasad; Writers: Robert Buckler, Abdullah Hussein; Starring: Om Puri For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112586/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1996
Jas Mann
Lead singer of Babylon Zoo broke into the UK charts with 'Spaceman' in 1996. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnPntwwxuq8
1996
Anita and Me
Author: Meera Syal "The debut novel from the award-winning screenwriter of Bhaji on the Beach. The story of nine-year-old Meena, growing up in the only...
1997
Sixth Happiness (film)
Director: Waris Hussein; Writer: Firdaus Kanga https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=763CsNOIyx8&t=2s For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127289/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1997
Establishment of the Department for International Development
Under Tony Blair's Labour government, British foreign aid was made the domain of the newly established Department for International Development. This was a change from...
1997
Cornershop
Brim Full of Asha (Single) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LBnMRWeV-E
1997
Network East
Formerly the Asian Magazine, a BBC magazine show aimed at British South Asians. See below, Glaswegian Bhangra group 'Bombay Talkie' on the Asian Magazine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF_C-MF_JnI...
1997
Sikhs
BBC documentary on the history of the Sikhs and the Sikh faith. See the documentary below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odACBvDCq9g
1997
My Son the Fanatic (film)
Director: Udayan Prasad; Writer: Hanif Kureishi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0xAGZSLYNA For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119743/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1998
When Memory Dies
Author: A. Sivanandan "The Buddha taught that to live is to experience suffering. Few family sagas, especially first ones, have captured this aspect of suffering...
1998
Windrush
A four-part BBC documentary series to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Caribbean migrants to Britain on the Empire Windrush. See below, part...
1998, 2000, 2014, 2015
Goodness Gracious Me
A comedy sketch show satirising aspects of British and British South Asian life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtxSpGF2wGc
1999
East is East (film)
Director: Damien O'Donnell; Writer: Ayub Khan-Din https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg-zwt-XMFE For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166175/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
1999
Talvin Singh
OK (Album) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1ROyUVIeaw&list=PL4cFCca2acavpA8LBU1khWXYm0WJrg8ow
1999
The Ground Beneath Her Feet
Author: Salman Rushdie "On Valentine’s Day, 1989, Vina Apsara, a famous and much-loved singer, disappears in a devastating earthquake. Her lover, the singer Ormus Cama,...
1999
Nitin Sawhney
Beyond Skin (Album) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZqA9_s4qvo&list=OLAK5uy_md53kiLHjfXPxrwr37LPzjWmiqJUA5u1E
1999 - Present
BBC Asian Network
Created in the wake of the success of regional BBC radio programming catering to a British South Asian audience. See below, BBC Asian Network presenter...
2001
Half a Life
Author: V. S. Naipaul "In a narrative that moves with dreamlike swiftness from India to England to Africa, Nobel Laureate V. S. Naipaul has produced...
2001 - 2006
The Kumars at No. 42
Celebrity talk show hosted by Sanjeev Bhaskar, Vincent Ebrahim, Indira Joshi, and Meera Syal in character as members of the Kumar family. See below, The...
2002
Bend It Like Beckham (film)
Director: Gurinder Chadha; Starring: Parminder Nagra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DNwS_CwEAw For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286499/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2002
Anita & Me (film)
Director: Metin Huseyin; Writer: Meera Syal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5pI2UPaT8g For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303661/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2002
Punjabi MC
Mundian To Bach Ke (Single) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAtpvJdIiM0
2003
Brick Lane
Author: Monica Ali "At the tender age of eighteen, Nazneen’s life is turned upside down. After an arranged marriage to a man twenty years her...
2003
Something Black in the Lentil Soup
Author: Reshma S. Ruia "Something Black in the Lentil Soup is a comical and irreverent portrayal of three parallel cultures-British, Indian and British-Indian-with penetrating insights...
2004
A Fond Kiss (film)
Director: Ken Loach; Writer: Paul Laverty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2YNgMqXh4I For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380366/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2004
Yasmin (film)
Director: Kenneth Glenaan; Writer: Simon Beaufoy; Starring: Archie Panjabi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UorpOWZ973A For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420333/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2004
Maps for Lost Lovers
Author: Nadeem Aslam "In an unnamed English town, Jugnu and his lover Chanda have disappeared. Rumours abound in the close-knit Pakistani community and then, on...
2004-2008
Desi DNA
Desi DNA was a magazine show covering current affairs and topics related to British South Asians. See below, Tigerstyle performing 'Mann Doabe Da' on Desi...
2005
Love + Hate (film)
Director: Dominic Savage; Writer: Dominic Savage For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0471018/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2005
M.I.A.
Arular (Album) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzjLrkCG-cg&list=OLAK5uy_n7wcQhvECnwZdTU-cVfLsfvv18-ogbm5o
2005-present
Naughty Boy
Musician and producer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O1_3zBUKM8
2006
Provoked (film)
Director: Jag Mundhra; Writers: Carl Austin, Rahila Gupta; Starring: Aishwarya https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5Hvp6JKEd0 For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458072/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
2006
Londonstani
Author: Gautam Malkani "‘Londonstani’, Gautam Malkani’s electrifying debut, reveals a Britain that has never before been explored in the novel: a country of young Asians...
2007
A Golden Age
Author: Tahmima Anam "A mother struggles to protect her children as Bangladesh fights for independence; winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and shortlisted for the...
2007
Gifted
Author: Nikita Lalwani "Rumi Vasi is 10 years, 2 months, 13 days, 2 hours, 42 minutes, and 6 seconds old. She’s figured that the likelihood...
2007
Graffiti My Soul
Author: Niven Govinden "This is Surrey, where nothing bad ever happens. Except somehow, 15-year-old Veerapen, half-Tamil, half-Jew and the fastest runner in the school, has...
2007
Britz (TV series)
Director: Peter Kosminsky; Writer: Peter Kosminsky https://youtu.be/ZpCX2n0nTf0 For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0991005/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2007
Brick Lane (film)
Director: Sarah Gavron; Writer: Monica Ali https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLdabaTRZBo For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0940585/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
2008
Shifty (film)
Director: Eran Creevy; Writer: Eran Creevy; Starring: Riz Ahmed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69GsmFeX5IE For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104126/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2008
Slumdog Millionaire (film)
Director: Danny Boyle; Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy; Adaptation of Vikas Swarup, Q & A; Starring: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIzbwV7on6Q For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1010048/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2009
Another Gulmohar Tree
Author: Aamer Hussein "Usman is visiting post-war London from Pakistan when he meets a young aspiring artist called Lydia who has, like himself, come out...
2009-2014, 2021-present
Siva Kaneswaran
Member of British-Irish boy band The Wanted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ggzxInyzVE
2010 - present
Zayn Malik
Singer and former member of One Direction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt2k8PGm-TI
2010
Four Lions (film)
Director: Chris Morris; Writers: Chris Morris, Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew-SrlQ9tlI For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1341167/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2010
The Infidel (film)
Director: Josh Appignanesi; Writer: David Baddiel; Starring: Omid Djalili https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPyruvdRwzE For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1424003/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2010
West is West (film)
Director: Andy De Emmony; Screenplay: Ayub Khan-Din https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL6YLWLmQq0 For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441956/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
2011
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (film)
Director: John Madden; Screenplay: Ol Parker; Adaptation of Deborah Moggach, These Foolish Things https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZwXZte_ctk For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1412386/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
2011
Gods Without Men
Author: Hari Kunzru "Jaz and Lisa Matharu are plunged into a public hell after their son, Raj, vanishes during a family vacation in the California...
2012 - 2016
Citizen Khan
Sit-com depicting the life of a British Pakistani family. See below, a clip from the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3rnOyWlFZE
2015
The Year of the Runaways
Author: Sunjeev Sahota "Sweeping between India and England, and between childhood and the present day, Sunjeev Sahota's unforgettable novel about illegal immigrants is – as...
2017
Home Fire
Author: Kamila Shamsie "Isma is free. After years spent raising her twin siblings in the wake of their mother's death, she is finally studying in...
2019
Blinded by the Light (film)
Director: Gurinder Chadha; Screenplay: Sarfraz Manzoor, Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1YFA_J5JBU For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8266310/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
2019
Yesterday (film)
Director: Danny Boyle; Screenplay: Richard Curtis; Starring: Himesh Patel, Lily James https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3VeHyedL1U For more info check out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8079248/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
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