Ahluwalia's 'Beloved' Film Celebrates Black and Brown Love Stories

Priya Ahluwalia returned to the physical London Fashion Week show schedule for Fall/Winter 2022, presenting the designer’s eponymous label’s “From Nollywood to Bollywood” collection that explored sex, romance and the dramatic plotlines of Bollywood and Nollywood films. Now, Ahluwalia has launched its own film, titled Beloved.

The new piece is Ahluwalia’s first film that sees her be the director with Ridley Scott Creative Group’s Black Dog Films, and debuted last weekend at the “Bollywood to Nollywood” film festival at Soho House in White City. While a pop-up shop selling the designer’s FW22 collection sat alongside the Girls Can’t DJ-curated dance program, it was the film that stole the show.

Like the collection, and much of Priya Ahluwalia’s work, Beloved looks to represent Black and Brown people in an authentic manner, “far-removed from a European gaze,” per the press release. Speaking on the film, Priya Ahluwalia said, “Bollywood and Nollywood films were one of the few places I could experience people like me in ways mainstream media didn’t represent us: love, joy, glamour, entertaining, passionate, vulnerable. Now, film has become one of my favorite mediums to showcase stories from my community, as well as my collections. I love how film has the power to connect to its audiences, transport them and drive emotional engagement.”

As a result, Beloved explores the delicate and personal relationships everyone holds dear to their heart, while putting the focus on Black and Brown love stories. Protagonists are decked in the FW22 collection, harnessing the spirit of the film and its messaging.

You can watch Ahluwalia’s Beloved above, while more can be found online.

In case you missed it, check out Hypebeast’s spotlight on the best new names in Miami’s fashion scene.