South Asian Film Festival UK to Debut with Bollywood Classics

The South Asian Film Festival UK (SAFF UK) will launch its inaugural nationwide edition this October, bringing restored Indian cinema classics to audiences across eight Showcase Cinemas in England.

Supported by the BFI Audience Projects Fund, the festival will celebrate South Asian film heritage through three landmark Hindi films.

The programme will feature Raj Kapoor’s Sangam on October 4, Yash Chopra’s Kabhi Kabhie on October 11 and Farhan Akhtar’s Dil Chahta Hai on October 18.

Each film will be shown in a newly restored version, allowing audiences to experience the classics on the big screen.

The festival aims to connect audiences across generations while celebrating some of Hindi cinema’s most influential films.

Festival Director Rajesh Bedi said SAFF UK would offer more than traditional film screenings.

He said the festival would celebrate “culture, nostalgia, music and storytelling” while allowing audiences to experience iconic films together in cinemas.

Bedi also highlighted a special feature that will appear before every screening.

The SAFF UK Filmy Sing-Along Medley will feature memorable song sequences from Hindi cinema, inviting audiences to sing along before the main feature.

The medley will include stars such as Dev Anand, Asha Parekh, Dharmendra, Rekha, Rishi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji and Katrina Kaif.

Bedi said the sing-along would make each screening a unique and memorable shared experience for audiences.

The BFI has supported the festival through its Audience Projects Fund, which aims to increase access to culturally significant film programmes across the UK.

BFI Senior Manager Sarah-Jane Meredith said SAFF UK would help audiences access films that are not readily available to South Asian communities in Britain.

She added that the festival would promote South Asian film heritage within the mainstream exhibition landscape.

Showcase Cinemas is partnering with SAFF UK to bring the restored films to audiences across eight locations.

James Dobbin, Director of Event Cinema at Showcase Cinemas, said the partnership would give customers and families the chance to experience the films on the big screen.

The festival has also received support from Lyca Radio Network.

Lyca Radio CEO Raj Baddhan described the festival’s line-up as “iconic”, highlighting the cultural importance of Sangam, Kabhi Kabhie and Dil Chahta Hai.

Their soundtracks have also remained culturally significant, continuing to resonate with South Asian audiences across generations.

Rosie Doal of A Rosie World spoke about the personal significance of the festival.

She recalled growing up with Bollywood films and music at home, describing the experience of watching them on VHS.

Doal said SAFF UK would allow audiences to create new memories around films that have already played an important role in their lives.

The festival will visit eight Showcase Cinemas across England.

Screenings will take place in Bluewater, Southampton, Reading, Leicester, Coventry, Nottingham, Leeds and Dudley.

Tickets are now available through Showcase Cinemas, with further festival updates available through the official SAFF UK website.

SAFF UK offers British South Asian audiences an opportunity to revisit some of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated films.

By combining restored classics with communal sing-alongs, the festival is creating a contemporary cinema experience around Bollywood’s enduring cultural legacy.