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Amruta Lakhe And Satya Kandala

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Nicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 22: 2021 is over. Where did the year go? Here's a recap.In our final episode of 2021, we look back at the year that was. Even as we tried to move on from a pandemic-struck 2020, 2021 gave us some memorable moments in pop culture, politics, science, and sports. From a free pop star to space-chasing billionaries, and from a a life-saving drug to a life-changing takeover, this is the year 2021. Join Satya and Amruta as they review and reflect on the year that was. See you in 2022! Related links: Everything about Taliban's takeover: https://www.nytimes.com/news-event/taliban-afghanistan Britney Spears and...2021-12-2443 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 21: Nicely done weddings: I do, (in my own way)In this episode, we ask two women to open up about their wedding days. First, Priyanka Sivaramakrishnan talks about her epic sustainable wedding to Nihal Velpanur, and the lead up to it. Quite the storyteller, Priyanka paints a vivid picture of a celebration that had them all dancing in the rain. Next, Richa Karve talks about her plans for her big day with Himanshu Damle and the challenge of putting together a wedding in India, while living in Colorado. She talks about how learnt to take a step back from her own wedding. Bonus: This episode has v...2021-12-0132 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEp 21 trailerEp 21 trailer2021-11-3000 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 20: Movie review “Meenakshi Sundareshwar," and why Bollywood can't be bothered to say her name rightIn this episode, we review the 2021 Netflix movie, "Meenakshi Sundareshwar," by Dharma productions. The movie about a young married couple set in the town of Madurai, Tamil Nadu could've been an insight into a newer generation owning the rich culture of the region while navigating modern relationships. Instead, it played out as a cheap ploy to attract Indian audiences captivated by movies from South India by wooing them with stock-image level narrative of food, clothes, and of course, Rajnikanth. We take the conversation forward by discussing some tropes that have plagued our cultures Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh...2021-11-1740 minNicely DoneNicely DoneTrailer Episode 20Trailer2021-11-1600 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 19: How to make a Nicely Done podcast?In this episode, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions from our listeners. From how we manage having demanding full-time jobs and a side hustle, challenges we faced along the way, and where we have the most fun in the process, we share everything from our origin story to our future plans. Do listen in to understand what goes on behind the scenes in the making of this bi-weekly podcast. Bonus: Generally speaking, what else could we have named this podcast?2021-10-2736 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 18: Nicely Done love storiesLet's talk love. For this episode, we take inspiration from The New York Times column, "Modern Love", and seek to find romantic and non-romantic stories of love told by the people who have lived them. Our first guests are Priyanka and Pratham Sarin, who found each other one night by accident. Or was it? Listen to find out. Next, we are joined by our friend, Rituparna Chatterjee, who narrates her modern love story she shares with her husband, Rajesh. From being colleagues and friends to taking control of their lives, their story is one for...2021-10-1336 minNicely DoneNicely DoneTrailer episode 18episode 182021-10-1200 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 17: Ads from our childhood —let’s talk about the greatest hitsIn this episode, we talk about some of the biggest advertisements from our childhood. From tradition-breaking jewelry brands, sweet gender role-reversals that the internet is gobbling up, to our country’s top cricketers’ unhealthy attitude towards cola brands and the unfair double standards propagated by fairness creams —we unwrap and unpack ads that live rent-free in our heads. Bonus: What not to say to a young woman who may or may not be a mother. Extra links: Fair & Lovely Ads: an evolution Tanishq ads: a playlist Indian stars and Cola w...2021-09-2957 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEp 17 trailerEp 17 trailer2021-09-2800 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 16: 'Tis our favorite season—let's talk Indian festivalsIn this episode, to mark the occasion of one of India's most beloved festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi, we talk about the mega culture surrounding the festival season in India.  From centuries-old folklore, varied festival foods that take hours of preparation, we reminisce traditions and discuss how we are making new ones in our current homes far away from our motherland. We also share our favorite childhood memories, and realize the debt we owe to our parents who kept our up spirits up during the long holiday season. Good 1: Evil 0.  


 Bonus: Can you ever just eat one chakli...2021-09-1545 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 15: Friendships through film — Dil Kya Chahta Hai?In this episode, we talk about all things friendship in Bollywood. In light of Farhan Akhtar announcement of #JeeLeZara ft. Priyanka Chopra Jones, Katrina Kaif, and Alia Bhatt, we take a walk down memory lane and revisit Akhtar’s directorial debut ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and examine why it’s become the millennial gold standard for friendship. We also talk about a few other films that tried to recreate the magic of DCH and fell short. Lastly, we talk about our hopes and dreams for #JeeLeZara and what we really want for these 3 women in the film. Bonus: Find out who says ‘Hu...2021-08-2556 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 14: "Never Have I Ever" asked for better representation for South Asians on screenIn this episode, we review the second and latest season of Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher’s Netflix teen comedy, “Never Have I Ever.” After a quick recap of the first season, we jump into the things that the show got right, like the mother-daughter on-screen pairing. We then move on to unpacking what it could’ve done better (are we still mocking Indian accents in 2021?) Finally, we explore the lost opportunities of the show. For instance, why did Mindy Kaling's fans and admirers tune in to watch tired tropes reenforcing South Asian stereotypes instead of a fresh pe...2021-07-2848 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 13: Summer Days: the past and the post-pandemicIn our latest episode, we're talking about the summers of our lives.  We look back at some of our fondest summer memories of growing up in India and how those compare to the first post-pandemic summer of 2021 in the United States. From remembering the long and thick afternoons spent before 'desert coolers' in India to rethinking our own seasonal habits in the U.S., we're talking about everything under the sun. We also try to understand summer anxieties and why it's important to have the summer of your life, not someone else's. Bonus: Are you having a 'shot' girl summer? R...2021-07-1436 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 12:  Five friends reflect on the personal, the professional, and the pandemicSix months into the new year, while some countries are reemerging from the pandemic, others are still reeling from its last wave. However, in this midst, our lives are moving on. In this episode, Amruta and Satya talk to five friends about how their 2020 was, and what they are carrying into 2021. From changing jobs to having babies, these five people had a challenging year, which further complicated by the pandemic. Anusha Iyer talks about steadying herself as she moves to the U.S to pursue her PhD. Anuja Dongaonkar speaks about raising a new born...2021-06-3058 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 11: “Mare of Easttown” and other super women who are super copsIn this episode, we talk about television's latest super cop, Mare Sheehan, from the critically acclaimed show, "Mare of Easttown" that has TV fans on a binge. We spend many happy moments talking about how Kate Winslet brought on her star power and (women power) to show a middle-aged woman cop, fighting the bad guys on the street and the triggers of her past. We also talk about other badass female cops from television including Catherine Cawood of "Happy Valley", Stella Gibson of "The Fall", Vartika Chaturvedi of "Delhi Crime" and Ellie Miller of "Broadchurch". These women are complete professionals...2021-06-1645 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 11 TrailerEpisode 11 Trailer2021-06-1500 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 10: The Friends reunion that wasn’tIt finally happened! Sort of. On the day the 'Friends' reunion aired on TV, we revisited what the iconic meant to our teenage selves and why it's much anticipated revival became the TV spectacle of the year. We watched the mega event as it aired on HBOMax and recorded our first reactions. While it sent us down memory lane, it was mostly just a self indulgent ode to its former glory. PS. They don’t know that we know that they know that it wasn’t really a reunion. Related links: Did...2021-05-2830 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 9: Interview with artist and creator Priyam Saha and why you should say yes moreIn this episode, Amruta and Satya catch up with their former classmate and current social media favorite, Priyam Saha. Priyam is an actor, anchor, dancer, writer, comic, producer and founder of Priyam’s Goddess Hour, a weekend vibe class that combines dance and movement. In this freewheeling chat, Priyam talks about navigating career choices in a world that is partial towards academics, discovering that work can be fun at Miss Malini, and becoming her own boss and employee. She also explains how some of the most exciting things that happened to her began on a whim. You ca...2021-05-1941 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 8: Watching India’s second Covid-19 wave from 7000 miles awayAs the rest of the world started to go back to a pre-pandemic normal, India was hit by a second wave of Covid-19. In May, the country recorded its highest number of new cases in a single day. In this episode, Amruta and Satya document their experiences of watching their homeland grieve from afar and living in a constant cycle of worry. Bonus: If you wish to help, here’s a list of verified organizations that you could donate to: International organizations Local NGOs in India Give India resources Show notes: This episode was recorded on May 1, 2021. At the time of...2021-05-0538 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 7: Oscars 2021: Interview with film critic Shubhra Gupta and how to be more tabula rasa about cinemaFor our Oscars special, we are joined by the inimitable Shubhra Gupta, an author and film critic for The Indian Express. Treat yourself to a masterclass on insight about separating art from artist in a politically divisive time, where to begin watching good Indian cinema, and which Oscar nom didn’t impress her much. Also, if you think your favorite Indian movie never makes it to the Oscar shortlist, she can tell you why. Bonus: After reviewing the last two movies up for the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards 2021, Amruta and Satya play a fun ga...2021-04-2143 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 6: Immigration: The wonders, woes, and the paperworkIn this episode, we talk about our immigration stories and the pull of the Indian diaspora on foreign shores. From packing up our lives in under 23 kg to taking on a new identity while trying to maintain our old one, Amruta and Satya discuss being students, professionals, and visa-enthusiasts. Five years and five hundred visa questions later, we know what our future holds. That is until our next visa appointment, of course. Bonus: How to order a burger in the US and how not to mess up basic dal in an American kitchen. Also: We watched two...2021-04-0748 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 5: Interview with Aashi Vel of Traveling Spoon and what happened to food in the year of the Banana BreadIn this episode, Amruta and Satya talk about everybody’s favorite quarantine activity: cooking! We discuss our evolving food journeys and briefly touch upon ‘food fog’ in our lives. We welcome Nicely Done’s first guest, Aashi Vel, co-founder of the Traveling Spoon, a company that sells food experiences to travelers. Tune in to listen to stories of how to make pillowy dumplings from a Chinese grandmother and authentic Mole (that takes hours) from a Spanish home chef. Vel also talks about running a business based on food and travel when the whole world stayed at home. Bonus: D...2021-03-2444 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 4: What’s cheaper than therapy?Supporters of mental health, full-time readers and your favorite hosts, Amruta and Satya, talk about their book club, Cheaper Than Therapy. What started with reading Tinkles while traveling, following pre-teens (strictly in groups of five or seven) on adventures, has now led us to reading books that win awards but also help us through the more difficult chapters of our own lives. Also, please go to therapy, if you need to. Bonus: Two movies that might win big at the Oscars 2021. Ten points to Gryffindor if you’ve already seen them. Some recommended reading: Follow our book club and read al...2021-03-1047 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 3: Girl Power; and why you should embrace the F-wordIn the lead up to Women's Day, we discuss our favorite topic: women's equality! In this episode, we talk about being raised by feminists at home, and nurtured by strong women at work. Also, hear the stories of two outstanding women who fight the good fight with their tireless work. As always, we have two fabulous recommendations for you to dig into. Bonus: A list of things not to say at your next party. Remember, equality is always sexy. Some recommended reading for the episode: Hear Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie whole speech, "We Should All Be Feminists"...2021-02-2438 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 2: V-Day Special: Love and other things that gave us a fever in 2020V-Day Special: let’s talk about love, baby! In this episode, we look at how romantic love made news and transformed in 2020. Love in time of COVID and all that jazz. It was a tough year for love, with some wins, some losses, a new language but the same old expectations. Bonus: Learn the new love lingo. It’ll help you navigate your situationship, trust us. A quick roundup of some resources in the show: Reportage by Mujib Mashal, Emily Schmall and Rusell Goldman for The New York Times. Reportage by Zeeshan Aleem for Vox2021-02-1052 minNicely DoneNicely DoneEpisode 1: The White Tiger; and why you should call dibs on your genius friendsIn our first episode, we review 2008 Man Booker-winning novel by Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger. We also discuss the recently released eponymous movie, directed by Ramin Bahrani. The movie stars Adarsh Gourav in a leading role supported by actors Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Bonus: Also hear about two friends who helped each other make it big (not us). A quick roundup of the published articles that we refer to in the show: Interview by Steven Moss for The Guardian Movie review by AO Scott for the New York Times Movie review by...2021-01-2740 minNicely DoneNicely DoneA Nicely Done TrailerA first look at our podcast where friends and writers Amruta and Satya catch up on culture by bringing in a little context. We sound less spooked in our first episode, which will be out soon!2021-01-2400 min