A QISSAA with Ishika: Recent Episodes
Ishika Muchhal
Join performer and storyteller Ishika Muchhal as she interviews and tells the Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists, the trailblazers who have paved their own path in the visual and performing arts in America. A new guest, a new episode every week, Sundays at 12 p.m. PST.
Welcome to the 29th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest today is comedy writer and performer Romen Borsellino!
A member of the Writers Guild of America, Romen has been a writer for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show during Kal Penn’s weeks as guest host. Before that, he was a staff writer for Season 2 of NBC’s A Little Late with Lilly Singh as well as the sole writer for CTV’s Battle of the Generations, hosted by Lilly Singh. In 2020, Romen co-created and executive produced Freeform’s comedic election series Kal Penn Approves This Message. Romen has also written comedy for President Biden’s 2023 White House Correspondent’s Dinner remarks, the 2023 Pen America Literary Awards, the 2021 WGA Awards, and Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s This Giant Beast That Is The Global Economy on Amazon Prime. You may have seen him as White House Staffer from the Motown Night episode of Fox's I Can See Your Voice Season 3. Before writing comedy, Romen served as a political appointee in the Obama Administration. He has also worked on a number of high-profile political campaigns in his home state of Iowa, including President Obama’s historic 2008 Iowa caucus race and 2012 re-election. Romen is a graduate of Amherst College.
Welcome to the 28th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest today is playwright and screenwriter Madhuri Shekar! She is the 2020 winner of the Lanford Wilson playwriting award, an alumnus of the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program at Juilliard, and a fellow at New Dramatists. Madhuri holds a masters in dramatic writing from USC, as well as degrees from London School of Economics and Stella Maris College. Her Audible audio play EVIL EYE won a 2020 Audie Award for best original work, and she later adapted that play into a feature film for Amazon Prime and Blumhouse Productions. Her numerous plays have been produced or developed at the Alliance Theatre, Victory Gardens, California Shakespeare Theater, the Center Theatre Group, East West Players, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Kennedy Center, Hedgebrook Playwrights' Festival, and the Old Globe, among others. She co-created the web mini-series 'Titus and Dronicus', wrote for the TV show THE NEVERS on HBOMax, and is a writer on the upcoming Netflix sci-fi epic THREE BODY PROBLEM.
www.ishikamuchhal.com/a-qissaa-with-ishikaWelcome to the 27th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest today is award-winning writer and director Arpita Mukherjee. She is the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Hypokrit Live Arts, a theatre company highlighting work by BIPOC artists.Film accolades include directing the short film Running with Danny Pudi, writing the Filmfare Award-winning screenplay for the film Gulmohar, and working with WIIP, AMC, Sony, and an Netflix. Her work has been screened at Chicago South Asian Film Festival, New Filmmakers LA, The Indian Film Festival of LA, the New York Indian Film Festival, and CAAMFest. She made her Broadway debut as resident director for The Kite Runner and co-writer for the Moonsoon Wedding Musical at St. Ann’s Warehouse. She has also directed at New York Theatre Workshop, the Geffen Playhouse, San Diego Rep, Public Theater, WP Theater, East West Players, Roundabout Theatre, and O’Neill Theater Center. She is a 2021 Resident Director at the Drama League, a 2018 - 2020 Women’s Project Lab Member, a 2018 Eugene O’ Neill National Directing Fellow, and an alum of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.https://arpitamukherjee-theatredirect...www.ishikamuchhal.com/a-qissaa-with-ishika
Welcome to the 26th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My guest today is percussionist Vinay Sharma, known for his musical prowess on the tabla, dhol, and many other drums.Through training under Rupesh Kotecha and the late Pandit Ravi Bellare, Vinay honed his percussion skills, found the spirituality behind music in bhajans and kirtans, and developed a niche for himself within Indian musicianship. He has entertained for a host of renowned stars, including Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Kunal Nayyar, Lil Jon, Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and many more. Through the rhythmic beats and melodious tones, Vinay finds solace and a higher sense of purpose, creating an ethereal atmosphere that resonates with both the performers and the listeners. He has used his skillset to bring Indian music to American audiences, blending classical instruments with both Indian and American tunes. Vinay has played for movies like Murder Mystery 2 on Netflix, dance shows, weddings, block parties, festivals, and other occasions.
https://www.instagram.com/so_dholi/
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Welcome to the 24th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My guest today is photographer Simrah Farrukh! Based between Los Angeles and San Francisco, her images are a reflection of the delicate, yet compelling ways in which she views the world. Her work explores how identity and community intersect with fashion and beauty to form a narrative. Inspired by the elegance, grace and intimacy of Pakistani poetry and her Muslim upbringing, Simrah hopes to create softness in an otherwise antagonistic world. She has worked with Hypebae, Disney, Netflix, Canva, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, and the Intersectional Environmentalist, also showcasing work at numerous solo and group exhibitions across the West Coast. Simrah has been featured in press by VOGUE India, Daily Bruin, VICE, Adobe, Byrdie, 35s & 45s, Sunstroke Magazine, Timid Magazine, HomeGrown, Brown Girl Magazine, and Azeema.
Welcome to the 25th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My guest today is voice and screen actor and singer Zehra Fazal!A versatile actor, she has voiced many characters on series for Disney Television Animation, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, Netflix and Cartoon Network. Her voice has likely entered your world through characters in series and video games including Young Justice Outsiders, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Bojack Horseman, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Big Hero 6: The Series, Lost in Space, Borderlands 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Destiny 2, and League of Legends, among many others.On-camera, Zehra has appeared in How to Get Away With Murder, Magnum PI and Lucifer, and she is a talented singer who has performed at various cabarets and concerts.Zehra is also a recipient of two Society of Voice Arts and Science (SOVAS) Awards for her promo work as the voice of the Women's World Cup and Outstanding Body of Work overall.
www.zehrafazal.com
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Welcome to the 23rd episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists. My guest today is director, author, filmmaker, producer, and entrepreneur Neha Lohia! Neha has created numerous films, documentaries, music videos, and commercials, recently creating the teaser for season 2 of Amazon Prime’s Made in Heaven. She currently has films in festivals around the world and has received critical acclaim for her unique takes and stories. Her art and practice are heavily influenced by the subjects of identity, gender, and spirituality. Neha serves as the Vice Chairwoman for Apple Productions Inc. in New York, pioneering Indian American film and TV projects that synergize Hollywood and Bollywood.She holds an Associate’s Degree in Film from New York, a Diploma in Commercial Applied Arts, a Master’s in Photography, and a Master’s in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Neha is also certifies in Transformational Nutrition Coaching and Meditation Facilitation to Yoga Instruction, Organic Farming, Spiritual Coaching for Women, and Professional Trading, among others.
Welcome to the 22nd episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, in conversation this week with director, screenwriter, and producer Nisha Ganatra! A Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee, she was ranked the #1 director globally by Cannes and won the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Film Craft: Direction for her film #wombstories. She has directed, written, and produced movies including Late Night with Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson, The High Note with Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson, Chutney Popcorn with Jill Hennessy and Sakina Jaffrey, and Cosmopolitan with Carol Kane and Roshan Seth. She has also directed and written for TV shows like Girls, Mr. Robot, Transparent, Dear White People, Future Man, Shameless, Black Monday, Brooklyn 9-9 Last Man on Earth, Welcome To Chippendales, and’ Dear Edward. Graduating from UCLA and NYU TISCH, she has created a platform for South Asians, women, and the LGBTQ+ community through her films.
Welcome to the 21st episode of A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists!
My guest today is Rajiv Nema, an Actor, Standup Comedian & Youtuber based in silicon valley. His "Rajiv Nema Indori" video series has 400 videos with 20 Million views. You may have seen him in his recent feature films JAADUGAR with Jitendra Kumar & THAI MASSAGE with Gajraj Rao, both streaming on Netflix. His other Bollywood films are SANJU, Love Aaj Kal, & Simran. Rajiv is also an avid theater actor. He has been performing for NAATAK, America’s Biggest Indian Theater company, for the last 26 years and has acted in more than 25 plays including THE ODD COUPLE, RASHOMON, SAKHARAM BINDER, MUAVZE, RAMAYAN, TUGHLAQ and EK THA GADHA.Rajiv also works as a Senior Director of Marketing at an Enterprise software company in Silicon Valley.
Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My guest today is actor, director, and playwright Priyanka Shetty!
Priyanka is focused on making art that is a reflection of our times. Her critically acclaimed one-woman show The Elephant in the Room has been performed at numerous venues including the Kennedy Center and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, amongst other national and international tours. She recently made her Off-Broadway debut with her second solo play #Charlottesville and is currently working on The Wall, the final play in her Triptych of Solos. Priyanka was selected for the prestigious Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive 2021 and is a semi-finalist for the 2022 Eugene O’Neill National Playwriting Conference. Priyanka earned her Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Virginia and has served on the faculty of the University of Virginia’s Department of Drama. She is currently a teaching artist with Tectonic Theater Project's Moment Work Institute. This year, Priyanka will be coordinating a nationwide premiere of her triptych of solos across multiple cities.
www.priyankashetty.com
Welcome to the 19th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! Mu guest today is Aparna Kumar, a Bharatanatyam dancer and Creative Content Specialist at Netflix! With experience working in films and documentaries, she started her journey in marketing production at Syfy in new York, worked with agencies and clients including Sesame Street. In her current role with Netflix, she works in the AV Studio Creative Content team in collaboration with Publicity and Marketing to create, capture, and execute campaign materials to publicize characters on and off set. This includes hiring crews to capture BTS footage and interviews, producing and directing shoots, working with talent and filmmakers, overseeing edit/post-production of video assets, managing video crews at red carpets, and more. Aparna is also a classically trained Bharatanatyam dancer, having finished her solo dance recital called an Arangetram. She is invested in bringing a progressive discourse to the South Asian diaspora, particularly surrounding issues of class and caste.
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Hello and welcome to the 18th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists, funded by the California Art Council’s Individual Artist Fellow Grant. My guest today is Shaan Sharma, a man of many talents within the entertainment industry! Shaan has worked as a commercial and theatrical SAG-AFTRA actor with over 40 TV and 30 commercial credits, currently playing (SHMOO-ELLE) Shmuel on The Chosen. A Backstage Expert Contributor, he served as a Casting Session Director for 45 L.A. Casting Directors over 10 years. Shaan has served SAG-AFTRA as LA Local Board of Directors Member, National Board Replacement, LA Member Education & Conservatory Instructor, LA Conservatory Committee Co-Chair, Chair of the Conservatory Subcommittee on Curriculum and Faculty, and Head of Commercial & Theatrical Departments. Author of the acclaimed book, “Commercial Acting in L.A.: A Session Director’s Guide,” Shaan founded his own acting studio called The Storytellers Conservatory and serves as a USC School of Dramatic Arts Guest lecturer, and Adjunct Professor for PACE University in New York’s School of Drama. www.shaansharma.com
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Welcome to the 17th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest is Vinita Sud Belani, an actor, director, producer, and the Founding Artistic Director of EnActe Arts, a theatre company co-located in Houston and Silicon Valley. Enacte Arts centers South Asian stories in a global context, focusing on inclusive representation and talent development. Vinita’s recent directing credits include Go to your room, Mother!, Chaos Theory, The Conference of the Birds, Soundwaves: The Passion of Noor Inayat Khan, Queen and The Case of The Vanishing Firefish, which she co-wrote. She has trained in street theatre under director and playwright Badal Sircar. Beyond the arts, Vinita has over 20 years of CXO level experience in the corporate world, in technology development and management of technology, both in large multinational corporations and in Silicon Valley startups. She has lived and worked in nine countries across four continents, speaks seven languages fluently and has served on several non-profit boards dealing with educational access, domestic violence and sex trafficking.
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Welcome to the 16th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My guest today is Ramita Ravi, a dancer, choreographer, educator, entrepreneur, actor, and consultant. She is the first South Asian to be featured on So You Think You Can Dance. Ramita has choreographed for Lincoln Center, Raveena, KSHMR, Buzzfeed, and Spotify. She has taught at Broadway Dance Center, Columbia, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and Alvin Ailey. She is faculty with Groove Dance, Headliners, and Imagine Dance Challenge. Ramita has numerous credits to her name as well, including Spinning Gold, John Oliver, TNT, Viceland, Hermès NYFW, Mystic India: The World Tour, and recently the world premiere of the musical Bhangin’ It! She also works as a consultant in the areas of UX Design, Product Strategy, Marketing, and Program / Portfolio Management. Ramita is a Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Artswrk: a professional network for artists and creatives. She also co-founded Project Convergence, a dance company incubated at the American Tap Dance Foundation. www.ramitaravi.com
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Welcome to episode 15 of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest today is Svetlana Tulasi, an Indian Classical Kathak & Bollywood dancer, dance educator, choreographer and actor. Svetlana has performed in Russia, India, Ukraine, Singapore, Finland, Canada, the USA, and beyond. Credits include Ukraine's Got Talent TV, Russia's Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance (Ukraine), Dance Plus India, and TedX. She has performed in music videos and commercials, including for Zee Music Company, Indialucia, and TIC TAC TV in Russia. A winner of the Miss Bollywood Dance Star Award from the International Federation of Indian Dance, Svetlana also starred in a documentary film called Indian Classical Dancer. She has taught Kathak and Bollywood workshops around the world and currently teaches in person in LA and online. Svetlana has trained in the Indian Classical Kathak dance under her Guru ji Yekaterina Yurievna Seliviorstova and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Kathak Dance from Prayag Sangeet Samiti University of Indian Classical Music & Dance (Allahabad, India). She has also trained in acting from the "New Collective LA" studio, a Los Angeles branch of the "Susan Batson Acting Studio.”
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Welcome to the 14th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists.
My guest today is Rashi Jain, a PRODUCTION DESIGNER, ARCHITECT, and SCENIC ARTIST.
With an undergraduate degree in Architecture from Mumbai, Rashi started by working on various projects relating to sustainability, waterfronts, urban design and landscape. She graduated with her MFA in Applied Design from CalArts in 2019, currently working as a Production Designer, Scenic Artist and a Visual Developer in Los Angeles. Rashi has worked on music videos, movies, commercials and more with reputed artists and production companies like Jason Derulo, The Weeknd, The Today Show, Tesher, Diljit Dosanjh, Katy Perry, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Travis Scott, Snoop Dog, Kehlani, Call of Duty, Wet n Wild Beauty, Physicians Formula, and Cole Bennett.
www.rashijaindesign.com
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Welcome to the 13th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists.
My guest today, Kavi Ramachandran Ladnier, an actor, director, producer, singer and writer. Kavi received her BFA in acting from NYU’s Tisch School of The Arts and then worked with Julie Dash on HBO’s Subway Stories and then her first Off Broadway play Crosscurrents. Kavi is in the cast of Mindy Kaling’s upcoming TV show, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and has been in numerous TV shows like recurring roles on Just Add Magic: Mystery City, Heroes, General Hospital, Mira, Royal Detective, Criminal Minds, CSI:NY. Her films include Boris and the Bomb, Karma Calling, Janani, and more. In Theater, she has worked with Yale Rep, East West Players, Getty Villa, Rogue Machine Theater, Kingsmen Shakespeare, and Off-Broadway in Rehana Lew Mirza’s 2019 World Premiere of Hatef**k. Kavi also coaches actors, is a member of the Antaeus Playwrights Lab. B.F.A., NYU. and is a certified teacher of Kundalini Yoga. She is currently producing and starring in her short film NOW AND NEVER.
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists.
My guest today is Snehal Desai, the Producing Artistic Director of East West Players, the nation's premier Asian-American theater company and one of the longest-running theaters of color in the US. Snehal has worked as a freelance director working across the United States and the UK. He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition (APAMC) and serves on the boards of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) and Theater Communications Group (TCG). As an artistic leader, he has sought to raise awareness on social issues that affect Angelenos by personalizing them through storytelling. A Soros Fellow and recipient of a Tanne Award, Desai was in the Inaugural Class of Theatre Communications Group’s “Spark” Leadership Program. He was also the Inaugural Recipient of the Drama League’s Classical Directing Fellowship. Snehal is on the faculty of USC's graduate program in Arts Leadership where he teaches Executive Arts Leadership. Snehal is a graduate of Emory University and the Yale School of Drama.
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Welcome to the 11th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists. My guest today is Ranjita Chakravarty, a renowned actor and director who also works as a Systems Auditor at Stanford University. Most recently, you may have seen her in Season 2 of Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever on Netflix as Nirmala or Pati - Devi’s paternal grandmother. Ranjita has extensive performance credits in theater, film, and TV. On screen, she has starred in Oh Mother where art thou, Kaaya, Love Pyar Whatever, Bicycle Bride, Call Me Kate, Perfect Mismatch, and more. She has also acted on stage and directed with multiple theater companies including Naatak in Bay Area, Enacte Academy, and the Stanford Drama Department. I had the honor of watching Ranjita live when she performed as Protima Dasi in the production of Vrindavan at Naatak, America’s biggest Indian theater. Ranjita has also performed on the stage in India, winning 1st prize for improvised mono-acting in the TV program called Yuv Manch, or Doordarshan. Ranjita Chakravarty https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1888908/ Ishika Muchhal www.ishikamuchhal.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishika.muchhalSubscribe to my YouTube channel! A QISSAA with Ishika Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5pAgLDc... YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7...
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Welcome to the 10th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists. My name is Ishika Muchhal.
My guest today is Sheetal Sheth, a renowned actor, producer and author. Sheetal graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She has had an extensive career in TV and film, with credits including The World Unseen, I Can't Think Straight, Grin, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, NCIS: LA, ABCD, Family Guy, and Life of Pi.
She has been nominated for and won many awards at film festivals including Cinevue, Toronto International, Slamdance, Gran Canaria, Festival del Mar, and the SAFTAs.
She has been a model and rep for CHI, Reebok, and Maxim, and has appeared on the cover of magazines like Anokhi, Audrey, Woman International, and Seema.
Sheetal has had op-eds published on CNN, The Daily Beast, and Thrive Global. She is also the author of two children’s books, Always Anjali and Bravo Anjali.!
Sheetal supports marginalized communities through workshops, panels, serving on AmeriCorps, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, Women's Voices Now, Equality Now, and The Representation Project.
www.sheetalsheth.com
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists!
I am so excited to introduce you to my guest today, Vijayalakshmi, a renowned Mohiniyattam dancer, choreographer, and artistic director. Her unique interpretation of the dance form resonates with contemporary universal relevance, destroying stereotypes to delve deeply into femininity and beyond. She trained under Guru Bharati Shivaji and has endeavored to take Mohiniyattam to higher levels by constantly exploring unchartered territories and expanding traditional boundaries through innovative choreographies inspired from a pan-Indian and global perspective. Her prominent productions include Unniarcha, inspired from Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art form; Swan Lake, inspired from the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky's music; and Paryapti, which draws upon the rich cultural ethos and music of Bengal. Vijayalakshmi has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in India and around the globe including the Bolshoi Theatre, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Lincoln Centre. She has a Bachelors & Masters in English Literature from Lady Shriram College, Delhi University. She is the founder-Director of The Mohiniyattam Institute in Los Angeles & Artistic-Director, Centre For Mohiniyattam New Delhi - teaching, pursuing speaking and writing engagements, and developing new stage productions while continually traveling the world to present Mohiniyattam. She was recently selected to be a UCLA Regents Lecturer. Vijayalakshmi is the recipient of several prestigious honors and awards, including the Sanskriti Nritya Puraskar, Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Rashtriya Ekta Award. She has co-authored a book along with Guru Bharati Shivaji entitled ’Mohiniyattam’, and has received Fellowships from the Department Of Culture, Government of India, and Indira Gandhi National Centre for The Arts (IGNCA) to pursue research in Mohiniyattam. In 2003, Vijayalakshmi was profiled by the Week magazine as one of 50 Emerging Stars of India to watch over the next decade.
http://vijayalakshmi.net/
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists!
My guest today is Tharini Shanmugarajah, a professional Bharatanatyam dancer, model, assistant artistic director, and make-up artist. She has trained in the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam under her mother and guru Smt. Kalyani Shanmugarajah, Sheejith Krishna of the Sahrdaya Foundation in Chennai, and Smt. Bragha Bessell for Abhinaya or expression. Tharini also studied Carnatic music under Smt. Sankari Senthilkumar for many years as well as ballet. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology with an emphasis in dance from California State University Northridge in 2013. Some of her incredible performance highlights include Spirit of Youth Festival at the Music Academy, Madras in 2012, MARA, at the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, duets with Sheejith Krishna in Los Angeles, Lancaster, Baltimore and Toronto; “Gopala Ratnam,” at Balamandir German Hall in Chennai, The Evolution of Natya at Kalapeetham, and Don Quixote, at the Music Academy, Madras, Canada, and Kennedy Center. Tharini is the assistant artistic director of the Kalapeetham Dance Company since 2005, and the dance company has raised over $75,000 for various non-profit organizations, including $10,000 for Doctors without Borders. She has also collaborated with the Banyan Institute for Mental Health and Rehabilitation and is actively involved in the non-profit arts organization Kalālayam, which she co-founded in 2014. Since 2006, she has taught multiple students at Kalapeetham, one of them finishing her Arangetram in 2017. Tharini is also a skilled make-up artist, working for several years with the cosmetics company, Bobbi Brown. Tharini has been a model and brand representative for ZIBA and DRYBAR.
https://kalapeetham.com/assistant-art...
https://theimho.org/
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists!
My guest today is Ravi Rajan, musician, creative producer, and President of the California Institute of the Arts.
Mr. Rajan has served as Assistant Dean of Art+Design and Dean of the School of Arts at Purchase College. As Dean, his initiatives helped renovate the art and design facilities, strengthen the college’s philanthropic efforts, and create a master’s degree titled Entrepreneurship in the Arts, intended to help students learn how to launch their own arts organizations. Ravi also taught students from kindergarten through university at various institutions, and worked with faculty and artists on multimedia projects at Yale University and The Rockefeller University.
Mr. Rajan is an alumni of the University of Oklahoma and Yale University. He is an accomplished musician, performing with and conducting for many large and small musical groups as well as for the theatre. His practice also encompasses producing collaborative mixed-media projects with artists, filmmakers, directors, and choreographers for museums, galleries, foundations, biennials, festivals, and venues public and private.
Mr. Rajan is known for his development of innovative and visionary initiatives.
He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London; a former member of the Tony Awards Nominating Committee and a past president of the Asian American Arts Alliance.
https://directory.calarts.edu/administration-offices/ravi-s-rajan
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists!
My guest today is Iram Parveen Bilal, a filmmaker, activist, and owner of the Parveen Shah Productions company. Raised in Nigeria and Pakistan, Iram has had a vast variety of artistic experiences and credits. She studied Environmental Science and Engineering at CalTech before making the shift into filmmaking. Iram has 3 feature films and many short films, TV pilots, commercials, and screenplays to her name, her most recent film I’ll Meet You There earning rave reviews. Her feature film Josh was the first film from Pakistan to be selected by Netflix and the US Library of Congress permanent collection. She was 1 of 15 directors invited to Cinefondation's L'Atelier at Cannes 2019 for her feature project in development, WAKHRI (ONE OF A KIND). Shifting to TV, her Pilot, DETAINED, just made the top twenty un-produced, female written pilots’ list for WeForShe. Iram is a CAPE, Film Independent & Thomas J. Watson fellow and multiple-time Women in Film awardee. Iram is an active mentor for women in film and tech. She is a member of the Film Fatales and the Alliance of Women directors, advocating for gender parity behind the camera. Bilal has been featured on NPR, BBC, the New York Times, Forbes, Filmmaker Magazine, and more. Bilal initiated the Pakistani Oscar committee and is the founder of Pakistan's first professional screenwriting lab (QALAMBAAZ). Her leadership and associations include Alliance of Women Directors' Industry Support cohort, BlackMagic Collective's Future Women of TV cohort, co-chair of the Asian American Writer’s Committee at the WGA, and active board member for the Caltech Y.
https://www.iramparveenbilal.com/
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https://youtu.be/rlfVJuOB_bY
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! I'm your host, Ishika Muchhal!
My guest today is Behzad Dabu, an actor, writer, activist, and producer. Behzad has had an illustrious career on screen and stage, in LA, Chicago, and NY. He originated the role of 'Abe' in the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony-nominated play, "Disgraced" which he performed at American Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Berkeley Repertory, Seattle Repertory, and the Mark Taper Forum at Center Theatre Group.
He also originated the role of 'Amit' in "Samsara" at Victory Gardens Theatre, for which he was nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Actor.
You may have seen him on screen as 'Simon Drake' in How To Get Away With Murder, as 'Amir' on The Chi, on Disney’s The Lion Guard, and on Chicago P.D. And this is just a small number of his multiple TV, film, and national commercial credits.
A member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association, Behzad got his BFA in Acting from Columbia College Chicago where he also worked as a senior international admissions officer.
Behzad is also a strong advocate for justice, equality, and representation, a founding member of the Chicago Inclusion Project and a company member at the TimeLine Theatre Company. He is also an acting coach, audience engagement facilitator, and post-show discussion leader.
www.behzaddabu.com
www.ishikamuchhal.com
https://youtu.be/oKjhhNghmGc
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My guest today is Pragati Sharma, an artist, curator, industrial designer, architect, AND art educator! Pragati mixes fine arts, calligraphy, mythology, architecture, and spirituality in her artwork!! Born in India, Pragati Sharma has had the influence of many cultures and traditions. At a young age, she was recognized for her creativity and went on to pursue her Bachelors in Architecture and Masters in Product Design from THE National Institute of Design, NID Ahmedabad. Through her travel and work in Europe, she explored the synergy between art, design, and architecture. Her work features transparent layers of paint, using the principles of color, design, and visual balance to tell stories through visual art. Pragati is a multi-medium artist, working with music and performing arts along with her visual art to create multi-sensory experiences. Her art ranges from figures to landscapes to anthropomorphic design, paintings to sculptures, most of which you can find in her exhibitions. Her work has been displayed at a Habitat for Humanity public art Project in Vancouver, Canada, one of only 3 artists whose work was selected. Pragati’s work has also been showcased in New York City’s Times Square! She also has her own art school, called the Pragati Art School, where she teaches art workshops in-person and NOW virtually.
www.pragatisharma.com
www.ishikamuchhal.com
https://youtu.be/f_kUDe1xx8Y
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists. I'm your host, Ishika Muchhal, and I'm an actor, singer, dancer, writer, and director. A bit about my guest today: Raaginder Singh Momi is a violinist and music composer whose music, as you heard, blends Indian classical music with various contemporary musical styles like hip-hop, Punjabi folk, R&B, and more. His music is listened to by thousands of people monthly across the world! Raaginder has performed at renowned venues like the White House, the Kennedy Center, the Staples Center, and the Wembley Arena. He has been working as a professional musician since 2011, which if I’m not wrong, was the year my family and I went to see him perform at UCLA and I still have the CD from that show! Raaginder got his Bachelors of Fine Arts in world music performance at none other than CalArts, California Institute of the Arts, where I happen to go right now! Raaginder has a universal style of music that touches on a variety of moods, bringing out a new sound that has amazed audiences wherever he goes!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7...
www.raaginder.com
www.ishikamuchhal.com
https://open.spotify.com/show/5pAgLDcABiL3IYinBDDzYO?si=CsGgc7dSR2qqP-fsyZ8W2A
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Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My name is Ishika Muchhal, and I am an actor, singer, dancer, and storyteller. My guest today is Aishveryaa Nidhi. Aishveryaa has been a performer across three continents, working in India, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA. In her illustrious career, she has performed in numerous films, television shows, and commercials, from Hollywood to Bollywood and in between! I had the pleasure of meeting Aishveryaa when she performed her one-woman show, Gandhari, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, and later working with her for the show’s run at the Pasadena Repertory Theatre, A Noise Within. Aishveryaa is not only an actor but also a filmmaker, producer, member of the Screen Actors Guild, an arts administrator, and founding artistic director of Abhinay School of Performing Arts Inc. Her work has been performed and recognized at the “Short and Sweet Bollywood” festival, the world’s largest 10-minute play festival. As an artist, she has been invited to teach and perform at venues such as Opera Australia and the Sydney Theatre Company. Her numerous accolades include United India Association’s ‘Outstanding person of the year’, South Asian Artist of the year in Melbourne, and St. George's Volunteer of the year award’ three times for her contribution to art & culture and literary work. https://anti-asianviolenceresources.c... aishveryaanidhi.com Ishika Muchhal www.ishikamuchhal.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishika.much... Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUhO... A QISSAA with Ishika Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5pAgLDc... YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7...
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists!
My name is Ishika Muchhal, and I am an actor, singer, dancer, and storyteller. Website Instagram YouTube Subscribe
A bit about my guest, Arianna Afsar: Website
- singer, songwriter, storyteller
- played Eliza Hamilton in the Chicago cast of Hamilton
- starred in many musicals, TV shows, films, & music videos, including Billboard-charting “First Burn”
- wrote the music and lyrics for Jeannette, a new musical ( https://linktr.ee/jeannettemusical )
- activist for women’s rights, speaking at venues like the Women’s March and United State of Women
- board member of ACLU Illinois NextGen program
- Miss California 2010
- top 36 of American Idol
Actors Fund: https://actorsfund.org/
The Actors Fund fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Hello and welcome to A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! I'm your host, Ishika Muchhal! From a young age, I knew that I wanted to be a performer and artist, and I have always been inspired by the trailblazing South Asian artists who have challenged the norms and carved the path for themselves and others in the arts. They followed their hearts and strived for representation so that young artists like myself could follow in their footsteps. But how did they do it? Why don't I ask them! Join me each week for some qissaas, or episodes, from the lives of these artists, a new guest every week! Stay tuned for the truly Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of some incredible South Asian Artists on A QISSAA with Ishika.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app