Independent filmmaker Kay S. Ubhi has marked a milestone after his crime drama This is Birmingham entered Amazon Prime Video UK’s Top 10 shortly after release. The feature, completed over five years, follows rising violence when a London gang seeks to take over a Birmingham crime family’s drug operations. Ubhi, born in Birmingham, wrote, produced and starred in the film, which began as a YouTube short before expanding into a full feature distributed on the platform. It launched on July 17, 2026, and quickly gained traction. Ubhi noted the strong audience response and described the outcome as remarkable. He built experience through short films and chose to pursue his own project rather than await external chances, funding it personally while refining scenes through trial and error. His upbringing in Sparkhill and Hall Green shaped the story, with characters drawn from people met during school and college, alongside research into organised crime. Ubhi aimed to highlight Birmingham’s diversity, showing both its modern skyline and tougher areas. After finishing the film, he secured help from a producer at Blue Eyes Film to meet professional standards. The project later trended on the platform and reached number one before entering the UK Top 10 alongside major releases. Ubhi credited the cast and crew, especially his father who raised him alone, and stressed the value of positive role models.
