2 February 2023 |
Diet Paratha is the Instagram community platform created by London-based New Zealander Anita Chhiba that has quickly become home to the best of South Asian talent. Johnnie Walker, on the other hand, is the world’s number one scotch whisky brand bidding to bring about progress, encouragement in adversity and expressions of optimism. Together, with a new evocative short film spotlighting barrier-breaking British-Indian Bridgerton leading lady and Sex Education star Simone Ashley, the pairing are taking big and ‘Bold Steps’ toward expanding representation and championing the voices vying for meaningful change.
The creative representation of the British South Asian community in UK mainstream culture is historically neglected. Whilst being the largest minority group in the country, accounting for just under 7 percent of the country’s population, only 4.8 percent of on-screen actors, presenters and television stars are of British South Asian heritage. Even when South Asians make it to the silver screen, so many of the roles on offer either fade into the background or depict inauthentic and stereotyped characters. And off-screen too, currently only 2.6 percent of writers, directors and producers identify as South Asian. Bold Steps aspires to reposition this lack of representation because, as Chibba says, “seeing someone reflected back at you that looks like you changes lives.” She adds, “It’s often so positively memorable when you see your own [people] excelling in ways [you] never thought possible.”
Ashley says, “I always get asked: ‘Why is it important to see strong, independent women in film?’. I literally say, ‘Because they exist’, I don’t know what else to say. To me, answering that question sounds like: ‘Why is it important to have coffee cups in this office scene?’ Because people drink coffee. It’s just like, the sky is blue.”
The Bold Steps campaign is about moving in “a direction we were taught to avoid,” Ashley says in the film; “walking instead into a world we created for our own lives.” In an uncirculated version of the film she continues, “There were moments I felt like I had to apologise for myself, or dim my light a little, to make others around me feel a bit more comfortable. But I realised, if I’m an inconvenience to them, then it’s not really my problem, and I can be confident, talented, creative, nuanced and brave. I can be tall, I can be dark, I can have long legs and explore all the things I’m passionate about, but also be an intelligent actress who deserves to work with [likeminded people].”
The campaign builds on Johnnie Walker’s ‘Keep Walking’ spirit of progress, giving one winning individual the chance to be mentored by industry leading art director Manu Pillai, and to have their own unique design printed onto a limited-edition bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label and sold throughout England. Johnnie Walker will carry on its support beyond Bold Steps with mentorships for five additional individuals throughout 2023. “I wish campaigns like this existed when I was coming up,” Chibba reflects. “I’d encourage anyone interested to be as proactive as possible! This isn’t just limited to artists and designers – we’d love anyone at all who is inspired by Bold Steps to apply.”
The initiative is also a part of Diet Paratha’s Family Tree Programme aimed at British South Asians looking to break into or advance in creative industries. “The creative industry can sometimes be a very isolating place for someone of South Asian heritage. Paired with the fact that so many of our families have no idea what we even do for a living. So we set up Diet Paratha Family Tree Mentoring,” says Chhiba. “The programme, which will run for an entire year, aims to unlock opportunity within creative industries around the world while providing guidance and motivation.”
Lensed by Kajal, the film marks Ashley’s first venture into creative direction and alongside Chhiba, the result is authentically inclusive. Bold Steps is made by the community, for the community; from the cast and the crew, to the behind-the-scenes team and the designers involved. As Ashley struts across the set, she wears a hand-embellished, plush velvet dress with matching evening gloves by Khanum’s, a luxury brand founded by London-based second-generation Bangladeshi immigrant Rokeya Khanum. The actor’s crystal hoop earrings, crafted from ethically sourced materials, are by UK-based South Asian designer Amaan Duffer and his brand Basliq.
“It’s not often we’re told we’re brown and brilliant and to live out our dreams, but our brown pushes boundaries, from our people it beams,” Ashley proclaims in the film. “To all our power that we hold, to all our ambitions, we are sun-kissed gold.” We’ll raise our glass of scotch and cheers to that.
Photography by Kajal.
