Welcome to the 36th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest today is playwright and filmmaker Rehana Lew Mirza! With a BFA from NYU TISCH and an MFA from Columbia University, Rehana’s prolific career has seen her plays produced at venues across the US. Some play highlights include: Hatefuck (First Floor, Chicago; WP/Colt Coeur, NY); A People’s Guide to History in the Time of Here and Now (Primary Stages Toulmin commission); Soldier X (Ma-Yi); Tomorrow, Inshallah (Living Room Theater; Storyworks/HuffPost commission); Neighborhood Watch (NNPN/InterAct commission, upcoming production: Jackalope 2025) and Barriers (Desipina, Asian American Theater Company.) She founded the award-winning South Asian theater and film company, Desipina & Co, alongside her sister Rohi Mirza Pandya in 2001, where together they produced the popular Seven.11 series. She shares a Kleban Award and a 2016-2022 Mellon Foundation National Playwright residency administered in partnership with Howlround at Ma-Yi with Mike Lew. Together they’ve co-written The Colonialism Project (LJP commission) and the musical Bhangra Nation (originally Bhangin’ It) with composer/lyricist Sam Willmott. Rehana’s short film MODERN DAY ARRANGED MARRIAGE won the NBC ShortCuts audience award, and screened at “Just for Laughs” in Montreal before being acquired by LOGO/MTV. Her feature film, HIDING DIVYA, had a limited North American release and toured to colleges through a grant from the Asian Women's Giving Circle.Her additional accolades include being a WP Resident Playwright, NYFA Fellow, HBO Access Fellow, Lilly Award recipient, CCTP Residenct, Colt Coeur member, and a TCG Fellowship.
Welcome to the 35th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika!
My guest today is Ravjot Mehek Singh, an award-winning Sikh Indian American Film and TV Director and art activist. Many Indian and American media outlets refer to her as one of the youngest female directors in Bollywood and one of the first openly LGBTQ+ Sikh women directors in South Asia. By age 21, she had directed 3 television talk shows for Dish Network through the largest Asian American TV channel Jus Punjabi. She began directing Bollywood music videos and was listed as the youngest female music video director to be launched by T-Series (India's largest record label) in 2021.Ravjot's work in curation and installation art has been featured in major galleries globally including the Guggenheim Museum. Her curatorial debut "Pardafash" gained critical acclaim as one of the only shows in the world to address the often censored struggles Sikhs went through in 1984 in India. As an LGBTQ+ art activist, Ravjot has been featured in Harper's Bazaar and Cosmopolitan magazine, amongst other publications. Her film and art activism work is driven by a passion to create lasting change in the entertainment field and society.
Welcome to the 34th 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 is music director, composer, and arranger Sheela Ramesh! She was recently named a “Woman to Watch on Broadway” by the Broadway Women’s Fund. Professional highlights include Broadway (SIX, Almost Famous, Once Upon a One More Time, Merrily We Roll Along, Hells Kitchen); Off-Broadway (Lincoln Center Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, The York, Theatre Row); TV (NBC's Annie Live!); concert (Carnegie Hall, Kings Theater, Town Hall); and regional theater (Berkeley Rep, A.C.T.). She is an Artist Ambassador for the New York Civil Liberties Union, a teaching artist with Lincoln Center Theater, and an Associate at Liz Caplan Vocal Studio. Undergraduate and graduate degrees in music from Carnegie Mellon University and the Royal College of Music; psychology/cognitive science (BS, Carnegie Mellon; MSc, University College London) and law (JD, Yale Law School). She has spent her nonmusical professional life working to ensure that all youth have opportunities to thrive. www.sheelarameshmusic.com
Welcome to the 33rd 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. I am so excited to welcome my guest today, fresh off the UK and Asia tour of Life of Pi, actor Sonya Venugopal! A proud Californian, she has lived in New York for 8 years.! In 2023, she made her Broadway debut in Life of Pi as Rani, while also covering the role of Pi. Some of her many theater credits include the Life of Pi (UK & Asia) tour, Come Fall in Love at The Old Globe, Atlantis at Virginia Rep, and Maggie with Goodspeed Operahouse. She has also been a part of readings like MĀYĀ and In Emily’s Words. Sonya also performed in the film Little Boxes and her song evrymee is streaming on all platforms. She holds an MFA in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory and a BA in Theater and Communications from Santa Clara University. Outside of performing, Sonya loves searching for the best East Coast replica of In-N-Out and is an avid reader and runner, though the cold weather in NYC this time of year really deters her from wanting to be outside! www.sonyavenugopal.com
Welcome to the 32nd episode of A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Stories! My guest today is theatermaker and director Zi Alikhan. Raised in California and based in New York, Zi is an alum of NYU TISCH and programs including TCG Rising Leaders of Color, Drama League Directors Project, Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, Drama League Artist Residency Program, Manhattan Theatre Club Jonathan Alper Directing Fellowship, Williamstown Directing Corps, and Drama League Rough Draft. Zi’s award-winning directing work has been seen across the country. His direction of On That Day in Amsterdam at Primary Stages earned Drama Desk Award and Lucille Lortel Award nominations. I saw Zi’s vision in action in Sanctuary City at Pasadena Playhouse and was floored by the poetic world he built! He has also directed the US regional premiere of The Band’s Visit and a drag-centered reimagining of the Wizard of Oz at geva Theater Center. He was the resident director for the national tour of Hamilton, and he assistant directed the first national tour of The Band’s Visit, as well as Six Degrees of Separation, The Rose Tattoo, and It Shoulda Been You! on Broadway. Zi’s directing work has also been performed at Juilliard, Yale, Pace, Writers Theatre/TheatreSquared, Paper Mill Playhouse, Classic Stage Company, Portland Center Stage, Olney Theatre Center, Playmakers Repertory Company, Prospect Theatre Company, Access, The Pearl, and Manhattan Theater Club. He will soon be directing world premieres of Keiko Green's You are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! at South Coast Rep, Deepak Kumar's House of India at The Old Globe, John Anthony Loffredo's Frou Frou at Boston Court Pasadena, and Julia Riew's ENDLESS in Korea. www.zialikhan.com www.ishikamuchhal.com/a-qissaa-with-ishika
Welcome to the 31st episode of A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists! My guest today is Robin Sukhadia, a highly accomplished tabla player. With a World Music MFA from CalArts, Robin’s work spans many concert, film, and album productions. He has composed for and toured with Rupa & the April Fishes, J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science, PremaSoul, and Walter Kitundu. He has scored many films including the Emmy award-winning PBS documentary Sikhs in America. Robin has worked extensively to empower underserved youth through music education, through developing Global Lingo, serving as International Grants Program Director with Project Ahimsa, and as a Fulbright Scholar developing and touring EKATVA. Robin has performed, done residencies with, and developed programs at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Mahatma Gandhi Ashram, Weill Institute at Carnegie Hall, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, GRAMMY Museum, Academy Museum, Hammer Museum, Machine Project in Los Angeles, and Blue Mountain Artist Residency, among others. Robin works as a strategic consultant for non-profit leadership and fundraising and has served as a Board Member of the Ali Akbar College of Music since 2015.
Welcome to the 30th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest today is director Reena Dutt. Reena is dedicated to new and reimagined texts that catapult polarizing conversations through unexpected stories with the bodies, voices and life experiences of the underheard. She just closed An Experiment with an Airpump that she directed for CalArts. Her Broadway debut was on The Collaboration at Manhattan Theatre Club as Assistant Director to Kwame Kwei-Armah, and she recently assisted Leigh Silverman on Merry Me at New York Theatre Workshop.
She has worked with theatre companies like Columbia University, Playwrights Realm, A.R.T., UC Riverside, Artists At Play, Coeurage Ensemble, UC Riverside, Greenway Court Theatre, East West Players, Sacred Fools, The Public, The Fountain Theatre, and Geffen Playhouse. Reena’s fellowships include Drama League NY Directing Fellow, LCT Directors Lab, and Directors Lab West. Reena is also a film director and producer having screened films at over 80 festivals including Sundance, LAFF, Outfest, Frameline, Cucalorous, NBCUniversal, BET, PBS/Latino, and HBO. She will be directing the world premiere of Pang Spa at Chalk Rep.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
