Echo Chamber - 378 (Before Nikkah)
IMPORTANT NEWS!!!! 'Before Nikkah' has been nominated for the 11th Annual National Film Awards UK 2025. Public voting closes on the 19th June 2025, so use this link to do your thing!!!
Due to continued Wi-Fi nightmares, we're doing things slightly different this week! PEOPLE, we are bringing you a 'Special Edition' of @EchoChamberFP to hold you down!!!
Returning to the podcast, is the juggernaut of creativity, the one, the only, Marcus Flemmings! Cause Marcus has written a new film that tie's in many of the themes we've spoken about during his many visits to our stratosphere. He doesn't come alone either, cause the films director and imagination Sifu stops by, with the highly talented leads of the film. This legitimately was one of the funniest episodes, EVER, so hopefully you enjoy it, and it brings you to the film!!!!
'Before Nikkah' is directed by Haider Zafar, and written by Marcus Flemmings. Sara (Sasha Vadher) and Is(Isaam) (Aakash Shukal) are fated to meet in advance of a possible marriage they don't want and end up having to the spend the day together to kill time.
Watch the conversation: HERE!
In 'Part Two' we have:
Before Nikkah - Poster
Before Nikkah
Watch Review: Here.
London Indian Film Festival 2024: 27th June 2024
BFI SouthBank: 30th June 2024
London Pakistani Film Festival 2024: 2nd October 2024
Film Festival du Gange Sur Seine: 4th October 2024
UK Theatrical Release Date: 12th February 2025
Director: Haider Zafar
Cast: Sasha Vadher, Aakash Shukal, Kanchan Raval, Sally Ann, Aziz Kemal
Credit: HKZ Productions, London New Wave
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Running Time: 93 min
Cert: 15
Trailer: Here.
Website: Here.
Instagram: @before_nikkah
Watch the conversation: HERE!
Sasha Vadher
Sasha Vadher
Actor, Model, Producer
Sasha Vadher is a rising British actress and model gaining recognition for her compelling performances across film and television.
She is best known for her breakout role as Sara in Before Nikkah (2025), a romantic drama directed by Haider Zafar. The film, inspired by Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise, follows two strangers on an arranged date in London. Vadher's portrayal of Sara was widely praised, with Loud and Clear Reviews calling her “the film’s breakout star” and highlighting her as an actress to watch.
Her performance in Before Nikkah earned her the Best Actress award at the Gange Sur Paris Film Festival, as celebrated on the film’s official Instagram page.
Vadher has also appeared in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton and the indie film Picture This, showcasing her versatility across genres.
Looking ahead, she is set to star in the titular role of The Model, a drama scheduled for release in late 2025.
For more on her filmography, you can visit her IMDb profile.
Follow Sasha via:
IMDb: Here.
Instagram: @sashavadher
TikTok: @sashaaavx
Aakash Shukal
Aakash Shukal
Actor, Model
Aakash Shukal is a British actor celebrated for his compelling range across film and television. He delivers a standout lead performance as Isaam in Before Nikkah (2025), a critically acclaimed one-day romance that was shown at BAFTA, played to sold-out UK cinemas, and featured in the London Indian Film Festival.
Shukal’s growing body of work includes roles in both mainstream and indie projects, such as Marvel’s Eternals (2021), where he appeared as a Bollywood dancer, as well as leading parts in Quickie, Barun Rai and the House on the Cliff, Great Britain, and the short comedy Mad How Life Works. He also made a memorable appearance in Channel 4’s We Are Lady Parts (2021). His ability to move seamlessly between drama and comedy has positioned him as a versatile talent within the UK screen industry.
In 2025, he reteams with Marcus Flemmings for The Model, a character-led drama currently in post-production.
Follow Aakash via:
IMDb: Here.
Instagram: @aakash_7
YouTube: Here.
Haider Zafar
Haider Zafar
Cinematographer, Producer, Director, Writer, Editor, Actor, Visual Effects
Haider Zafar is a British-Pakistani cinematographer-turned-director whose visual style and grounded storytelling have made him a standout voice in contemporary independent cinema. He has lensed numerous features and shorts over the past decade, earning critical praise from the likes of Mark Kermode for his work on Vendetta and the Pakistani social drama My Pure Land.
Zafar's directorial debut, Before Nikkah — a modern arranged-date romance set over one night in London — premiered at BAFTA and was an official selection at the London Indian Film Festival. The film, written and produced by long-time collaborator Marcus Flemmings, went on to sell out cinema screenings across the UK in February 2025, including BFI Southbank, Bradford, Manchester, and Birmingham, as well as an international screening in Paris.
With Before Nikkah, Zafar has firmly established himself as a director to watch, and is now developing high-end TV dramas and larger-scale feature films.
Follow Haider via:
IMDb: Here.
Linkedin: Here.
Website: Here.
Facebook: Here.
Instagram: @haider_khayam_zafar
Marcus Flemmings
Writer, Producer, Director, Editor, Author, Photographer, Model Wrangler, Podcast Host, CEO
Marcus Flemmings is a London-based writer, director, and producer known for his bold, emotionally charged storytelling and commitment to diversity both in front of and behind the camera. His recent feature Before Nikkah (2025), which he wrote and produced, premiered at BAFTA, was selected for the London Indian Film Festival, and sold out cinema screenings across the UK, including at BFI Southbank, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, and Paris.
Flemmings is also the creator of White Guilt (2025), which won Best Feature at the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) and was nominated for Best UK Feature at Raindance. The film continues his focus on socially relevant narratives delivered with wit, grit, and cinematic flair.
Earlier works include Six Rounds, Palindrome, Everyone, and Blonde. Purple — a breakout hit that cemented his reputation as a leading voice in British indie cinema. Flemmings has carved out a distinctive lane as a self-reliant filmmaker, having achieved festival recognition and critical acclaim without traditional representation.
Currently, he is in post-production on The Model, a genre-blending character drama set for release in late 2025, and is developing several high-end TV drama and feature projects that push boundaries and reflect the nuances of modern identity.
Follow Marcus via:
IMDb: Here.
Linkedin: Here.
Twitter: @MarcusFlemmings
Facebook: Here.
Instagram: @marcusflemmingss
YouTube: Here.
Tumblr: Here.
Sensational Podcast
Apple Podcasts: Here.
Spotify: Here.
Amazon Podcasts: Here.
Google Podcasts: Here.
Twitter: @Sensationalpod
Instagram: @sensationalpodcast
YouTube: Here.
London New Wave
An UK based film production house / diverse & unique, new wave.
Follow via:
Website: Here.
Instagram: @londonnewwave
The Diversity Agency
The most diverse agency for models and actors on the planet, Talent that are Asian, Black, Caucasian, Mixed, South Asian, North African, Modest, Curve, Mature, Non-binary, LGBTQI+, Families, Couples, Kids, Sports, Extras.
Follow via:
Website: Here.
X: @modelsdA
Facebook: Here.
Instagram: @the.diversityagency
IMPORTANT NEWS!!!! 'Before Nikkah' has been nominated for the 11th Annual National Film Awards UK 2025. Public voting closes on the 19th June 2025, so use this link to do your thing!!!
*(Music)
'The Big Payback' (Instrumental) by EPMD - 2020