Both NoT Half

The first of our 2024 Bookclub talks was with actor, presenter, and now author, Jassa Ahluwalia who was in conversation with presenter and author Noreen Khan.

Jassa Ahluwalia

Jassa Ahluwalia is a British actor, writer, filmmaker and trade unionist. Born in Coventry to a white English mum and a brown Punjabi dad in 1990, he attended school in Leicester and was raised in an extended family environment. He spoke English in the playground, Punjabi with his grandparents, and spent various summer holidays in India. He came to prominence as Rocky in the hit BBC Three series Some Girls, followed by starring roles in Unforgotten, Ripper Street, and Peaky Blinders. Jassa created the hashtag #BothNotHalf to explore mixed identity in light of his own British-Indian heritage. His TEDx talk on ‘How Language Shapes Identity’ has clocked up over 170k views and his BBC One documentary Am I English? won an Asian Media Award in 2022.

They discussed 'Both Not Half', Jassa's new book about his journey of self-discovery which also challenges how we think and talk about mixed identities.

Buy 'Both Not Half' here

Pav Singh

Author, Pav Singh joins bookclub to present the definitive account based on harrowing victim testimonies and official accounts reveals how the largest mass crime against humanity in India's modern history was perpetrated by politicians and covered up with the help of the police, judiciary and media.

Anam Zakaria

Using the oral narratives of four generations of people - mainly Pakistanis but also some Indians - attempts to understand how the perception of Partition and the 'other' has evolved over the years.

Dr Shashi Tharoor

Former UN under-Secretary General and politician, Dr Shashi Tharoor discusses his international bestseller ‘The Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India. Shashi is In conversation with BBC journalist and broadcaster Kavita Puri,

Dr Radha Kapuria

How both music and dance played a vital role in state craft and deeply influenced the Indo-European diplomatic relationship even though it is often overlooked by historians. From performances of the legendary corps of ‘Amazons’ acting as “gifts” to European visitors, to striking a coin in Moran’s name, music and dance played an intrinsic role in the Court.

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