As part of our digital programme for South Asian Heritage Month we are releasing a short documentary by Jei Palanivel. Jei has made a short film about the Sri Lankan seafood stew that hails from the north east of Sri Lankan, in Jaffna. As Jei says himself, this documentary is very personal.
“It marks the very early stages of a mid-life career pivot; from a corporate existence that I clumsily fell into and ultimately found deeply unsatisfying, into a more creative direction that is certainly more uncertain but is more genuine and honest to my character and interests. As part of that pivoting process I realised that storytelling, in all its forms, was a fundamental love of mine, and foremost among the media I loved was film. To test this I took a course at a film school in documentary making, and what resulted was this film, and a confirmation that I was on the right path. The contents and themes of the film are very personal: people, practices, memories, myths and places I care deeply about, that reflect my upbringing and continue to shape me through my life. And one of the underlying reasons to explore that content comes from a personal place of not knowing, of non-wholeness, that I think may be closer to a universal set of feelings, especially for diaspora peoples, immigrants, or simply generations alive right now, in this metamodern moment. I made this documentary in Feb/March this year- my first ever film, and I know I have huge amounts to learn both as a storyteller and filmmaker, but a spark has been lit in me- modest, but potent. I intend this film to be part of a longer series of works that explore those aforementioned themes and feelings more extensively: the Kool Chronicles will travel across the global Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora and back to Jaffna, home of Kool. I look forward to the adventures and collaborators I meet along the way.”
The Sri Lankan Culture Collective is supported by the Hera Project X Sri Lanka and Wandsworth Council.
The exhibition ‘Unsung Heroes of World War I’ featured historical artifacts, photos and news clippings on the Asian (Indian, Nepalese Bangladeshi – the Indian subcontinent, along with Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesian soldiers in WW1, as well as other moments in South Asian history.
As the saying goes, “Like mother, like daughter.” In the case of creative talents, this couldn’t be more true. The influence of a mother’s creativity can leave a lasting impact on her children, shaping their own artistic endeavours and passions. In this journal I explore the profound impact my mother’s creative legacy has influenced me and how Sohavi was truly born. Roots to routes explores my late mothers life journey from birth in Kenya to India as a teenager and eventually returning to Kenya in her 20’s , to marry my father Sardar Tirlochan Singh Dhamu, to emigrate to London from Nairobi in October 1973 and live out the rest of her life. Despite experiencing loss and trauma, she endured difficulties n her younger years and made the best of her life in my fathers trusting hand, he led her to a new life in London.
As an update from my last article, I can say that the past year has been both adventurous and fulfilling. I’ve faced a mix of opportunities
South Asian Heritage Month dates changed to "July" from 2026 — Learn more here →
