The production is described as a ‘landmark historical three-part documentary series for Channel 4…
Across three hours, ‘Defiance’ is set to examine how Britain’s Asian community was targeted with a campaign of violence and murder between 1976 and 1981, as National Front activity became increasingly prominent.
The series investigates seminal events ranging from the Southall riots, the death of Blair Peach, the Battle for Brick Lane and the extraordinary story of the Bradford 12. Through a cache of archive footage and new testimony from key figures on the front line at the time, the documentary series will show what happened when the British Asian community decided to fight back.
These timely films will lift the lid on a period in recent British history, in which the violence, and injustice – as well as the extraordinary courage of those who confronted it – resonates through the decades.
Head of Specialist Factual for Channel 4, Shaminder Nahal:
“I couldn’t be more excited to have been able to commission this series, which feels like it will be the first of its kind. At a moment when we have a British Asian Prime Minister, and an Asian First Minister in Scotland, it is incredibly powerful to be able to tell the stories of everyday British Asians fighting to make their way in this country and to be heard.
“It’s a huge privilege to be working with Rogan Productions, Riz Ahmed and Left Handed Films, and the GroupM Motion Entertainment on this uniquely Channel 4 project – I’m hoping that all together we will create something that feels like a bolt of energy, making us stop and think, and change perceptions.”
