The son of Punjabi Hindus, A A Dhandn says he is frustrated with Asian media for ‘being comfortable with caricatures and clichés’. Mark Davis
The son of Punjabi Hindus, A A Dhandn says he is frustrated with Asian media for ‘being comfortable with caricatures and clichés’. Mark Davis

A A Dhand’s novel Streets of Darkness a timely release in the wake of Brexit



Imagine a detective with the patriotism of 24's Jack Bauer, the edginess of DCI John Luther and the unhinged dedication of Homeland's Carrie Mathison. Throw in a dark knight trying to save a Gotham-esque city from itself, and you have all the ingredients for an intriguing character. Except in Streets of Darkness by A A Dhand, there's a twist. Detective Harry Virdee is Asian, and he's caught up in a murder investigation on the troubled streets of Bradford, England.

“If we really want to talk about diversity and inclusivity, then we need someone like Harry Virdee, and it’s about time we had him,” says Dhand.

The pharmacist-turned-debut novelist is fired up – and rightly so. As Britain works out exactly how it will look after withdrawing from Europe, it feels like the whole idea of what being “British” means is also up for grabs. For Dhand, it’s simple. The son of Punjabi Hindus, who raised him in Bradford, his feelings are exactly the same as his charismatic new character.

“Harry actually isn’t confused about his identity or his moral compass at all,” he says. “For Harry, being British is about democracy, tolerance and patriotism – which is why he’ll do anything that it takes to defend his city or indeed his right to be married to his Muslim wife.”

As Harry – a non-practising Sikh – says menacingly to his first suspect: “There is a nice way and a not-so-nice way to do this.”

It's to Dhand's immense credit that he manages to juggle all these cultural issues with the crucial business of writing a page-turning thriller. Set over 10 hours in Bradford on the day of the largest Asian Mela in the UK, Streets of Darkness opens with the murder of the most powerful Asian man in the city, a swastika carved into his chest. Harry is suspended from the police, but asked to track suspect Lucas Dwight, an ex-British National Party leader recently released from prison. Naturally, the case isn't as easy or straightforward as that, and as the tension and pressure increase, the enthralling combination of people, places and social politics offers the kind of multifaceted drama that Ian Rankin fans would appreciate.

"But I'm very aware that an Asian writer hasn't really done this before," says Dhand, who still works in healthcare. "And that's what frustrates me about Asian media: it seems very comfortable with caricatures and clichés. That's not to say there isn't a part of me that doesn't enjoy [British sitcoms] Goodness Gracious Me or Citizen Khan. But they've been done again and again.

“Harry and his wife, Saima, are cool, driven and fiercely protective of each other and their city. And if I can get that across, along with the understanding that they are all about justice, then that will be really important. Asian people aren’t just about corner shops and extremists sponging off the city. It’s time we changed the narrative.”

Dhand certainly senses the opportunity that the television adaptation rights – which have already been sold – offer. We’re speaking to him mere days after his child has been born, and yet he’s knee-deep in a version of a script he hopes will be good enough to get the green light. If not, he’s happy to hand the adaptation over to someone else, as long as they understand the nuances and characters. Whatever happens, Dhand will have some part to play.

"Look, getting this on television is probably the most important thing for me right now," he says. "Not for my career, but because if it got as big a platform as Luther, it really could start lots of positive conversations. People could enjoy the fact that Harry and Saima are different and that we have something new to talk about. Something that might move this country forwards."

The business of doing just that via a thrilling crime drama is tricky, of course. But Dhand has just one example of how a tiny thread in a page-turning novel might be able to change minds.

“Take the war on terror after 9/11,” he says. “If you ask Asian people, many aren’t proud of being British because they are always asked about that time. Yes, it might have been an aspect of British policy that me, or Harry Virdee, don’t agree with. But actually, that’s not all we are about. There are plenty of other things about being British that are fabulous. So, park the war on terror: the British government did what they did, but that doesn’t define us. Do you see what I’m getting at? We have to rid ourselves of all these preconceived ideas of who we are.”

Can Detective Harry Virdee achieve just that? You certainly wouldn’t want to doubt him.

Streets of Darkness (Bantam) is out now. For more information about the author, visit www.aadhand.com

artslife@thenational.ae

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Recipe

Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo

Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.

Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.

Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking,  remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.

Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.

 

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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
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  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

The cost of Covid testing around the world

Egypt

Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists

Information can be found through VFS Global.

Jordan

Dh212

Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.

Cambodia

Dh478

Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.

Zanzibar

AED 295

Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.

Abu Dhabi

Dh85

Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.

UK

From Dh400

Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.

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Disclaimer

Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

French Touch

Carla Bruni

(Verve)

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