Beta Female

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Comedy: Sitcoms

Sitcom by Amna Saleem, starring Kiran Sonia Sawar.

Sitcom by Amna Saleem, starring Kiran Sonia Sawar. Like many women of her background and age, Amna wants her differences acknowledged but to be treated the same as everyone else.

The identity of Amna depends on who you are. To her fellow Glaswegians, she's a Londoner now, having lived there for three years. To Londoners, she's Scottish when they can only hear her, but Asian if they can see her. To Scots, she's Pakistani - but to Pakistanis, she's British. To employers, she's disposable. And to her white, English boyfriend, she's just Amna, as his white privilege means he doesn't have to think about all of that.

To her mum, of course, she's just "beta", the Urdu term for child.

Beta Female is a sitcom which hinges on Amna's desire to be all these things and more - to keep her Mum and Dad happy by allowing her to believe that she and her boyfriend don't live together, and to keep her boyfriend happy by getting a job and contributing to the rent. Like many women of her background and age, Amna wants to have her differences acknowledged but to be treated the same as everyone else. From work to love to family to social media, Amna walks a tightrope of identity.

Contrasting with her confusion are her little brother, Haris, and her sister, Sunnah, both of whom appear to have "picked a side" - Haris is a young Scottish slacker, and Sunnah is a Muslim wife and mother. Amna still finds herself wanting to be part of both worlds, and seeming to feel part of neither.

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Beta Female: Series 1: Pilot - Episode 1

Pilot - Episode 1

Series 1

BBC Radio 4 - Beta Female, Series 1, Pilot - Episode 1

New sitcom by Amna Saleem, starring Kiran Sonia Sawar.

A new sitcom by Amna Saleem, starring Kiran Sonia Sawar.

The identity of Amna depends on who you are. To her fellow Glaswegians, she's a Londoner now, having lived there for three years. To Londoners, she's Scottish when they can only hear her, but Asian if they can see her. To Scots, she's Pakistani - but to Pakistanis, she's British. To employers, she's disposable. And to her white, English boyfriend, she's just Amna, as his white privilege means he doesn't have to think about all of that.

To her mum, of course, she's just "beta", the Urdu term for child.

Beta Female is a new sitcom which hinges on Amna's desire to be all these things and more - to keep her Mum and Dad happy by allowing her to believe that she and her boyfriend don't live together, and to keep her boyfriend happy by getting a job and contributing to the rent. Like many women of her background and age, Amna wants to have her differences acknowledged but to be treated the same as everyone else. From work to love to family to social media, Amna walks a tightrope of identity.

Contrasting with her confusion are her little brother, Haris, and her sister, Sunnah, both of whom appear to have "picked a side" - Haris is a young Scottish slacker, and Sunnah is a Muslim wife and mother. Amna still finds herself wanting to be part of both worlds, and seeming to feel part of neither.

This pilot episode sees Amna return home to Glasgow for an Eid party, where she will introduce her boyfriend to her family for the first time. 

Cast:
Amna ... Kiran Sonia Sawar
Theo ... Tom Stourton
Mum .. Sudha Bhuchar
Dad ... Bhasker Patel
Haris ... Omar Raza
Sunnah ... Amna Saleem
Uncle ... Anil Goutam
Auntie ... Nina Wadia

Written by Amna Saleem
Produced by Ed Morrish

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Beta Female: Series 1

BBC Radio 4

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