Nicely Done

Nicely Done

By Amruta Lakhe and Satya KandalaSociety & Culture
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Nicely Done episodes

  • Episode 10: The Friends reunion that wasn’t

    It finally happened! Sort of.

    On the day the 'Friends' reunion aired on TV, we revisited what the iconic meant to our teenage selves and why it's much anticipated revival became the TV spectacle of the year.

    We watched the mega event as it aired on HBOMax and recorded our first reactions. While it sent us down memory lane, it was mostly just a self indulgent ode to its former glory.

    PS. They don’t know that we know that they know that it wasn’t really a reunion.

    Related links:
    Did you know there was a cringe-inducing desi copy of Friends? By The Indian Express
    ‘Friends’ Reunion: The One With the ‘Remember the One With … ?’ By The New York Times
    The Friends Mythology Has Come Full Circle

    31 min
  • Episode 9: Interview with artist and creator Priyam Saha and why you should say yes more

    In this episode, Amruta and Satya catch up with their former classmate and current social media favorite, Priyam Saha. Priyam is an actor, anchor, dancer, writer, comic, producer and founder of Priyam’s Goddess Hour, a weekend vibe class that combines dance and movement. In this freewheeling chat, Priyam talks about navigating career choices in a world that is partial towards academics, discovering that work can be fun at Miss Malini, and becoming her own boss and employee. She also explains how some of the most exciting things that happened to her began on a whim.


    You can follow Priyam on Instagram and Twitter.

    Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

    42 min
  • Episode 8: Watching India’s second Covid-19 wave from 7000 miles away
    As the rest of the world started to go back to a pre-pandemic normal, India was hit by a second wave of Covid-19. In May, the country recorded its highest number of new cases in a single day. In this episode, Amruta and Satya document their experiences of watching their homeland grieve from afar and living in a constant cycle of worry.
    Bonus: If you wish to help, here’s a list of verified organizations that you could donate to:
    International organizations
    Local NGOs in India
    Give India resources
    Show notes:
    This episode was recorded on May 1, 2021.
    At the time of publishing, these were the latest updates from India’s second wave:
    India Crosses 20 Million COVID-19 Cases As Critical Shortages Worsen
    India COVID cases top 20 million, halting cricket, prompting lockdown call
    Modi’s party loses key state election amid pandemic vote; India sees record deaths
    39 min
  • Episode 7: Oscars 2021: Interview with film critic Shubhra Gupta and how to be more tabula rasa about cinema

    For our Oscars special, we are joined by the inimitable Shubhra Gupta, an author and film critic for The Indian Express. Treat yourself to a masterclass on insight about separating art from artist in a politically divisive time, where to begin watching good Indian cinema, and which Oscar nom didn’t impress her much. Also, if you think your favorite Indian movie never makes it to the Oscar shortlist, she can tell you why.

    Bonus: After reviewing the last two movies up for the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards 2021, Amruta and Satya play a fun game of ‘Who’d You Rather’ win the awards. We also basically hand over the award for Best Actress to Frances McDormand.

    Recommended reading:

    Read some of Shubhra Gupta's latest reviews here.
    ‘The Father’ Review: A Capricious Mind, review by the New York Times.
    ‘Mank’ review by Variety: "In David Fincher’s Immersive Hollywood Drama, Gary Oldman Is Delectably Droll as the Screenwriter of ‘Citizen Kane’"

    "I love movies. That’s why I hate the Oscars." Reported story by Alissa Wilkinson for Vox.

    "Why the Oscars still matter". Opinion piece by Cheryl Boone Isaacs for The Washington Post.
    How and where to watch the Oscars 2021. 

    44 min
  • Episode 6: Immigration: The wonders, woes, and the paperwork

    In this episode, we talk about our immigration stories and the pull of the Indian diaspora on foreign shores. From packing up our lives in under 23 kg to taking on a new identity while trying to maintain our old one, Amruta and Satya discuss being students, professionals, and visa-enthusiasts. Five years and five hundred visa questions later, we know what our future holds. That is until our next visa appointment, of course.

    Bonus: How to order a burger in the US and how not to mess up basic dal in an American kitchen.
    Also: We watched two more Oscar-nominated films this week: Judas and the Black Messiah and Promising Young Woman.
    Reading we recommend:
    Here are some of the best memes on the Ever Given shipwreck.
    India's rising Covid cases are raising an alarm.
    Read the latest data on Indian immigrants in America here.
    Promising Young Woman reviewed by the New York Times.
    Daniel Kaluuya wins SAG award for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah.
     

    49 min
  • Episode 5: Interview with Aashi Vel of Traveling Spoon and what happened to food in the year of the Banana Bread

    In this episode, Amruta and Satya talk about everybody’s favorite quarantine activity: cooking! We discuss our evolving food journeys and briefly touch upon ‘food fog’ in our lives. We welcome Nicely Done’s first guest, Aashi Vel, co-founder of the Traveling Spoon, a company that sells food experiences to travelers. Tune in to listen to stories of how to make pillowy dumplings from a Chinese grandmother and authentic Mole (that takes hours) from a Spanish home chef. Vel also talks about running a business based on food and travel when the whole world stayed at home.

    Bonus: Don’t miss our Oscar nom noms. Nicely Done’s Oscar Viewing party continues with a review of Academy Award nominees The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Sound of Metal.

    CORRECTION: In this episode, Satya erroneously mentions that you have extra 45 days to file your taxes. The tax day has been pushed by 32 days, from April 15 to May 17 in the U.S. 

    Related links:

    Read this CNN story: We asked Asian Americans about their experiences with hate. The responses were heartbreaking

    Check out how Traveling Spoon is doing here

    Read about ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’: What to Know About the Netflix Film

    Read how Riz Ahmed created history by his nomination in the Sound of Metal

    Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

    45 min
  • Episode 4: What’s cheaper than therapy?
    Supporters of mental health, full-time readers and your favorite hosts, Amruta and Satya, talk about their book club, Cheaper Than Therapy. What started with reading Tinkles while traveling, following pre-teens (strictly in groups of five or seven) on adventures, has now led us to reading books that win awards but also help us through the more difficult chapters of our own lives.
    Also, please go to therapy, if you need to.
    Bonus: Two movies that might win big at the Oscars 2021. Ten points to Gryffindor if you’ve already seen them.
    Some recommended reading:
    Follow our book club and read along at Cheaper Than Therapy
    Golden Globe Award winning film Minari and why it caused a stir at this year's awards
    Here's why Nomadland director Chloé Zhao is facing backlash in China
    Follow the Nicely Done podcast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.
    48 min

About Nicely Done

From the publisher's feed

Friends and writers, Amruta and Satya, are constantly catching up with each other about their curated world. Their conversations about culture and context are now a semi-monthly podcast, Nicely Done,…