0:00:05 > 0:00:08Now on BBC News.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11BBC Pop Up India brings you a series of short films
0:00:11 > 0:00:14from across the subcontinent.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22Do I ride in on an elephant or a horse?
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Did you say you are going to
0:00:24 > 0:00:25wear a wedding dress or a saari?
0:00:25 > 0:00:26An Indian dress.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28So not a saari?
0:00:28 > 0:00:29A saari isn't necessarily an
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Indian dress.
0:00:32 > 0:00:38By the way I'm recording this.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41This isn't the most professional lighting setup but I'm
0:00:41 > 0:00:44getting married this year, my fiance
0:00:44 > 0:00:49is from Varanasi, India's most holy city and
0:00:49 > 0:00:51the closer we get to the wedding the
0:00:51 > 0:00:53more we are talking about culture.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57In the past few years we have
0:00:57 > 0:01:00struggled to explain the term boyfriend to Indians, and explain
0:01:00 > 0:01:02vegetarian cooking to my Italian-American family.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04But we are not unique.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Roughly 30% of Asian Americans in the US, like my future
0:01:07 > 0:01:09wife, now marry someone of a different race.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Here are some more facts about one out of every 100
0:01:12 > 0:01:19people in the US is Indian-America and many were born overseas.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20In fact, about 90%
0:01:20 > 0:01:24of Indian-American adults.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27As the richest ethnic group in the US they certainly pull their
0:01:27 > 0:01:28weight economically.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31This is all to say, as a future husband, and really
0:01:31 > 0:01:34as an American, this may not be a bad time
0:01:34 > 0:01:35to learn a bit
0:01:35 > 0:01:41more about India.
0:01:43 > 0:01:49This is BBC Pop Up.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51We journey from country to country, turning your story ideas into short,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55beautiful films.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57In the past year we have been across Canada,
0:01:57 > 0:01:58the US and Kenya.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59And up next is India.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01We film stories suggested by our audience.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05What stories do Indians right here in sunny Los Angeles want us to film
0:02:05 > 0:02:06once we arrive?
0:02:06 > 0:02:07The most important topic is
0:02:07 > 0:02:09the current education system.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11They are trying to improve the education system in India.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Social and economic progress.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16All the political parties playing their game
0:02:16 > 0:02:21to get everybody together to work together.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22Cricket.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23Cricket?
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Yeah.
0:02:24 > 0:02:25Of everything that's happening in India
0:02:25 > 0:02:26you think it's cricket?
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Not only India, everywhere.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40The infrastructure is the worst of their road conditions.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45If you go to Bombay from the airport it takes more than one and a half
0:02:45 > 0:02:50hours, even though it is six miles.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59BBC Pop Up has landed a India.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02I flew in from Los Angeles and another video journalist has flown
0:03:02 > 0:03:05in from South Africa.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07After a really small bout of Dehli-belly - please
0:03:07 > 0:03:10do not ask what that is, we're here in the Delhi
0:03:10 > 0:03:11bureau to meet some of
0:03:11 > 0:03:13the other team members.
0:03:13 > 0:03:20She is going to take you around the beauru.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25This is where BBC Hindi and Urdu team is based.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27They basically are busy churning out online and radio
0:03:27 > 0:03:29reports for the day.
0:03:29 > 0:03:30That is Captain Cool, Aisha.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33I'm cleaning my desk.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36As far as our country is concerned the hot topics these days include
0:03:36 > 0:03:40the debate over nationalism, the fight of a woman's
0:03:40 > 0:03:41right to enter a
0:03:41 > 0:03:45temple, and of course the ongoing assembly elections in different
0:03:45 > 0:03:48states of India.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Pop Up is the company's crowd-sourcing unit.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54You send us your ideas and we film them.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Today were off to an apartment block in the suburbs and to one of the
0:03:58 > 0:04:07local colleges.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09My idea to show India in a positive light.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12One idea would be to come up with women
0:04:12 > 0:04:13entrepreneurs.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26The prevalence of child abuse in Indian households, it is
0:04:26 > 0:04:28really serious issue.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33Last year in Calcutta there was this one incident
0:04:33 > 0:04:35where it was a transgender person.
0:04:35 > 0:04:44This was the first time that something of the sort happened.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46This has taken ground very strongly in the
0:04:46 > 0:04:47last five years.
0:05:16 > 0:05:23The rise of this place as a colonial town and its role as a dominant
0:05:23 > 0:05:24hill station in India.
0:05:24 > 0:05:32Girls learn self defence to be able to protect themselves.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35We're back at the office and that has been an
0:05:35 > 0:05:37exhausting day but we are excited by all those brilliant ideas.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59So one of the stories BBC Pop Up was asked to
0:05:59 > 0:06:02do was to tell the story of Africans living in India and some of the
0:06:02 > 0:06:06experiences they may have.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08We thought this would be a very interesting
0:06:08 > 0:06:11story, and instead of just filming it we went one
0:06:11 > 0:06:12better, and the man who
0:06:12 > 0:06:17suggested it is going to help us to make it.
0:06:17 > 0:06:18India is very exciting.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Every day I go out and see something new.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23There are lots of Africans now
0:06:23 > 0:06:33in India studying and there is a lot of racism.
0:06:33 > 0:06:40Recently there have been a lot of news stories about Africans
0:06:40 > 0:06:41being attacked, molested, beaten up.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45When I hear these stories it makes me feel so bad about it.
0:06:45 > 0:06:46How are you doing, you guys?
0:06:46 > 0:06:50How are you?
0:06:52 > 0:06:57What are your experiences of Indians?
0:06:57 > 0:06:58Actually, there is not good chemistry
0:06:58 > 0:07:05between Africans and Indians.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09We don't normally associate with Indians.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Normal Indians, they don't trust us, or some of them
0:07:12 > 0:07:16don't trust us.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19So it is very common in India, Indians think all the black
0:07:19 > 0:07:21women are prostitutes.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24When they see you they ask how much, like how much
0:07:24 > 0:07:26do you want me to stay with him?
0:07:26 > 0:07:31They ask this kind of question.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34We all have similar experience of the the local people toward us.
0:07:34 > 0:07:41Not all, some are very good and very open-minded.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Some of the stories your friends told us were quite
0:07:47 > 0:07:51disturbing and that largely happens because Indians don't know their own
0:07:51 > 0:07:54history, that Africans played such a big role
0:07:54 > 0:07:56in India between the 14th and
0:07:56 > 0:07:5717th century.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Today a big African community lives in the state
0:08:01 > 0:08:03of Gujarat.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05It would be really good for you to come along and meet
0:08:05 > 0:08:07them, what do you think?
0:08:07 > 0:08:08Yeah, this would be good.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Lets go and meet them.
0:08:17 > 0:08:26After a long drive we are about to meet this community.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29I am so excited, so pleased to see some Africans here in India,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31in this part of India.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33I really want to meet with them and
0:08:33 > 0:08:34interact with them more.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Hello.
0:08:37 > 0:08:38How are you?
0:08:38 > 0:08:44Fine.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15THEY SING
0:09:15 > 0:09:20I feel like I'm in Africa.
0:09:20 > 0:09:26It feels like I'm an African city.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30If they go beyond the outer the city and villages in other parts of India
0:09:30 > 0:09:32they are also stopped and frequently asked,
0:09:32 > 0:09:33"Are you from West Indies, are
0:09:33 > 0:09:34"you from Africa?"
0:09:34 > 0:09:41Exactly the same kind of question you face.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42These kinds of things,
0:09:42 > 0:09:43how do you solve them?
0:09:43 > 0:09:44We also face them but how do you tackle them?
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Do you ever have the feeling like you want to go back
0:09:58 > 0:10:01to Africa or do you still want to be in India?
0:10:07 > 0:10:10He says he is like any Indian, why would he want to leave
0:10:10 > 0:10:14this place?
0:10:48 > 0:10:51When I came it was like I was emotionally charged and I
0:10:51 > 0:10:54almost wanted to cry when I saw all of the black
0:10:54 > 0:10:55Africans coming out
0:10:55 > 0:10:56to greet me this afternoon.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Coming here today really has changed my
0:10:58 > 0:11:01perception of India.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04It has created a bond, a mindset in me now that
0:11:04 > 0:11:11there are people who are ready to receive Africans in India.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Seeing this society has given me hope that
0:11:15 > 0:11:22in the near future India will be a less racist society.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23This community is a symbol that
0:11:23 > 0:11:30Africans are also Indians.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38One of the first things I noticed after landing in Delhi was
0:11:38 > 0:11:39the traffic.
0:11:39 > 0:11:45It's loud, smelly and been here for a long time.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46It is the types of cars on
0:11:46 > 0:11:51the road that are changing.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Uber servies are becoming quite popular.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Those cars cannot be my automated rickshaw
0:11:57 > 0:12:05which some of you call tuk tuks.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Let's do a thing, let's have a little race.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09We're in central Delhi
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and we will go to a place which is a mess of roads.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15You get into an Uber, I'll take a tuk tuk and we
0:12:15 > 0:12:16will see who gets there first.
0:12:16 > 0:12:25We're off to a good start, going twice as
0:12:25 > 0:12:28fast as the tuk tuk on the road, but now we've hit traffic
0:12:28 > 0:12:31and the tuk tuk weaving in and out of the buses and
0:12:31 > 0:12:33motorcycles and we are just sort of sitting here.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36As you can see there's plenty of traffic, cars and buses.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Let's see what happens ahead.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Traffic during rush hour in Delhi is like hell.
0:12:44 > 0:12:50The traffic is noisy, Delhi traffic is a little polluting.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55You just have to shut your nose and mouth whenever there is cars.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57You carry a handkerchief in your pocket
0:12:57 > 0:13:01to cover your mouth?
0:13:01 > 0:13:04It can run you out of patience.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07People are angry on the streets and the local people get
0:13:07 > 0:13:17into fights.
0:13:17 > 0:13:18India represents an easy way of comuting.
0:13:18 > 0:13:26What it
0:13:26 > 0:13:29means that you step out of the house, pop into a tuk
0:13:29 > 0:13:35tuk and tell the person what you want to go.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38There are old the drivers that can take you just about
0:13:38 > 0:13:39anywhere you want.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41They know it very well because they have been doing it
0:13:41 > 0:13:42for years.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44What makes them so relevant and Delhi?
0:13:44 > 0:13:45Because they are everywhere.
0:13:45 > 0:13:51Where are you?
0:13:51 > 0:13:53We have taken a turn into a bylane which
0:13:53 > 0:13:57the tuk tuk driver pays for a much faster rate.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58There is unbelievable traffic.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00These are inexperienced drivers so they do not
0:14:00 > 0:14:03know, do not have the map in their minds.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05I think it is next to impossible to actually figure out
0:14:05 > 0:14:12all the small alleys and roads that are probably not even on the map.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17I have the app but I don't use it as regularly as I would use it a
0:14:17 > 0:14:20tuk tuk because there's a lot of tapping and waiting.
0:14:20 > 0:14:30I am not patient enough most of the time, I just go
0:14:31 > 0:14:41to the streeet and get a tuk tuk.
0:14:41 > 0:14:47You have to book a cab and the cab will then you have to
0:14:47 > 0:14:49sit in the cab, it might just take a little longer.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52It's the closing of the door that just takes so long.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57We have arrived at our destination, beating Uber by quite a margin.
0:14:57 > 0:14:58Are you at the shop?
0:14:58 > 0:14:59I am.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01I have a feeling you were just a minute or
0:15:01 > 0:15:02two behind me.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06He doesn't know the exact location.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11What is happening right now is my driver is now
0:15:11 > 0:15:13talking to locals about where this candy shop is.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17I think, like many other people said, this is the
0:15:17 > 0:15:20problem of car services and using GPS and it is not exact in a place
0:15:20 > 0:15:24like Delhi.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25You win, congratulations.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27I win!
0:15:27 > 0:15:35Unfair.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37I don't know how but it is unfair.
0:15:37 > 0:15:44So we didn't jump on the car right away, tell me what is going on.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45and the Uber driver are
0:15:45 > 0:15:47having a conversation.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50The tuk tuk driver is insisting and telling the
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Uber driver he cannot jump the red signals
0:15:52 > 0:15:56and he must follow all traffic.
0:15:56 > 0:16:05The tuk tuk driver is quite into it and that he wants to win.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17BBC Pop Up went to Rajasthan, an area of
0:16:17 > 0:16:20India popular with tourists.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22We have been asked to film a specific temple were
0:16:22 > 0:16:23hardly anybody goes.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Because it is cursed.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28We were dared to come here because locals
0:16:28 > 0:16:29believe if you stay here
0:16:29 > 0:16:33after sunset you will turn a into stone, so I accepted the challenge
0:16:33 > 0:16:35for both of us.
0:16:35 > 0:16:41Thanks, mate.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Probably about 20 minutes until it is dark.
0:17:27 > 0:17:34I think you're nervous.
0:17:38 > 0:17:39Come on, man.
0:17:39 > 0:17:46Switch on the light.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48As you can see we haven't turned into stone.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53Thankfully.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54BIRD CALL
0:17:54 > 0:17:56What's happening?
0:17:56 > 0:18:01That was a bit worrying.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43I'm a BBC journalist and I live in California.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44I'm a BBC journalist
0:18:44 > 0:18:45and I live in Delhi.
0:18:45 > 0:18:46It's dry in my state.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48It's dry in many states in India.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50It's the driest it's been in California in 165 years
0:18:50 > 0:18:53of recorded history.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55India have seen more than 40 severe droughts and the last 200
0:18:55 > 0:18:56years alone.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00In Los Angeles, if I go out to eat with my friends I have
0:19:00 > 0:19:02to request a glass of water, I'm not automatically served it.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Those in central India have to walk for
0:19:04 > 0:19:10miles to get the glass of water.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38This month we travelled across a lot of India to cover a variety of
0:22:38 > 0:22:42stories, ranging from drought in central India
0:22:42 > 0:22:44to dying tattoo art in
0:22:44 > 0:22:46a north-east.
0:22:46 > 0:22:52Many online asked us to portray India as a tech-savvy
0:22:52 > 0:22:55nation with a large business sector, and while this is true, there are
0:22:55 > 0:22:56infrastructure and cultural issues that
0:22:56 > 0:22:57beg to be addressed, as the
0:22:57 > 0:22:59result of that change.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01So that is the end of BBC Pop Up India for
0:23:01 > 0:23:04now, I suspect we will be back soon.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07In the meantime I better head back to California, I have
0:23:07 > 0:23:08a wedding to plan.
0:23:08 > 0:23:16And let us know where you want us go next, via #Popup.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18And let us know where you want us go next, via #Popup.