Yes, a whole TV programme comprised completely of ... brown people, and it's not comedy. 'British Asian' is the (admittedly rather uninspired) name of a programme showing on the 'Community channel' (on Freeview, channel 87). It's a programme, which:... made by six teenagers from Sheffield, offers a fresh and direct look at multicultural Britain through the eyes of young British Asians of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage.The programme features a number of interviewees talking to camera with virtually no on-screen intervention. Despite this beginning to seem a little monotonous at times, stick with it, and the skill, focus and articulation of the youngsters shows through, giving us an honest and refreshing half-hour with few slick-production bells and whistles. It's the same reason I enjoy listening to some pirate stations occasionally - it's the unmediated, unresearched and unmanipulated honesty of it all.
A wide range of people, young and old, talk openly on the subjects of integration, culture, work, racism and religion.
They explore the growth of opportunities, the mixing of two cultures and what each generation has learnt from their experiences.
The film British Asian highlights the history of South Asian immigration to Britain and the changing expectations and ideas of young British Asians compared to those of their parents and grandparents generations, who came to Britain after the Second World War.
Many of the interviewees of 'British Asian' are northern folk, but one of the talking heads (a young Asian man brought up in Norfolk for godsakes, poor bloke) tells the story of how 'in the early days' , when he and his brother were walking down the street, such an unfamiliar sight were brown people, that they saw a car crash into a lampost whilst its driver craned his neck to stare at them!
Just thought I'd mention this little known programme - you might want to check it out - it's showing on the Community Channel during July, as part of their Meet the Future month, at the times listed here.
