The Center Stage for South Asian Cinema
Season 3 dropping August 2025! Follow us on all social platforms to stay up to date!
The Center Stage for South Asian Cinema
Season 3 dropping August 2025! Follow us on all social platforms to stay up to date!

What happens when a consultant at Accenture trades spreadsheets for screenplays and ends up directing, producing, and starring in her own films?Today on Chai with Champs, we're joined by Sujata Day, a multi-hyphenate creator, star of HBO’s Insecure, and the force behind the critically acclaimed film Definition Please.From navigating Hollywood without connections, to rewriting the narrative for South Asian characters on screen, Sujata shares how she transformed early challenges into creative leverage and why building your own table is sometimes more powerful than asking for a seat.This is a conversation about strategy, identity, and storytelling and what it really takes to thrive in today’s entertainment industry.00:00 - Intro 01:15 - Who is Sujata Day? 08:53 - Balancing Film & Consulting | How a career in consulting sets you up for success? 14:45 - Auditioning & Finding an Agent | How to build your network when you start out? 16:52 - How a tweet got Sujata to work with Issa Rae 20:12 - South Asian Stereotypes in Media26:25 - Shoutout to Sunblue Sound! - Our Official Show Sponsors 27:14 - The reality of Hollywood & the Power of DIY31:15 - No Film School to Netflix 37:56 - How Mindy Kaling became EP for Sujata's first film 45:55 - How to get Sujata Day to be your mentor?49:00 - Spill the Chai | Chai with Champs' Rapid Fire 53:29 - Advice to your younger self 54:52 - Gatekeeping in the Industry & Finding Inspiration 57:25 - How do you bring South Asian Cinema to Center Stage?Chai with Champs is the Center Stage for South Asian Cinema Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithchamps/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RitikaAgrawalll