Launched 4 November 2025
Thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we’re proud to announce that the Kahaani project officially launched on 4 November and has now successfully gathered 50 powerful stories from first- and second-generation South Asian migrants who made Somerset, Dorset, Swindon, and Wiltshire their home over the last 40–70 years.
These stories — of challenge and joy, isolation and community, resilience and belonging — capture the living history of the rural Southwest. They now form part of a lasting digital archive, will inspire short films, and will be used in local schools to challenge stereotypes and build greater understanding.
We are no longer calling for further stories, as our collection is now complete. Instead, we look forward to celebrating and sharing these remarkable journeys with the wider community.
If you’d still like to connect with the project, share reflections, or hear more about how the stories are being used, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact: Please use the contact form below or call us on 07500 686 765.
What’s Next
- Short film series – coming early 2026 – based on the collected stories.
- Schools participating in the project will receive teaching materials and workshop invites in the new year.
- Digital archive accessible online www.kahaanionfilm.com
In the Press
BBC Wiltshire & BBC Points West – 18 June 2025
“These stories are different to those arriving in London or Birmingham. The South Asians that came to the rural West had to integrate a lot quicker… they were the ones who broke down barriers. They started playing sport, going to the pub, they really became one with the community around them.” – Gurch Singh, Creative Director
Swindon Link – 6 November 2025
“Create Studios has launched Kahaani, a new project celebrating South Asian heritage in the South West. The project features a 30‑minute documentary, a touring exhibition, and a permanent digital archive, capturing the stories of 50 first- and second-generation South Asian residents from Wiltshire, Somerset, and Dorset.”
Read more: Swindon Link article
