Brown Game Strong

In this whirlwind exclusive episode, we sit with the singer and songwriter, just minutes before he goes on stage for his Dastakhat Tour at the Roundhouse London.

Thank you to Universal Music India and Cornershop Live.

Mitali is wearing Fifth Origins: https://www.fifthorigins.com/

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LA-based choreographer, cultural consultant and entrepreneur Joya Kazi has not waited for doors to open for her, she’s built them. We sit with the co-choreographer behind Netflix's Best of the Best to learn more about the behind the scenes.

A raucous comedy set in the cut-throat world of collegiate Bollywood dance competitions, the film is about sisterhood, friendship and the cost of chasing something you love. In this conversation, Joya takes us through her own training, her early years navigating Indian dance in Hollywood, and the projects that shaped her; from Never Have I Ever to New Girl and beyond. We get into what made working on this film felt different, and why, for her, this one sits in a category of its own.

Best of the Best drops on Netflix this Friday, 18th September.

(0:00) Introduction

(03:35) The cost of championing one’s culture in the mainstream

(06:20) Reflecting on the 16 year old Joya

(11:00) On family support and sacrifices

(15:54) Being type A in a creative industry

(20:35) Has Joya Kazi expressed her full potential yet?

(22:00) Co-choreographing for Best of the Best

(27:40) Working with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan again

(36:15) The specificity of choreographing for film

(40:45) The responsibility of reaching a global audience

(46:50) The universe dreams bigger for us than we can imagine

(51:55) Recommended takeaways from Best of the Best

Follow Joya Kazi:

Website: https://www.joyakazi.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyakazi/

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British Asian artist Inkquisitive uses his craft to hold a mirror up to the world, honouring his Punjabi heritage, illuminating Sikhi, commemorating artists we love, and speaking truth with a precision that has made him one of the most recognised illustrators of his generation. This summer, during his World Tour celebrating 15 years of Inkquisitive, at his homecoming in London, on the cusp of his 40th birthday, we sit down with him to discover that behind the pen is a man (Aman) navigating grief, fatherhood, faith, and the weight of a story still being written.

In this conversation, we discuss:

- The name Inkquisitive, the person who gave it to him and creating art through grief

- Becoming a husband and a father, and how it shifted his perspective on life

- What it has felt like to present his work to artists like Diljit Dosanjh, Talwiinder, Nas, J. Cole, Sidhu Moosewala

- Why the AI takeover in the art world hits differently when you’ve spent a lifetime honing your craft

- Standing up for injustices despite consistent death threats

- Advice to young Punjabi artists building their career

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction to Inkquisitive

(03:35) Being a children’s illustrator

(04:39) Who was Aman’s mother?

(09:35) Creating through grief

(11:59) The homecoming

(14:45) On being an OG

(16:45) How he dealt with the fame

(20:13) On his father, the Punjabi James Bond

(22:15) The weight of responsibility from the art

(27:47) Presenting artwork to celebrities

(33:30) Inkquisitive, the husband and father

(46:05) Advice to young Punjabi artists

(52:15) Finding happiness among the noise

(53:56) What does Aman / Inkquisitive have strong game in?

Follow Inkquisitive:Website: https://www.inkquisitive.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkquisitive/Connect with Brown Game Strong:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browngamestrong/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@browngamestrong/

Website: https://www.browngamestrong.com/To be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!

In this episode, we sit down with Shahili, co-founder of The Design Collective; a space dedicated to Sri Lankan and South Asian designers. In a world where we want to shop homegrown more, but often wonder whether it's even affordable, The Design Collective is here to challenge our preconceived notions about slow fashion.The best part is that you can catch them in person this week! The Design Collective's 2026 pop-up is running in Mayfair at 14A Hay Hill, London, from 2nd - 5th July. Don't miss it!Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Shahili (03:00) Bringing The Design Collective to London(09:00) Shahili’s entrepreneurial journey(17:20) Crisis management at pop-ups(19:50) How brands are onboarded(26:10) The vision behind The Design Collective(28:16) Running a business as a mother(32:42) Internal vs. external validation(33:45) Managing brand expectations(37:15) Is slow fashion affordable?(42:14) Homegrown brands in the diaspora(47:37) What does Shahili have strong game in?Find Shahili on: Website: https://thedesigncollectivestore.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withshahili

Follow BGS on:

@browngamestrong across all channelsTo be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!

In this episode we sit with Sai, one of three co-founders (Sai, Utkarsh and Sachit) behind Rahasya Fragrances, a brand born in Singapore, rooted in India, and slowly making their mark around the world. As it turns out, Rahasya means mystery, not just in Sanskrit, but in Bahasa too; a celebration of the multiple cultures that have shaped their lives. Whether it’s delivering their fragrances in dabbas or pulling up to Soho in a rickshaw with a live DJ set, these guys are doing things in their own way, and not asking anyone's permission to do it. 

We sit with them as they become the first Indian fragrance brand to launch at Selfridges, and with that, marking their official launch in the UK.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to the Rahasya team

(03:00) The inception of the brand

(04:55) The role of India in niche fragrances

(07:40) Luxury brands taking inspiration from South Asian culture

(10:05) Collaborating with Gully Labs

(13:43) On being design-led without formal training

(17:15) Entering the fragrance world

(20:00) Using their global reach to build Rahasya

(23:20) Leading with story

(28:02) Reflections from the London pop-up

(33:50) Launching in Selfridges 

(39:09) Keeping up with momentum

(43:04) What’s on the horizon for Rahasya

Find Rahasya on: Website: https://rahasyafragrances.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rahasyafragrances/

Mitali's Kantha jacket is by Fifth Origins:Website: https://www.fifthorigins.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fifthorigins/

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In this episode, we sit with Akhil Patel, founder of Amala Chai, a London-based chai brand built on his grandmother's recipe and a mission to bring authentic masala chai to the UK. We talk about how what started with a trip to the Himalayas has since grown into a brand serving chai across six stalls in London, serving two Prime Ministers, working directly with farmers across India, and this October embarking on a 7,000 km autorickshaw journey across India to film a documentary about the stories behind chai across the country.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(04:37) Akhil’s key learnings as a founder

(06:00) Setting boundaries around competition 

(09:20) Sponsor Shoutout: Biskut Bar

(11:20) Trying the Amala chai

(12:36) His grandmother’s recipe

(14:20) The inception of the brand

(19:45) Regenerative farming practices

(25:00) Serving chai to Keir Stahmer and Narendra Modi

(34:59) Emotional regulation as a small business owner

(37:00) The cultural context of chai

(42:11) Prepping for ‘A Journey Through Chai’, the documentary

Support their Kickstarter campaign for 'A Journey Through Chai' on:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/akhilpatel14/journey-through-chai-documentary

Find Amala Chai on:

Website: https://www.amalachai.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amala_chai/

To be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!

In this episode we sit with Nikita Dawda, self proclaimed Chief Avocado Officer and co-founder of Omega Pressery, a cold-press oil brand bringing Kenyan avocado and macadamia oils to UK shelves. In this episode, we talk about growing up in Kenya, building a business with your spouse, the reality of successfully pitching to retailers such as Waitrose, the impact of seeing success arguably a little too early and what it takes to scale a lifestyle business into something more.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Niki and Omega Pressery(01.50) On being Chief ‘Avocado’ Officer(03:10) A key unexpected learning from running Omega Pressery (05:30) How to be kinder to yourself by design(08:49) Niki’s early years in Kenya(10:45) Kenya life vs. UK life(17:00) Applying the structure (26:30) The retail pitching process(36:35) From a lifestyle business to scaling(42:00) Cooking with Avocado and Macadamia Oil(44:45) Visiting the farms in Kenya(54:30) Spouse or co-founder?(59:20) What Niki is most excited about right now(01:04:30) Prioritising the supply chain and traceability(01:07:30) What does Niki have strong game in?Find Omega Pressery on: Website: https://www.omegapressery.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omegapressery/To be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!

In this episode, we are joined by Mishika Narula and Srisruthi Ramesh, founders of Brown Girl Bookshelf, during their recent trip to London. We talk about how what started as a passion project has since grown into a global community of over 40,000 readers, all united by a love of literature and a curiosity to discover a diverse range of stories.

Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:35) How Brown Girl Bookshelf began(07:35) Navigating co-founder dynamics(14:52) A foolproof system (20:20) How guest reviewers are selected(29:25) Beyond South Asian stereotypes in literature(32:20) How books are selected for reviews on BGB(34:30) On the risk of burnout(42:20) Handling co-founder disagreements(45:00) Being the go-to platform for South Asian readers and authors(51:30) How to get back into reading after a hiatus(01:00:18) What Sri and Mishika are currently reading(01:03:04) What do Mishika and Sri have strong game in?Find Brown Girl Bookshelf (BGB) on: Website: https://browngirlbookshelf.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browngirlbookshelf/

Today we sit with Anshu Ahuja, the founder of DabbaDrop, to explore how she took inspiration from the traditional Dabbawala system to cater to a modern, busy but conscious audience. We talk about how over the past 7 years she has spent building a 7-figure values-led meal delivery business rooted in culture, community, and sustainability.

(0:00) Introduction(5:00) Anshu’s childhood and upbringing(13:30) The ethos of DabbaDrop(20:25) Transitioning from TV to entrepreneurship (23:00) I didn’t have a grand plan(31:35) How DabbaDrop works(34:50) The research behind the regions(41:25) How zero-waste is achieved(43:32) Aspirations for expansion(52:17) What Anshu is currently excited about(53:35) A key learning from 7 years in business(55:55) What does Anshu have strong game in?

Find DabbaDrop on:

Website: https://dabbadrop.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dabbadrop/

In this conversation, we welcome Niki Mahon, founder of jewellery brand NIKITA. Fourteen weeks into her pregnancy, she offers some of her most candid reflections on a decade of entrepreneurship.Niki reveals the evolution from spreading herself thin across every aspect of her business to embracing the ‘inch wide, mile deep’ philosophy - focusing on what truly drives returns in a product-led enterprise, giving us some real life examples from her business.In conjunction, we explore her inner transformation through her early thirties: her fertility journey, the reality of pregnancy, her nesting journey and how her ambition has not dampened but grown through embracing her femininity.

(00:00) Introduction(03:45) The beginning of the pregnancy(05:32) Telling your employees you are pregnant(06:45) Striking a balance between professional and friendship(09:36) Niki’s shifting relationship with social media(14:18) ‘Inch-wide, mile-deep’ ethos in business(19:30) Nikita’s strategy on running ads(25:54) The mindset shift over the years as a founder(29:05) Living a softer life whilst having the highest turnover (33:57) Niki’s fertility journey(45:00) Preparing the business for maternity leave(50:32) Embracing her inner femininity (56:49) What does Niki have strong game in?

Find Niki and NIKITA on:

NIKITA Website: https://nikitabyniki.com/

NIKITA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikitabyniki/

Niki's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikimahon

To be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!