There was A LOT covered in BBC1's 'Young Sikh and Proud', so here are thoughts on my narrative, interviews, and... criticisms.
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There were two parallel stories in #YoungSikhandProud:
[Thread]
There were two parallel stories in #YoungSikhandProud:
#Youngsikhandproud
1: two brothers who grow up in London, went separate ways, clash over a big issue, reconciled and learned about each other.
2: the search for faith, belonging and identity, and tensions of a young community fitting into modern Britain.
1: two brothers who grow up in London, went separate ways, clash over a big issue, reconciled and learned about each other.
2: the search for faith, belonging and identity, and tensions of a young community fitting into modern Britain.
Why did I want to tell this from *my* perspective?
Firstly, it’s far more personal and tells you more about Jagraj as a person.
99% of non-Sikh Britons didn't know him. So I had to introduce him to them and explore WHY he went on that journey.
Firstly, it’s far more personal and tells you more about Jagraj as a person.
99% of non-Sikh Britons didn't know him. So I had to introduce him to them and explore WHY he went on that journey.
Talking about him just as a Sikh leader tells you little about Jagraj as a person, and more about his charity or Sikhism.
But that wasn’t my intention. I wanted Britons to know more about Jagraj Singh. Because he was very much a BRITISH Sikh leader too.
But that wasn’t my intention. I wanted Britons to know more about Jagraj Singh. Because he was very much a BRITISH Sikh leader too.
Jagraj doesn’t just become a Sikh and leave his Britishness behind.
It's central to his journey. He has the charisma to talk anyone partly thanks to Oxford and the British Army.
Before him, no Sikh leader had the confidence to do anything like this
It's central to his journey. He has the charisma to talk anyone partly thanks to Oxford and the British Army.
Before him, no Sikh leader had the confidence to do anything like this
Neither did he regret joining the British Army. He encouraged it.
So, for a non-Sikh audience, it's the British side of his identity I wanted to highlight so they could connect with him better.
In that video he specifically says his future was in Britain
So, for a non-Sikh audience, it's the British side of his identity I wanted to highlight so they could connect with him better.
In that video he specifically says his future was in Britain
'Young, Sikh and Proud' is essentially about our search for identity and belonging.
The tensions I focus on are about following the faith in a new setting, on the road to creating a new British Sikh identity.
Same goes for the interviews.
The tensions I focus on are about following the faith in a new setting, on the road to creating a new British Sikh identity.
Same goes for the interviews.
Shamsher Singh's views aren't about world politics, they are driven by his sense of belonging (or not) and displacement. Harvy Singh’s views are also largely about his identity.
We show two sides to this tension. @DrOpinderjit then ties it all together.
We show two sides to this tension. @DrOpinderjit then ties it all together.
Some Sikhs wanted this to be a PSA for Sikhi. Some wanted it to be on Jagraj's charity. Others wanted me to delve into Khalistan, 1984 and other political issues.
But it couldn't be all of that. Choose one or the other. I chose the story of Jagraj and a search for belonging.
But it couldn't be all of that. Choose one or the other. I chose the story of Jagraj and a search for belonging.
There is a lot to say about why Jagraj Singh was so good at reaching Sikhs, why he was the right person at the right time, using the right medium. And about what he wanted for future.
Problem is, I think that's hard to capture on video. We used testimony of teenagers at end.
Problem is, I think that's hard to capture on video. We used testimony of teenagers at end.
