Sukh Ojla is one of comedy's brightest stars, she's hilarious and incredibly thought provoking and is currently performing her debut Edinburgh Fringe show "For Sukh's Sake" until 25th August at The Gilded Balloon (details below).

I loved chaating with Sukh about brown girls in comedy, what it's like when our parents become flatmates & fat shaming in the South Asian community. Sukh also reveals how a life changing event helped her to understand her depression in a new way.

You can still catch Sukh's critically acclaimed show in Edinburgh, for tickets to that and everything else she's up to go to: sukhojla.com

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Hi Everyone, Girl Chaat is taking a mini break and the show will be back in June, with loads more thought provoking chaat and amazing guests! It's the perfect opportunity to explore the first 10 episodes (if you haven't already), full of inspiring & uplifting conversations with incredible British Asian women.

In this episode, I just wanted to take a moment to say a big Thanks to everyone involved in making the first series so brilliant! Love to all of you lovely listeners, all my amazing guests, colleagues and family & friends! It's like an end of series desi girl Oscar speech!! Enjoy!!

Love x Uma

https://twitter.com/GirlChaat

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This week, I'm joined by one of the most refreshing & inspiring voices in British politics, Dr Faiza Shaheen. This interview is packed full of insightful real talk about race, gender, class and equality.

Faiza is the Director of the think tank CLASS (Centre for Labour & Social Studies) which aims to challenge policy and ensure it works for everyday people. She's also the potential Labour Party candidate for Chingford & Woodford Green. You'll also know Faiza for her brilliant work as a social commentator, she's appeared on BBC's Question Time, Newsnight, Sky News and is a regular contributor to The Guardian.

We discuss everything...From Faiza's thoughts on diversity in politics, to her personal experiences of classism and racism and what it was like being a working class, brown girl at Oxford University! Even Beyonce´and Cardi B get a mention! The only thing we don't talk about is Brexit..well maybe just a little bit! x Uma

https://www.faizashaheen.co.uk

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This week my guest is BAFTA award winning Film Producer, Nisha Parti, the lady responsible for bringing Harry Potter to the big screen.

In this episode, Nisha tells me all about how she made her mark in not one, but two, highly competitive industries. From working with her sister Vanita Parti, building the beauty empire Blink Brow Bar, to producing the "brownest BBC drama ever made", The Boy with The Top Knot.

Nisha shares the magical moment she discovered J.K. Rowling's manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and why she feels it resonated with so many people. We also discuss diversity in the film industry and the unique ways in which Nisha works to make sure her cast and crew are diverse. I felt inspired hearing all about Nisha's incredible career and her motivation to make British South Asian films that challenge perceptions.

https://twitter.com/partinator

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This week I'm joined by Shirin Shah and Sheetal Mistry from South Asians Sisters Speak otherwise known as S.A.S.S. These sassy ladies host a regular event called Brown Girls Book Club which celebrates the work of South Asian female authors. The event provides a space to explore incredible books, share stories and take a look at life through literature. 

In this episode, join us for our own mini Brown Girls Book Club, talking about the books we love and their inspiring authors! We'll be discussing Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal, Stories for South Asian Super Girls by Raj Kaur Kaira , Anita & Me and Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee by Meera Syal. 

https://twitter.com/weare_sass?lang=en-gb

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This week we're joined by award winning TV & radio presenter Aasmah Mir. Aasmah presents BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live and a brand new podcast A.I.B.U with Lucy Porter. In this episode we explore identity and find out how Aasmah relates to both sides of her identity being Scottish with Pakistani parents. Aasmah opens up about what life was like as a young brown girl from Bearsden and how she embraced her Pakistani heritage through food. From haggis samosas, big phat Scottish Asian weddings to the best way to pronounce the word poem. Plus an important discussion on whether it's right to marry someone just because they have a Scottish accent?! Hope you enjoy this hilarious yet heartfelt exploration of life as a Scottish South Asian.

https://aasmahmir.com

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This week's episode of Girl Chaat is one you can listen to with all the family! We meet Kid Boss, Shakira Rahman, the first Child CEO of a charity. We ask the inspiring 11 year old about what life is like being the boss at international charity, Penny Appeal. Shakira shares her views on tackling poverty both at home and abroad. She also gives us an insight into the unique way she stops everyone at board meetings from getting bored! Shakira's mum Nazira also joins us, to explain what life is like being Mum to a Kid Boss and how the family's Muslim faith has inspired Shakira's love of helping others.

https://pennyappeal.org

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**TRIGGER WARNING/CONTENT WARNING: Some content in this episode may be upsetting and is not appropriate for children.**

In this week's episode we meet multi-award winning filmmaker and Somerset House artist in residence Jayisha Patel. Jayisha's moving films Circle and Notes To My Father tell the stories of Indian women who have suffered sexual violence, giving them a platform to share their stories in unconventional ways. We talk to Jayisha about how she found her passion for film making and why in many ways her films have helped her to come full circle in her own personal journey.

We discuss Jayisha's identity as a British South Asian and how that impacts her work. She also shares her thoughts on India's Me Too awakening and discusses her groundbreaking, immersive work in Virtual Reality.

This interview is so open, personal and thought provoking, I hope you'll feel as inspired by Jayisha's brave & unique approach to film making as I do.

http://www.jayishapatel.com

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This week we meet the incredible Anita Kaushal, co-founder of wellness and beauty brand Mauli Rituals. The brand is steeped in ancient Ayurvedic traditions from it's natural products to the way it's founders, Anita and her husband Bittu run their business.

In this episode, Anita shares the heartbreaking inspiration behind Mauli Rituals. We also find out how Anita uses Ayurveda to find balance in both her personal and work life. And why it's the key to looking and feeling fab! Listening to Anita, you'll feel inspired by her philosophy to living well.

www.maulirituals.com

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This week, we're going to therapy! We ask the very wise and wonderful Dr Bijal Chheda-Varma everything you've ever wanted to ask a Psychologist! From what Bijal's first session as a therapist was like, why therapists get therapy, and how rock music helps Bijal to relax after clinic. 

Bijal, a chartered psychologist and CBT therapist with over fifteen years experience, shares her fascinating thoughts on the key issues effecting the mental health of British South Asian women. We find out about trans-generational trauma and how the impact of partition is still effecting British South Asians many generations later. We also get some advice on how to choose a therapist and lots more.

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