It is a windy day in London, but young Nikhil and his brother Jay are upset. The kites Appa ordered for them have not yet arrived, and the local stores have none, too. The boys are disappointed, but not for long. Well, if they can’t buy kites, they might as well make them. With some help from Amma and Appa, Nikhil and Jay make their own kites―red and green ones with yellow for the tail. They all drive to the big field and have a fantastic time flying them.
This sweet nugget is from Flying High, the fourth book in the ‘Nikhil and Jay’ series, authored by India-born British writer Chitra Soundar. The books feature two fictional young brothers, Nikhil and Jay, who are always on the go, soaking in life lessons. But there is more to Nikhil and Jay that makes them unique. They are British Indian children, born to an English father and an Indian mother. They represent thousands of dual-heritage kids in the UK.
So, it is little wonder that CBeebies, a television channel run by the BBC for children in the UK, chose to adapt the series into an animated family sitcom. The Nikhil & Jay series, which began airing last October, showcases their little escapades and their understanding of their dual heritage, customs, traditions and family dynamics. The show is produced by King Banana TV and Paperowl Films with support from CAKE Entertainment and Northern Ireland Screen.
For the BBC, the decision to screen Nikhil & Jay is a reflection of its bid to become more inclusive―over 3 per cent of the population in England and Wales have Indian ethnicity. But for Soundar, it is a bit more personal. She has seen how her nephews, born to an English father and an Indian mother, navigate these distinctions.
“It is different for these kids who straddle two cultures, two sets of culturally different grandparents, two customs and even food,” she says. “I believe Nikhil and Jay struck a chord with dual heritage kids because they identify with them. The book and the series helped them connect the dots. During school visits, children with dual heritages are excited to share that they, too, call their grandparents in different languages just like Nikhil and Jay.”
Born and raised in Chennai, Soundar shifted to the UK in 2006. She has always been an avid reader and writer who enjoyed non-fiction. But, it was her penchant for poetry and her ability to connect instantly with children that prompted her to try children’s literature. Since then, she has penned over 60 books for children of all ages, across genres and formats.
The ‘Nikhil and Jay’ series was born in 2020, and has four books―The Star Birthday, Save The Day, Off to India and Flying High―all illustrated by Soofiya and published by Otter-Barry Books.
Soundar’s nephews were, of course, her muses. “My second nephew, when he was three or four, wanted to do everything himself,” she recalled. “He would always say, ‘Let me do it’. That led to the first story for ‘Nikhil and Jay’.”
Her story-telling sessions, too, gave her ideas for the books. Soundar recalls how amazed her little audiences were when she narrated the concept of Indian star birthdays (based on the Hindu calendar). “They listened in rapture about how one doesn’t cut a cake on a star birthday but savours payasam (porridge-like south Indian dessert),” she said. “It thrilled them to learn how one would get money on their star birthdays instead of gifts.” This later served as the plot for The Star Birthday.
The development of Nikhil & Jay animated series began in 2021. “When Chitra approached King Banana with her ‘Nikhil and Jay’ books, we could see immediately that these stories needed to be told,” a representative of King Banana TV told THE WEEK. “There was nothing else out there that authentically represented dual heritage or British Asian children. They were full of warmth and heart and humour and relatable stories, and we could see the potential for Nikhil & Jay to become a funny and successful sitcom.”
Cbeebies, too, acknowledged how the story would bring viewers together from across cultures with heart-warming stories of British Asian family life. “Seeing your life and all its traditions and values reflected on screen is so important for little ones and their development as they make sense of the world around them,” said Kate Morton, senior head of commissioning for Cbeebies.
The series has some big names associated with it as the voice cast. While Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran plays amma (mother), actor and voice artist Ben Harris plays appa (father); Janine Duvitski plays the kids’ nana, Mark Benton is Grandpa Jim. Janaki Sabesh is ammamma (grandmother) and Ravi Swami lends his voice for thatha (grandfather).
The writers room for Nikhil & Jay was diverse, too, represented by a number of dual-heritage and South Asian writers. Soundar has written 17 of the 52 episodes in production.
For Soundar, it has been a wonderful journey from book to screen. “Watching it on TV when it launched in October 2024 was very special,” she said.
The reception for the animated sitcom has been wonderful, too. After the series began airing, Soundar got messages from excited parents who saw their children get close to their culture.
The latest episode of Nikhil & Jay, which aired in January, had the boys realise that their parents had two weddings before they were born. The kids plan another wedding for them, their best wedding yet.