Last seen together in celebrated filmmaker Aparna Sen’s National Award-winning film 15 Park Avenue (2005), immensely talented actress Shabana Azmi and Shefali Shah have joined hands for an upcoming medical-thriller series. Inspired from some real-life occurrences in hospitals, the series is being bankrolled by well-known filmmaker Vipul Shah.
Initially, Vipul Shah was keen to make a feature film on the same subject, but then he decided to bring it as a series as summing it up in two and a half hour was not possible. “Vipul Shah felt that the content was so relevant and interesting that it would not fit well in a two and a half hour film. Then he decided to create a show that could go either on the TV or on the OTT platform which would do justice to the subject,” a source close to the development reveals.
Shedding some more light on the characters that Shabana and Shefali play in the series, producer Vipul Shah said, “Shefali is playing a doctor while Shabana will be essaying the role of her boss and owner of the hospital where she works. The show will revolve around their characters and the unique, conflicted relationship they share.”
The producer also revealed that he has been working on the series for quite some time now. “I had started developing it as a film but eventually realised that the subject I want to incorporate would not fit in such a short time-frame,” he added.
Vipul Shah informs that the project is still in the development stage and will be shot in cities like Bhopal and Indore. “It will go on the floors shortly and will be set in cities like Bhopal and Indore,” he concluded.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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