Bradford-based comedian and influencer Tehseen Jawaid is on a mission to preserve South Asian culture for the next generation through his new children’s book, Ghulam and the Gulab Jamun Factory. Known for his character “Nana G,” Jawaid aims to preserve cultural heritage through storytelling for the next generation.
The idea for Ghulam and the Gulab Jamun Factory came from Jawaid’s desire to share his culture with his 6-year-old son Mohammed Azaan. “I wanted to pass down some stories and values that I grew up with, to him,” he explained. The story is centred around family, perseverance, and respect, with sprinkles of South Asian lingos to help preserve them.
Jawaid, 39, lives in Heaton and has been entertaining audiences with his Nana G show for seven years. He describes it as the “South Asian version of The Simpsons,” using humour to depict the dynamics of South Asian households. The Nana G puppet represents elders who immigrated from Pakistan decades ago and embodies the wisdom and quirks of those he grew up around. Nana G has his own family, and Jawaid often portrays his grandson, telling stories of various relatable family scenarios. “I had this idea about a year ago,” the author explained. “Because I’ve got a viral brand, The Nana G Show, I wanted to create a little story with my characters. I just sat down one day and said to myself, ‘Do you know what, I’m going to write something around these South Asian treats, Gulab Jamuns.’”
“The basis of my art is bringing my roots to the forefront through humour,” he added, explaining how the character’s popularity paved the way for the book.
Jawaid’s project has received strong backing from local organisations, with both Khidmat Centres and The Leap Bradford providing financial support and promotion to bring the book to life. “From the start, they’ve been so supportive,” he shared. Interest in his work has also spread across the UK, with support from Stim Clinic in Birmingham, Chai Station in Blackburn, The Library in Sheffield, CFS Flight Training in Nottingham, and Impact Hub in Bradford. Jawaid hopes to hold a book launch in Bradford on 24 November.
Reflecting on his upbringing, Jawaid shared that having a book like this during his childhood would have been invaluable. “We grew up reading authors from all kinds of backgrounds, mainly English, but there was nothing like this,” he said. Much of his cultural knowledge was passed down by his grandparents, and with that generation fading, he fears younger South Asians are missing out on their heritage. “The newer generation doesn’t really get to have stories told about their culture, and they don’t go looking for it, resulting in the culture and traditions being lost.”
However, Jawaid’s creative path has not been without challenges, especially within the South Asian community, where the arts can sometimes be viewed with scepticism. “In South Asian communities, they look down on creative-minded people,” he noted.
“It’s often not considered a respectable or sustainable career, which is ironic considering at the end of the day when everyone gets off work, they tune into the tv, movies or books, turning to art to unwind, laugh and feel”
Despite facing scepticism about creative careers within the South Asian community, Jawaid remains committed to inspiring pride and resilience in young readers. “When they read the book, I hope they can be proud of who they are and where they came from,” he shared.
Looking ahead, Jawaid has a straightforward message for other South Asian creatives: “Don’t give up. There’s always room for more South Asian voices and stories. Share your culture as much as possible, because representation is still limited.”
