Meera Syal, one of the premier British Asian actors to regularly star on British TV, thanked the British Academy of Film and Television Arts(BAFTA) for “seeing us” as she accepted the lifetime achievement award. The actor, best known for starring in Goodness Gracious Me, was accepted into the fellowship of the industry’s highest accolade.
She dedicated her win to the ones whose stories had gone unheard due to their race, sex or class, while urging that the industry needed more diversity “not just in front of the camera but in the writers’ rooms, in makeup vans and around tables where deals are done”, reported The Guardian. She also said that it was the unheard stories that had the potential to change the world.
Syal was described as a “national treasure” by BAFTA chair Krish Majumdar. Her role in Goodness Gracious Me – shown on BBC Two from 1998 to 2001- changed the game and paved the way for many others.
In another impactful instance from the event, Kate Winslet, in her tearful acceptance speech for best actress, called for action against hate speech on social media. She urged people with power to criminalise harmful content. She sympathised with the families who felt like they were held hostage by social media and “for parents who wish they could still communicate with their teenagers, but who no longer can.” “And for young people who have become addicted to social media and its darker sides: this does not need to be your life”, she said.
I Am Ruth chronicles the relationship between a mother and daughter, dealing with the mental health pressures of the online world. Winslet starred in this film, alongside her daughter Mia Threapleton.