Sanjeev Bhaskar
A special featuring some of the most famous films along with Screenwriters, Academics and Critics as they guide through the funny, weird and controversial clichés which appear on the screens.
Inspired by "Letters of Note", the bestselling anthology compiled by Shaun Usher, and "To the Letter" by Simon Garfield, Letters Live is a series of curated, live events that celebrate the enduring power of literary correspondence. Performed by a remarkable and surprise cast each night, Letters Live is a unique event that is heartbreaking, euphoric, hilarious and inspiring in equal measure. Those who have previously attended Letters Live will know how memorable these evenings are. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from each show are channeled towards a number of carefully selected literacy charities to support the important work they do.
After a year like no other, prepare for the biggest blockbuster movie NEVER made (yet) with 2020: The Movie. Part biopic, part disaster film, this new release turns movie stars into unlikely everyday British heroes.
Brooklands Museum is home to the world's most important pieces of motorsport and aviation history. From the first purpose-built racing circuit and the cars that broke land-speed records on it, to an extraordinary collection of aircrafts highlighting aeronautical innovation - this place has it all. But it’s a constant battle to keep the engines humming and the rotors turning on these priceless pieces of engineering. Every day, a team of volunteer mechanics and restorers are on hand to save these precious vehicles from the ravages of time. Follow the Brooklands volunteers and staff as they mend, maintain and restore the most extraordinary historic motors and aeroplanes in the world.
When her father is declared 'lost at sea', Verma has to come back to Sandylands to manage his affairs.
An unlikely trio of heroes – a dragon, a boy and a forest brownie – embark on an epic adventure to find the “Rim of Heaven” - the mythological safe haven for all dragons.
Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in an English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie. After a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that he's the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles.
Roman teenager, Atti is forced to join the Roman army when one of his clever schemes falls foul of Emperor Nero. He is sent to "miserable, cold, wet Britain" where "the natives are revolting - quite literally". Things go from bad to worse when Atti is captured by Orla, a feisty teenage Celt desperate to prove herself as a warrior.
A satirical documentary charting Geoffrey Moore and his daughter Ambra’s journey through Hollywood, as the pair track down celebrities and industry insiders in their bid to find out what it takes to become an Academy Award winner.
Paddington, now happily settled with the Browns, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy, but it is stolen.
THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND CELEBRATED ITS EPIC TERCENTENARY CELEBRATION AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL IN 2017. Over 4,000 Freemasons from Provinces and Districts were joined by representatives from over 130 sovereign Grand Lodges from around the world to mark 300 years since the founding of the world’s first Grand Lodge for Freemasons. The audience witnessed a theatrical extravaganza which embraced the rich history and heritage of Freemasonry and featured a cast of renowned actors including Sir Derek Jacobi, Samantha Bond and Sanjeev Bhaskar.
'Unforgotten' follows modern police team DCI Cassie Stuart and DI Sunny Khan, who gradually unravel long-forgotten secrets which have a dramatic impact on their investigation and the four potential suspects. The slow revelation of the secrets will also affect the personal lives of both Sunny and Cassie.
Indian cinema has the largest audience of any art form on the planet. With a population of over a billion, India has recently enjoyed an economic boom and its movie stars are treated like deities. Today their fame stretches across the diaspora, in what has become a truly global industry. As Indian cinema celebrates its centenary, Sanjeev Bhaskar travels across the subcontinent to get under the skin of the Indian movie business as never before. From young hopefuls in the slums of Mumbai to superstars like Kareena Kapoor and Aamir Khan, he meets the stars of the silver screen and the people behind the scenes - legendary producers, directors, musicians and choreographers - exploring the stories behind some of the greatest films ever made.
Eccentric aliens give a man the power to do anything he wants to determine if Earth is worth saving.
Documentary charting and celebrating five decades of often groundbreaking, boundary-pushing comedy from BBC Two.
Having suffered hard during the economic downturn, The Kumars are now living in a flat in Hounslow behind the shop that Ashwin now runs. Sanjeev is divorced from his wife of nearly two years and Ashwin has manged to get a sponsorship deal that has allowed him to resurrect the family's talk show, which takes place in the living room of their flat.
A computer hacker's goal to discover the reason for human existence continually finds his work interrupted thanks to the Management; this time, they send a teenager and lusty love interest to distract him.
Each Christmas, Santa and his vast army of highly trained elves produce gifts and distribute them around the world in one night. However, when one of 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa on Christmas Eve is missed, it is deemed ‘acceptable’ to all but one – Arthur. Arthur Claus is Santa’s misfit son who executes an unauthorized rookie mission to get the last present half way around the globe before dawn on Christmas morning.
Eleven-year-old Beanie's bland life is changed for ever when he is sent on a mission. Armed only with laser lip-gloss and a pair of blend-in pants he has to save his parents from Evil Stella and return the Golden Nit to its rightful place at the heart of the sun, thereby saving the universe.
A satirical alternative history of World War II where the Nazis seize London and England must band together to prevent a full on invasion.
A parolee battles a gangster for the affections of a reclusive movie star.
Not The Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy) is a comic oratorio based on Monty Python's Life of Brian, which retells the tragic tale of Mandy, impregnated by a Roman soldier, giving birth to Brian, a reluctant revolutionary of the People's Front of Judea who falls in love with Judith, gets mistaken for a Messiah and is arrested by the Romans and sentenced to be crucified. It ranges in reference from Handel, through a naughty Mozart duet, to the Festival of Nine Carols, Bob Dylan, and the classic finale "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life".
The Indian Doctor is a British television drama set in the summer of 1963. Produced by Rondo Media and Avatar Productions, it was first broadcast on BBC One in 2010. The most recent series began on 27 February 2012 and concluded on 2 March. It is a period comedy drama starring Sanjeev Bhaskar as an Indian doctor who finds work in a South Wales mining village.
Mumbai Calling is a British-Indian comedy series, starring Sanjeev Bhaskar, set in the fictional Teknobable call centre in Mumbai. The series was shot on location in India. The pilot first aired on ITV on 30 May 2007. The first series aired on ABC1 starting on 12 May 2009, and on ITV starting on 30 May 2009.
We Are Most Amused was a gala event held at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 12 November 2008 in honour of the 60th birthday of Charles, Prince of Wales, in aid of The Prince's Trust. Prince Charles attended the event with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and younger son Prince Harry. The show had a similar format to the Royal Variety Show and showcased a variety of comedy acts. The performance was televised by ITV to the public on 15 November 2008. Robin Williams made his first UK stage appearance in more than 25 years. Tickets were sold to the general public and the event sold out in one hour.
London, an overcrowded cafe, one table to share. Two strangers tell each other “how I met my fiancé” stories to kill time. Rikki (Abhishek Bachchan) met his fiance Anaida (Lara Dutta) at the Ritz in Paris and Alvira (Preity Zinta) met her prince charming Steve (Bobby Deol) at Madame Tussauds
India with Sanjeev Bhaskar is a four-part documentary from the BBC in which Sanjeev Bhaskar travels to India with director Deep Sehgal. The documentary was created as part of the BBC's series of programmes on the 60th anniversary of the independence of India and Pakistan. The series was broadcast between 30 July and 20 August 2007.
The upper-class secret agent teaming up accidentally with an easily-corrupted, sly interpreter...
To celebrate her 80th birthday, the Queen is holding a children's party in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. She has invited many classic characters from British children's literature. But when the baddies, led by Cruella de Vil, discover that they have not been invited, they steal the Queen's handbag containing her spectacles and the text of her speech; without it, the Queen will not be able to make a speech at the party. Can the goodies find the handbag in time?
Chopratown is a comedy drama from the BBC about private eye Vic Chopra. In the film Chopra investigates Ali Ergun, a shady Turkish bakery owner. During his investigation he falls foul of Asian wide boy Ash Desai and added to this is the mystery of a missing cow. Chopratown was directed by Sean Grundy, who also directed the first series of the Channel 4 drama Sugar Rush. The name "Chopratown" is a pun on the Jack Nicholson cult film Chinatown.
Documentary charting the rise of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy from its original guise as a radio series through to becoming a Hollywood blockbuster.
Meena, a 12-year-old living in a mining village in the English Midlands in 1972, is the daughter of Indian parents who've come to England to give her a better life. This idyllic existence is upset by the arrival in the village of Anita Rutter and her dysfunctional family.
An adaptation of the folktale about a lonely boy, his beloved cat, and the hard decisions that come with their adventures.
The Kumars at No. 42 is a British comedy show. It won an International Emmy in 2002 and 2003. It ran for seven series totalling 53 episodes.
Circa 1940 in Trinidad, still a British Colony, lives Ganesh Ramseyor, of East Indian origin, along with his wife, Leela. He longs to reach out to people, especially to Hindus, in order to promote the Hindu Faith, and be known as a writer. He does get considerable success, so much so that he becomes famous as a miracle worker, having cured a man of sharing intimacy with his bicycle; prevented a man from believing that he can fly; and convincing a young woman to end her fast. His fame spreads all over the island and thousands throng to seek his blessings, which he does dole out quite benevolently, without charging any fees from the poor and the needy. He then decides to spread his wings by challenging the local politician Pandit Narayan Chandrashekhar alias Cyrus T., and takes over The Hindu Organization, thence opening his way to a seat in the prestigious Member of the Legislative Assembly
William Thacker is a London bookstore owner whose humdrum existence is thrown into romantic turmoil when famous American actress Anna Scott appears in his shop. A chance encounter over spilled orange juice leads to a kiss that blossoms into a full-blown affair. As the average bloke and glamorous movie star draw closer and closer together, they struggle to reconcile their radically different lifestyles in the name of love.
In the trenches of the Western Front in 1915, a British army chaplain is forced to question his faith as he witnesses hundreds of Hindu soldiers risking their lives daily for the Empire.
Captain Butler was a British sitcom starring Craig Charles as Butler, the captain of a motley crew of pirates which included Roger Griffiths, Shaun Curry, Lewis Rae and Sanjeev Bhaskar. Created by John Smith and Rob Sprackling, the series only ran for six episodes on Channel 4 during 1997. Its theme tune was The Sex Pistols version of "Friggin' In The Riggin'".
Goodness Gracious Me is a BBC English language sketch comedy show originally aired on BBC Radio 4 from 1996 to 1998 and later televised on BBC Two from 1998 to 2001. The ensemble cast were four British Indian actors, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Syal and Nina Wadia. The show explored the conflict and integration between traditional Indian culture and modern British life. Some sketches reversed the roles to view the British from an Indian perspective, and others poked fun at Indian stereotypes. In the television series most of the white characters were played by Dave Lamb and Fiona Allen; in the radio series those parts were played by the cast themselves. The show's title and theme tune is a bhangra rearrangement of a hit comedy song of the same name. The original was performed by Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren reprising their characters from the 1960 film The Millionairess. The show's original working title was "Peter Sellers is Dead", but was changed because the cast generally liked Peter Sellers. In her 1996 novel Anita and Me, Syal had referred to British parodies of Asian speech as "a goodness-gracious-me accent". One of the more famous sketches featured the cast "going out for an English" after a few lassis. They mispronounce the waiter's name, order the blandest thing on the menu and ask for twenty-four plates of chips. The sketch parodies often-drunk English people "going out for an Indian", ordering chicken phall and too many papadums. This sketch was voted the 6th Greatest Comedy Sketch on a Channel 4 list show.
The Real McCoy was a BBC Television comedy show that ran from 1991 to 1996, featuring an array of black and Asian comedy stars performing material aimed at an across-the-board black audience. UK comedy stars that featured in the series included: the comedy double-act of Curtis and Ishmael, Collette Johnson, Llewella Gideon, British Asian standup Meera Syal, Perry Benson, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Leo Chester, Felix Dexter, Robbie Gee, Kulvinder Ghir, Judith Jacob, Rudi Lickwood, Eddie Nestor, Marcus Powell, Junior Simpson and Curtis Walker and Jo Martin. The producer of the first two series, Charlie Hanson, was the co-founder of the Black Theatre Co-operative and had produced No Problem! and Desmond's before creating The Real McCoy. He was working with Curtis and Ishmael on the 291 Club at the Hackney Empire and suggested making a television version, but instead, the BBC opted for a totally new sketch series, launching The Real McCoy. In spite of its popularity it has yet to be released on DVD.
