Shows
Brown Game StrongSiddharth Sharma, founder of House On The Clouds: I have always been a dreamerTo kick off our BGS Mumbai series, introducing someone whose work you have seen before you've met him. Siddharth Sharma is the founder of House On The Clouds, the iconic editorial wedding photography and filmography team behind the stunning soft photos under the sun you saw from Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s intimate wedding at their home. Rejecting the term ‘celebrity weddings’, he chooses instead to call them ‘artist weddings’, detailing the intricacies around catering to the requirements of couples who have a keen eye for the small moments, like a camera shutter clicking du...2025-05-021h 00
Brown Game StrongJuhi Pande on Reminiscing her TV career and uprooting from Bandra to HackneyOne of my personal idols growing up, Juhi Pande, sits with us in this wonderfully reflective episode to talk about her eclectic career as a TV host, presenter and VJ on Channel V, and what exactly prompted her to leave that career and make the move from Bombay to London.We dive into the highs of early media life (casually interviewing the likes of Rakhi Sawant and Sanjay Leela Bhansali as part of the job), the quieter shifts that followed, and the deep grief of suddenly losing her best friend and business partner; a moment that changed everything for...2025-04-2455 min
Brown Game StrongHeleena Theodore on Tattooing from a Place of Joy and AuthenticityIn this episode, we sit with Heleena Theodore, also known as Heleena Tattoos. In her first ever in-person podcast interview, she shares with us what it was like being one of the first South Asian, Gujarati tattoo artists for miles, how she didn’t feel accepted in the community of tattoo artists, how her work has been pivotal in shaping the face of cultural appropriation in this industry in the UK. She also kindly talks to us about how despite tattooing giving her joy, everything around it was making her miserable which led her to taking a break. We ta...2025-03-191h 16
Brown Game StrongHenika Patel: Mindfulness is a Western ConceptWe sit with Henika Patel, founder of the School of Sensual Arts and author of Sensual. We dive into the themes of her new book, learning that mindfulness is actually a Western packaging of Eastern practices, we learn about the true essence of Tantra beyond its westernised lens, and how we can start to embrace and process big emotions through practical methods such as breathwork.Henika shares her own journey as an educator in this space, the wisdom she’s gathered from her experiences, particularly post getting married, and practical ways to cultivate sensuality, presence, and emotional awareness in ev...2025-03-1154 min
Brown Game StrongAmaan Duffer: Making Connections That Led to Bella Hadid, Beyoncé & Doja Cat Wearing His DesignsMeet Amaan, the 21 year old visionary behind the disruptive jewellery brand Basliq. He recently launched an official collection at Bloomingdale’s for Wicked The Movie—a collaboration that stemmed from a chance encounter with Cynthia Erivo (the actress who plays Elphaba in the film) at the Loewe store on Bond Street, leading to an unexpected friendship.
Amaan shares with us how he’s built his brand through raw authenticity, being in the right place at the right time and maintaining genuine relationships, with icons like Bella and Gigi Hadid, Beyoncé, Maya Jama, and Doja Cat championing his designs, as well as...2025-02-0539 min
Brown Game StrongNina Davuluri: The World's First South Asian Miss America On How She Broke The MouldIn this episode, we sit with Nina, the first South Asian woman to be crowned Miss America in history. This year, she celebrated 10 years since being crowned, and we spend some time reflecting on those days as well as discussing all the advocacy work she now does to help women embark on their self-love journey. When Nina became Miss America, it never occurred to her that she would face immense backlash, both from media outlets in the US as well as in India, where she was deemed too ‘dark-skinned’ to ever be crowned Miss India...2024-12-101h 06
Brown Game StrongSedoso on Living Life like a Bollywood MovieCelebrating our 50th episode and 10 years of Sedoso aka Silky being a social media creator, this girly, lighthearted and Bollywoodpan-filled conversation was one of the most fun this year.
To be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!2024-12-021h 05
Brown Game StrongSravya Attaluri on Turning Ideas into RealitySravya is an award winning illustrator and art director who places a huge focus on impact and activism in her work, particularly around topics involving mental health.
In this conversation, she shares her experiences as a third culture kid of Telugu descent having grown up in Hong Kong and how she has infused those experiences in her artwork. From having designed for Coachella to Ariana Huffington to having featured on the Gen. T list at Tatler Asia among all her other achievements, she is only really just getting started.
Explore Sravya's work on:
Instagram...2024-11-261h 04
Brown Game StrongAvisha Patel on Impact with RedirectionIn this conversation (featuring an adorable furry friend) we sit with Avisha, the founder of Friendsline, a UK based charity that for the past 10 years has been running mental health, mindfulness and yoga workshops for women and girls in India and Nepal who have faced gender-based violence.
Avisha has tirelessly worked on this initiative for the majority of her 20s, and now having stepped into her early 30s, with all the life changes that it has brought with it, is considering whether it's time to move onto pastures new. She kindly shares where she is at in her journey...2024-11-1846 min
Brown Game StrongSreesha Shetty on Being Her Own CustomerThis week we sit with Sreesha, the founder of Shop Lune, a contemporary jewellery brand based in Mumbai and Goa. If I told you that her designs have been worn by Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif to name a few, and she has not spent any money on PR, would you believe it?
Having grown up as a South Indian in Goa and lived across Pune, Bangalore, London, Birmingham and now Mumbai, Sreesha admits that she feels most comfortable in discomfort. Perhaps this is what makes her a great entrepreneur, not being afraid of leaning...2024-11-111h 05
Brown Game StrongFarooq Got Audio: I am a Producer, not a DJFor as long as he can remember, Farooq Got Audio really was ‘that guy’ who downloaded leaked layers of songs and mashed them up together to create new sounds. Years of graft have now led him to being one of the world’s leading South Asian music producers. At the time of recording this conversation, his ‘Mayya Mayya’ remix had hit number 3 globally in terms of reach on Instagram. Despite being so talented and producing incredible sounds - often making the original tracks even better - he candidly tells us about how large music labels haven’t always supported him. Having...2024-11-041h 10
Brown Game StrongPoorna Bell on Challenging the Status QuoIn this episode, we sit with journalist, public speaker, powerlifter and author Poorna. We discuss normalising getting out of relationships that no longer serve you, making friendships intentionally in your adulthood and the mainstream trivialisation of mental health.
We also discuss Poorna’s latest novel ‘This Is Fine’, the process of writing it, the motivation behind the themes in it and what she hopes her readers will take out of her writing. She also gives us a glimpse into her plans for her next novel.
2024-10-2840 min
Brown Game StrongLisa Mishra: I have Incredible RizzIn this podcast interview from her recent trip to London, we sit with singer, songwriter and actress Lisa. We talk all things foot fetishes, how she ‘almost’ became a tennis player had it not been for her ADHD, going from almost taking a job as a data scientist at Uber to becoming an ‘overnight’ sensation in the Bollywood industry, the relentless grind that came after her ‘big break’ in Mumbai and her current mission to uplift young female talent in the desi music industry. It’s not all roses, but as she puts it, it’s worth it.Check out her new albu...2024-10-0854 min
Brown Game StrongWhen Chai Met Toast on The Little Things in LifeIn this episode, we sit with two members of the lovely band When Chai Met Toast from Kerala, lead vocalist Ashwin Gopakumar and guitarist Achyuth Jaigopal (AJ). Following a successful UK tour, during which they kindly agreed to put up with me for an hour, they are now headed to the US for the next leg.We spoke about all things creativity, their South Indian roots, how the band formed through a mutual love of the little things in life, got to know each band member in a bit more detail, discussed team dynamics and even a little bit...2024-09-081h 17
Brown Game StrongSrishti Guptaroy on Embracing The MessIn this increasingly hilarious episode, we sit with Srishti, a visual artist, illustrator and fashion designer based across London, Bangalore and Kolkata. We talk to Srishti about growing up watching Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network as a 90s kid, to going from being super crafty and creative to studying science to entering the world of fashion design. We discuss what it is like being a maximalist in a world becoming increasingly minimal, and how staying true to herself has brought her some incredible opportunities to work with brands like Michael Kors, Adobe and now Hermès. Srishti also shares some v...2024-08-2053 min
Brown Game StrongNatasha Sherpa on Dancing out of a SuitcaseIn this episode, we sit with Natasha, a choreographer, performer and dance content creator all about how she stumbled upon a full-blown career in dance, growing up not being that interested in dance but falling into it and subsequently starting a lifelong journey of training and teaching in numerous dance styles. We talk about how glamorous and sustainable the jetsetter life really is, and the importance of putting yourself out there on the internet with your art, and using it to create a community around you and spread joy across the world.
A wonderful hour chatting with an eclectic...2024-07-271h 10
Brown Game StrongSeema Anand on Owning Your PleasureIn this eye-opening episode, we sit with storyteller and sex educator, Seema Anand, also known as 'Seema Anand Storytelling' as she talks us through the myths around the Kama Sutra, women owning the narrative around their sensuality, the damage the porn industry has done to our minds, the dangers of society's constant hyper-focus on the 'bad boy' image and why there isn't enough sex education widely out there for non-heterosexual couples.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seemaanandstorytelling/
Website: https://www.seemaanand.net/2024-05-291h 18
Brown Don't Frown PodcastSeason 6: Ep 44 - In conversation with Mitali Dargani on outward success, inner flaws, and straddling stability with taking risksMitali Dargani is our next guest. As creator and host of Brown Game Strong, an interview show spotlighting creative South Asian minds, Mitali tells us how the show originated from a place of community support and encouragement, and is an embodiment of lifting each other up. Yet, Brown Game Strong is not just about showing outward success, but equally, recognising the flaws, demons, and challenges we all face.
This was a really enriching discussion in many ways as we uncovered our thought processes in being sandwiched between two mindsets: stability and taking risks, as reflected in our l...2024-04-291h 12
Brown Game StrongMeghna Chakraborty on Ascending Beyond BordersIn this wonderful episode, I sit with Meghna; choreographer, dancer, filmmaker and the co-creator of Ascending; the first ever official documentary covering the six South Asian artists at Coachella in 2023: Diljit Dosanjh, Joy Crookes, Ali Sethi, Jai Paul, Charli XCX and Jai Wolf.
I had the privilege of attending the London screening organised by Dialled In at the Southbank Centre, and this chat was an elaboration of everything that led Meghna to the point of capturing this historic moment in global music.
Watch 'Ascending' in full, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9qZZguPIZI2024-04-111h 22
Brown Game StrongVik Kainth on Empowerment Through Digital ArtIn this conversation we sit with the incredibly talented artist and digital illustrator: Vik Kainth, to talk about his modern maharanis, his process from ideation to creation, random restaurants in Punjab stealing his artwork, will AI really replace humans in the digital art space, and what it means to be an artist in the digital age.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vik.kainth/
Website: https://www.vikkainthart.com/2024-04-031h 05
Brown Game StrongAnisha Parmar on The Stories in our AdornmentIn this episode, we sit with the brilliant Anisha, a curator, artist and jewellery designer. Not only does she design beautifully intricate and unique desi jewellery pieces, she also opens up a space for learning and storytelling around ancient forgotten heirlooms and educates us on their deep-rooted colonial past.
Anisha's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anishaparmarlondon/ 2024-02-091h 06
Brown Game StrongAnjalina Chugani on A Life Through FoodIn this episode we sit with, Anjalina (Anjali) Chugani, a renowned Barcelona based chef, recipe developer and author. She describes herself as a 'timid girl' and bookworm born in London who flourished in her formative years growing up in Bangalore. In recent decades, she's been actively running events and initiatives to teach Spain about Indian cooking.
We talk about how cooking was never a passion for Anjalina growing up, and started as more of an obligation when she got married and moved to Barcelona. However, somewhere along the way she found her voice in it and now...2024-01-301h 06
Brown Game StrongDilan Patel on Dispelling Myths in Women's HealthIn this episode, we chat with Dilan Patel, the founder of DNA Fitness. Dilan talks to us about how he went from his corporate role in recruitment, with a background in financial computing, to taking a leap of faith and starting his journey as a women's fitness coach. He also is a new dad and tells us about it was like when his daughter was born.
We also discuss the moment he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma (an aggressive type of blood cancer) on his 25th birthday and how that led him onto an arduous journey of treatment and...2024-01-051h 11
Brown Game StrongRaja Kumari on Manifesting Dreams into RealityIn this episode we sit with Raja Kumari, aka Svetha Yallapragada Rao, a world renowned Telugu-American rapper, Grammy-nominated songwriter, singer, previously first female rapper to be signed to Nas' label Mass Appeal Records, now the founder of her own label; Godmother Records.
In this heartwarming conversation, we discuss her growing up with classical dance and music influences, going on to train in Bharatnatyam, Kathak and Kuchipudi as well as discovering rap and hip hop at an early age. We talk about what it means to represent the diaspora as a Telugu woman within mainstream music in India, all the...2023-12-211h 17
Brown Game StrongThe Wedding Filmer on Capturing Moments of MagicWe sit with Vishal Punjabi, the brain behind The Wedding Filmer, a world renowned wedding videography company, known for having worked on stunning weddings all over the world, including those of many Bollywood celebrities. As Kiara Advani advances towards Siddharth Malhotra during their big day, making sweet hand gestures at him, the world watches, mesmerised at the magic of the moment captured. Vishal is no doubt a magician when it comes to telling stories through beautiful cinematography. But when is it ever an easy ride? He tells us all about his journey, from how he once got a call...2023-10-251h 04
Brown Game StrongPooja Vatas on Skin and Life ReflectionsIn this episode I chat about all things life with my dear friend, Pooja, a nurse, (ex-)photographer, skincare guru and now the founder of Amala Skin Therapy & Aesthetics, a clinic that offers a range of skincare and aesthetics services based in east London.
I've always loved chatting to Pooja because not only is she super chill, she's also extremely insightful and self-aware. We cover everything from not really knowing what you want to do in life, to perceptions around cultural appropriation on social media vs in real life, to what working with extremely high profile clients on Harley...2023-10-041h 03
Brown Game Strong4 Years of Brown Game StrongTo mark this special little milestone for a podcast that started off as a tiny seed in the brain, that has since seen so many evolutions, multiple breaks, going from two hosts to one, from lockdown Zoom sessions to face to face interviews, from over-sharing just inner thoughts to having now brought on 25 guests, what better tribute than to do a little storytime about where it all started and what it represents?
Happy birthday, Brown Game Strong.
With gratitude.2023-10-0419 min
Brown Game StrongAakash Phulwani on Creating Vibes Around the WorldIn this episode we sit with Aakash; dancer, choreographer and co-founder of Afrodesi, a company where Afro meets the Desi world through music and dance. You've seen the guy throwing shapes on the internet, now you can hear his story in his own words. We also cover topics such as art vs. the artist, community and collaboration and the power of sharing your art online in today's digital age.
IG: @aakashphulwani2023-08-301h 00
Brown Game StrongPriya Joi on Parenthood, Race and IdentityJoin us as we sit with Priya, a renowned science journalist and author of her debut book, Motherland: What I’ve Learnt about Parenthood, Race and Identity. In this conversation we talk about Priya’s own childhood experiences whilst living between India and the UK, fast forwarded to her now raising her daughter to embrace her Indian-Bangladeshi heritage, growing up in France and Spain. Some heartwarming gems on a mother-daughter relationship, how your kid may one day turn around and want to look like Elsa from Frozen, and how as parents we can be more conscious of the nuances of race...2023-08-021h 02
Brown Game StrongAnish Pathak on His Coming Out StoryIn this episode we sit with Anish, a successful lawyer in the city who talks to us about when he realised he was gay, how he came out to his mum, what it felt like sharing his story in his BBC documentary 'My Hindu Coming Out Story', and what it means for him on a day to day basis to embrace his identity in the religious, cultural and corporate environments he navigates.
IG: @itsanishpathak2023-07-1052 min
Brown Game StrongSohini Banerjee on Bengali Cooking and SupperclubsWe sit with Sohini, the founder of Smoke and Lime; the chef and creator of Bengali-inspired supperclubs in London. She talks to us about the reality of living and working in a big city as an entrepreneur, as well as the people and moments that inspired her cooking journey and what specifically drove her towards completely no-waste cooking. We also learn about the Bengali concept of ‘adda’ that she hopes to emulate in the city through her work.
IG: instagram.com/smokeandlime2023-06-1953 min
Brown Game StrongSneha Narayan on Finding Comfort in CalligraphyWe sit with the incredible Sneha; neurologist in training and the calligrapher behind Paint Pots & Quills, who also happens to be the official calligrapher at Cannes Film Festival. We talk about her deciding to pursue a career in medicine, what being a doctor was like during the COVID pandemic, discovering joy and escapism in calligraphy, social media and how to manage a growing business page whilst still maintaining her sanity, her visits back home to Mumbai and how her South Indian grandmother inspired a lot of the art she creates today.
IG: @paintpotsandquills2023-06-051h 03
Brown Game StrongShivani Sharma on Modelling as a Free SpiritIn this conversation we sit with Shivani, a successful British Indian model, having been the face of Sabyasachi, Charlotte Tilbury, Tatler magazine and more.
She shares some of her stories that touch on topics such as womanhood, the evolution of the modelling industry, friendships, finances, on maintaining your identity and integrity in the industry and learning to live for yourself first so you can be of better service to others.
IG: @xshivanisharma2023-05-181h 12
Brown Game StrongRaghav on Making Magic Through MusicIn this exclusive interview podcast, singer Raghav Mathur, aka Raghav, sits with us to talk about the process of creating his music, his influences growing up, working in Bollywood, the evolution of the British Asian music industry over the last two decades and more. We also discuss his comeback through his new track ‘Desperado’ featuring Tesher.
IG: @raghavworldwide2023-05-0151 min
Brown Game StrongJyoti Patel on The Things That We LostIn this episode we sit with Jyoti who tells us all about her Kenyan Gujarati heritage and the role it has played in writing her debut novel 'The Things That We Lost'.
Grab a copy wherever you purchase your books. https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-...
IG: @jyotisbooks @wearemediahive2023-04-261h 06
Brown Game StrongAngie Tiwari on Cultural Appreciation in YogaIn this conversation, we sit with Angie to talk about her work in amplifying the cultural appreciation of yoga and why it is important for it to be taught and practiced in a way that acknowledges its ancient Indian roots.
IG: @tiwariyoga
Follow (like! subscribe!) us on @browngamestrong2023-04-1159 min
Brown Game StrongLeena Patel on Doing It AllWe sit down with Leena Patel to discuss all things creativity, dance, motherhood and is it really feasible for a woman to 'do it all'? IG: @leena_lplp, @bollyfemme | Follow (like! subscribe!) us on @browngamestrong2023-02-201h 00
Down to BrownThe Spare of the Royal Family, an Heir to privilege, racism, & colonization: UK-Desi Mitali Dargani & US-Desi Lahari Rao review Prince Harry's new bookHost meets host! Host of Down to Brown, Lahari Rao chats with Mitali Dargani, host of London-based Brown Game Strong, to review Prince Harry's book, Spare. They examine how Prince Harry, a man who is building a global platform to vouch for racial equity and media toxicity, delivered his value proposition in his book. We approach it from a lens of 2 women who's ethnic and nationalities fuse India, British, Spanish, and American identities. We ask universal questions around intentionality, family trauma/patterns, forging your own path, global history, etc.2023-02-161h 54
Brown Game StrongRakhi Sachdev on A Journey of Radical Body AcceptanceThe lovely Rakhi Sachdev sits down with us to discuss her journey with her perception of her body. Welcome to the first of the Brown Game Strong studio series. Looking forward to holding space with you. TW: discussions on disordered eating IG: @rakhisachdev_ Follow (like! subscribe!) us on @browngamestrong2023-02-0355 min
Cultured, or Nah?S4 E10: Perceptions of Love Growing Up South AsianBollywood, our parents' marriages, Disney movies, Hollywood - all of it would have been enough to throw us into a doozy. How did you think about love and dating growing up? What has changed for you, and what do you hope for now? In this episode, Shabnum sits down with fellow podcasters Lahari Rao (of Down to Brown podcast) and Mitali Dargani (of Brown Game Strong podcast) and the three compare their childhoods, influence of their parents' relationships, what they saw in the media, and the impact of their relatives' perceptions and relationships on their conceptions of love both...2022-11-161h 31
Brown Game StrongAshok Banker on A Kiss After DyingIn this episode, we speak with Ashok Banker, a best-selling author and screenwriter based in LA with over 80 books and a career spanning 30 years who identifies as non-binary. They are known for their popular Mahabharata and Ramayana books that have been adapted into screenplays as well. We speak to them about their extremely unusual childhood, what inspires them to write as much as they do and all things about their debut thriller fiction; A Kiss After Dying, a story about a young south Indian woman living in the US who is on a mission to avenge the deaths of...2022-07-271h 02
Chai with Rai”There’s such a science to Virality” w/ Mitali DarganiWith Mitali Dargani from the podcast Brown Game Strong and her illustration business Aunty Doodles.
This was such a vulnerable episode because we really dove deep into conversations surrounding mental health, anxiety. How the digital space can affect our perspective on life. By chasing this version of perfection at times.
We get into how brands are built and the behind the scenes that no one ever gets to see. How to grow your brand and an intro into illustration/ podcasting.
We also discussed the South Asian dance space in UK is really like, i...2022-06-291h 44
Brown Game StrongTanya Thanawalla on Storytelling Through DanceTanya is a dancer, choreographer and creative director based in New York and through her visual storytelling and teaching over the last few years both in person and online has won the hearts of so many people all over the world. Not only is she an incredibly hard working and dedicated human being, she’s also been transparent in sharing her struggles and journey with the world and proves to us every day that hard work will always win.
In this episode, we chat about Tanya’s journey with food and her body, as well as both her...2021-10-161h 47
Brown Game StrongPrerna Khemlani on Building This Girl InvestsPrerna is a chartered accountant and also the founder of This Girl Invests, an incredible educational platform aimed at providing women with financial freedom through jargon-free content that explains all aspects of personal finance and investing in a digestible format. I am proud to say that Prerna is also Spanish Sindhi, grew up between the Canary Islands and Madrid and now lives in London and is my dear friend of 12+ years now!
In this episode we chat about everything from our MSN days to what Prerna's experience was like moving to the UK and what propelled her...2021-08-301h 04
Brown Game StrongNisha Aaliya on Bringing All The BollywoodNisha Aaliya is a powerhouse. She’s an actress, a dancer, a singer, a model and has worked on some incredible projects including Netflix’s The Girl on The Train alongside Parineeti Chopra, Amazon Prime’s Shakuntala Devi alongside Vidya Balan, numerous adverts including Deliveroo and Hellmann’s and yet still somehow manages to remain completely grounded, genuine and lovely when you speak to her.
In this episode we discuss exactly how Nisha went from pursuing a career in IT working her way up the corporate ladder to becoming a leading actress in a Bollywood musical overnight with no...2021-08-201h 34
Brown Game StrongHenika Patel on Demystifying TantraHenika is the founder of School of Sensual Arts, an organisation aimed towards bringing the ancient Indian arts into modern society. We became friends over lockdown and she is a total inspiration, with the way she slowly transitioned away from her law career and into teaching yoga and tantra, and proceeding to uproot and travel the world for a few years. She listened to her soul and followed her gut instinct and truly, what can be more freeing than that? She now dedicates her time to educating the world about these beautiful arts that are often so misconstrued by...2021-08-061h 16
Brown Game StrongSara Nisha Adams on The Reading ListToday I'm excited to bring to you a conversation with the lovely Sara Nisha Adams, a debut author who has just released her first book 'The Reading List' a beautiful story about an elderly Gujarati widower who discovers reading in an attempt to feel closer to his late wife who loved books, who meets and becomes friends with a young lady who works at his local library and gives him a list of books to read.
Sara grew up to English and Gujarati parents, and having experienced living in Hertfordshire as well as Wembley in all their g...2021-07-301h 19
Brown Game StrongBGS Bites: Creative block, being kinder to ourselves & taking a bite into a new beginningAllow me to introduce a new segment into the Brown Game Strong podcast; Bites! These are short word-vom style episodes where I discuss things that are hopefully relevant to many of us right now, like a cathartic release of whatever is going through our collective heads. If you follow the @browngamestrong Instagram, you'll be familiar with this concept through our posts and captions we've been sharing over the last year. I also discuss briefly what we've got in store for future guest episodes.2021-07-0306 min
Brown Game StrongAanya Hirdaramani on Balancing a PhD with PsycleIn this episode I ask Aanya how she quite literally manages being a Psycle instructor whilst doing a full time science PhD. From having been diagnosed with leukaemia as a child whilst growing up in Sri Lanka, to coming to London for treatment and boarding school and falling in love with science, fitness has been something that has followed her throughout her adult journey, and she shares with us how she organically came across the opportunity to apply to be an instructor at Psycle or the PhD she is now pursuing. Through her 'A Team', she motivates hundreds of...2021-02-2058 min
Brown Game StrongAkash Mehta on Celebrating Our RootsI spoke with Akash Mehta, the co-founder and CEO of the haircare wellness brand, Fable and Mane to talk about where the idea for the brand came from, how he turned his failures into his strength, his tips on how to grow your social media platform, how he ended up on Forbes 30 under 30, how he takes care of himself mentally and physically whilst running 3 companies and much, MUCH more.
Fun fact; although Akash and I didn't know eachother at uni being there at the same time, we were simultaneously living very similar experiences and going through similar g...2021-02-071h 27
Brown Game StrongDr. Tina Mistry on South Asian Mental HealthI have a lovely chat with the powerhouse that is Dr. Tina Mistry about all things conscious parenting, intergenerational trauma (we are born holding trauma in our bodies from our grandparents, you guys!) and why mental health is so misunderstood in children and in the South Asian community in general. I love love loved this honest and raw conversation about what life is like as a parent of two young children in a pandemic, about how ‘disciplining your child’ is often approached so incorrectly, toxic masculinity and how that stems from childhood, emotional absenteeism in parenting, and how we can...2021-01-311h 19
Brown Game StrongZoe Harveen Kaur on ZHK DesignsIf it isn't blatantly obvious, I'm a big fan of ZHK Designs, and so I had the absolute time of my life sitting down with Zoe, the founder, and just having a good old chit chat.
ZHK Designs is a digital art platform which strives to empower and educate the South Asian community and beyond. Zoe Harveen Kaur, the designer, focuses on representation and sharing various cultures and backgrounds through her art. Zoe is based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and comes from a Punjabi-Sikh background, however her goal is to empower every community and share their traditions a...2021-01-021h 41
Brown Game StrongJonah Batambuze on Celebrating Love with Blindian ProjectThis week, I sit down to have a chat with Jonah Batambuze, the founder and creator of Blindian Project, a platform showcasing the stories of Black x South Asian couples. The globally crowdsourced, art-based documentary project aims to normalise Black x South Asian relationships and dismantle anti-blackness within both communities. Jonah is a Ugandan-American, multidisciplinary creative with a focus on community building. He is now based in London and his work focuses on uplifting the underdog and connecting communities through online & offline activations.
I’m such a huge fan of the work Jonah is doing, and we de...2020-11-2952 min
Brown Game StrongShirin Shah on a Journey With Grief & Running SASSTW: Topics around death and grief are discussed in this episode.
The first thing I noticed about Shirin when I met her for the first time at a dance class was how reserved she appeared to be, but as soon as we started getting to know one another, I quickly learned how chilled and at times goofy she is, and also how much wisdom she has to offer despite not quite appreciating it herself. Aside from being a lawyer, a great dancer and overall lovely person, none of which she gives herself enough credit for (do any...2020-10-2959 min
Brown Game StrongRoshni Kamta on Purple Wigs and Breast CancerI came across Roshni's profile about a year ago when she featured on the Live Tinted Instagram page, and her story was so striking to me that I knew I absolutely had to bring her on here to have a chat. And it just so happens that we were both wearing the Live Tinted huestick when we recorded this episode! #notanad
Roshni is a proud Surinamese woman, often mistaken at first glance for being Indian, yet at the same time being so deeply and proudly ingrained in South Asian culture. She graduated from Rutgers University in May 2018...2020-10-151h 07
Brown Game StrongPranav Patel on Building AfroDesiI sat down to have a chat with Pranav Patel, co-founder of AfroDesi (an eclectic fusion of African and Indian dance styles), professional dancer, ex-Nasa intern, law student, among like 3 other degrees, and proud puppy owner! We discussed how he embraced his Gujarati roots growing up in the US and navigated his dual identity in a very positive way, whilst doing every extracurricular activity he could possibly get his hands on. We spoke about procrastination. And politics and BLM. And piercings. And dealing with getting evicted from his flat. We also covered the South Asian dance scene in the...2020-10-011h 14Brown Game StrongAn UpdateJust dropping by to let you know that there are going to be some changes to the podcast. We're super excited to share what is next in store! Stay tuned.2020-09-0103 min
Brown Game StrongDifficult ConversationsOne very special thing 2020 has done is it has given us a LOT of time to reflect. A global pandemic appeared literally out of nowhere and forced us to sit down with our thoughts for long periods of time, either far away from our loved ones or too closely in their space and this has sparked the opportunity to have many an uncomfortable conversation, be it to educate, debate, make a change, clear the air (or simply our conscious). In this episode, we discuss our personal experiences with how we have been approaching difficult conversations, and share practical tools...2020-07-1829 min
Brown Game StrongBecoming a Valuable AllyIt is extremely important for us to understand the meaning of being valuable allies, more so now than ever, to the Black community in light of recent events following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis among several others. There has been a surge of awareness around the Black Lives Matter movement, a plethora of resources and information circulated which has led to a whole lot of internal conflict and confusion about how we can educate ourselves to be better and do better.
In this episode, we talk about how to work on the personal aspects of a...2020-06-0435 min
Brown Game StrongWhat Will People Say?Or as we say in Hindi: Log Kya Kahenge? That's it; the (in)famous line we’ve grown up hearing from our Desi mums when we are about to do something that to them is worthy of bringing shame to the family. Got caught in public holding hands with a lover? What will people say? Can’t cook an Indian meal to save your life? What will people say? Who’s going to marry you? Went to a relative’s house and filled your plate with too many samosas? What will people say? They’ll think your parents didn’t teach you...2020-03-1330 min
Brown Game StrongCareers & WorkIt can be difficult sometimes, if not downright impossible, to figure out exactly what your direction should be in life, and get it right on the first go. At the age of 16, we are expected to pick higher level subjects that will influence what we can study at uni, which will eventually shape our careers and the rest of our lives… or so we are told. In this episode, we talk about what the 9-5 life is like, versus the freelance life, why engineering or medicine (could be for you, but) is not always the answer and the perception of...2019-12-0530 min
Brown Game StrongThe Quarter-Life CrisisFor those of us who are old enough to have lived in the pre-millennium era, the concept of the quarter-life crisis is probably quite familiar by now. We are facing pressures from all sides to make 'important' life decisions and pick our priorities wisely. For South Asians, the pressures are very real and we are here to talk about it. From the sudden jump between not being able to date and suddenly being expected to get married, to often feeling incapable of making life-altering financial decisions, all while listening to the aunties telling you what you really should be...2019-10-3028 min
Brown Game StrongBody PositivityIn recent years there has been a huge movement around the concept of body positivity and more people are openly talking about the importance of embracing their natural selves. In a world where the the media and large corporations dominate and monetise our insecurities, we recognise that the journey of self-acceptance is one we are all on. In this episode we discuss our personal experiences and confusions growing up with regards to our bodies, and how as South Asian women it is so important for us to talk about our struggles in a transparent and progressive way.
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Brown Game StrongPilotTwo women with bold brows, just having a chat. Introducing Asha and Mitali, your co-hosts for this brand new podcast where we will be discussing everything from why Kim K is NOT a role model, to how uncomfortable PDA in old Bollywood films is to watch and why there's nothing better than learning to embrace and celebrate your roots whilst bossing it within a very contrasting cultural environment.2019-09-2605 min