FILM CRITIC

Ashanti has been part of the UK media industry for two decades, presenting and curating the best South Asian entertainment, music and cultural content from across the diaspora. In her varied career she has been a film critic and festival creator, features writer, presenter and host – as well as a BBC broadcaster for more than 10 years.

Before she became any of those things, Ashanti was a management consultant working with companies like O2, PepsiCo and Hilton: but she eventually left the corporate world behind to follow her passion for arts and culture. Due to her deep knowledge of South Asian, and specifically South Indian and Sri Lankan culture, Ashanti is now one of the foremost commentators for the community. She has also been trained as a Carnatic vocalist since her childhood, giving her added insight on South Indian classical music. 

Naturally, Ashanti has been up close and personal with several famous faces, from film stars like Shahrukh Khan, Idris Elba and Radhika Apte to respected musicians like A.R. Rahman, will.i.am and M.I.A. In the world of cinema, Ashanti is a voting member for bodies including the BRIT Awards and Sundance, and a long-time supporter of the London Indian Film Festival. She has also been dubbed an early-wave influencer, with a highly engaged social media following of over 70k people across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even LinkedIn