Anjli Goes East

Breaking away from her role as Rani Chandra on the SJA, Anjli Mohindra has recently taken on the part of 'Meenah Khan' for a stage adapation of the much-acclaimed 1996 screenplay, East Is East. Back in the day, the play proved to be so popular - it got turned into a feature-length film!

The award-winning comedy tells the story of a mixed-race family living in 1970s Salford, with a particular focus on the young siblings who were born and raised in Britain, and who increasingly see themselves as British. Contrary to their Pakistani father's rules on dress-code, food, religion and living in general.

Anjli gave her first performance at the Birmingham Rep last night - which, most unfortunately, clashed with the SJA press launch she was due to attend in Soho! She had to give it a miss, but Team Bannerman Road were still out in full-force - with Elisabeth Sladen, Tommy Knight and Daniel Anthony making an appearance, along with a veritable plethora of SJA writers and members of the media. SFX magazine are thus far the only one's who've posted up an article covering the event - informing us that the press, cast and crew, along with their families, were invited along to see an advance screening of Prisoner of the Judoon! To find out what they thought of the two-parter, click the link above!

Following the screening, which featured a showreel of future SJA episodes including *squee!* the one with the Doctor, a Q&A session with the writer behind the episode, Phil Ford, was opened up to the audience. Apparently none of the press got a word in, though, 'cause the session was "hijacked by the children in the audience, who managed to ask all the questions!" :D Really pleased to hear that fans within the target audience were given the enviable opportunity to watch SJA on the big screen, and got to see the cast and crew, to boot! Brilliant stroke of marketing on the Beeb's part. What better way to get kids talking about the premiere of the new series of SJA, than by getting those children who've seen it already to spread the word to their peers?

The rest of us will have the chance to catch the episodes when they air in just under three weeks time. Not long to go...! Speaking of which, not long to go before our Bubbleshock Contest's voting system kicks off, too! It's been a bit of a wait, I know, but your patience is much appreciated. :)