Spotlight with Sandalina

Neel Ghosh, a Bengali-American comedian and jazz saxophonist known online as the internet’s viral Zohran Mamdani impersonator, sits down to talk about growing up brown in Cedar Rapids, Iowa after 9/11, his supportive oncologist dad and 'violin-at-three childhood, and how his girlfriend’s text (“you kind of look like this guy”) turned into a viral Zohran impression series. He shares meeting Zohran’s speechwriter, being booked by the campaign for a senior citizens bingo debate night, his Zohran vs. Trump collab with Austin Nasso of Tech Roast Show, the brown comedy “Avengers” aunties-and-uncles sketch, and the downside of being asked to “just do Zohran.” Neel also opens up about burning out in USC’s jazz program, the professor who unlocked his creativity at Emory, teaching music in Colombia, feeling like a chameleon, his Subway Takes boomer take, and how SlumberPod started on a rooftop. Plus, a round of “Mayor for a Day” where he solves NYC rent, unionized subway rats, and bodega cats demanding workers’ comp, and a look at Pagol, his fully improvised music comedy show at Union Hall in Brooklyn.

Chapters:

Neel’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neel.ghost/

#NeelGhosh #ZohranMamdani #Zohran #MayorForADay #StandUpComedy #DesiComedy #NYCComedy #BengaliComedian #ComedyPodcast #JazzComedy

Srishti Sharma, a South Asian comedian by night and fintech engineering manager by day, created LinkedUP, a live comedy dating show where Love Island meets LinkedIn. She talks about growing up in Mumbai, leaving Amazon after seven years as a software engineer, starting stand-up in Seattle, and turning a club booker’s request for an “Indian dating show” into a dating show run like a tech job interview. She opens up about being single at 30 in New York City, brown parents and marriage pressure, Botox and beauty standards, hating online dating, and why live events will outlast AI slop. Plus, a round of “Rate Our LinkedIn Profiles” and the contestant who disrespected her on her own show.

Chapters:

#SrishtiSharma #ComedyDatingShow #LinkedUP #DatingShow #StandUpComedy #DesiComedy #NYCComedy #IndianComedian #DatingInNYC #ComedyPodcast

Pakistani Muslim comedian Danish Maqbool opens up about racism, religion, faith, marriage, and his new stand-up comedy special "Free Danish." From growing up as the first brown family in his New Jersey neighborhood to becoming a top-1% Halo pro gamer, Major League Gaming commentator, and the cashier on Ramy (Seasons 2 & 3), Danish shares the full journey behind his comedy career. 

Danish's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmaq1/

Chapters:

South Asian actress Shreya Navile joins us to discuss Bollywood’s beauty standards, body image, rejection in the Indian film industry, and her Netflix debut in Best of the Best! She shares her journey from dreaming of Bollywood as a child to finding a role where she could embrace her individuality and showcase her talent. Discover the story behind Netflix’s South Asian dance comedy, representation, and breaking stereotypes.

00:00 - Teaser & Episode Introduction

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Shreya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreya_navile/

Pakistani child TV star turned stand up comedian and actor, Mohtasham Yaqub opens up about growing up in Islamabad, getting bullied while on PTV, and starting over in America after a failed audition for The Voice led him to stand-up comedy. He talks about desi gender roles, unlearning misogyny, doing stand-up in Urdu, opening for Zayn Malik with Usama Siddiquee, and why brown comedians in New York lift each other up. Plus, a round of "Things My Mom Said Were Haram" and his upcoming movie Rest and Relaxation.

Mohtasham's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moecomedyy/

S4E10: Meet Tavi Gandhi— a South Asian pageant queen and influencer. She is the winner of Miss Grand New Jersey and was the youngest in the Top 20 of this year’s Miss Grand USA!

In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments:

We talk about Tavi’s upbringing between Ohio and New Jersey, her Punjabi and Sikh identity, and the formative experiences that shaped her confidence and ambition. In the Hot Seat, we jump into rapid-fire questions, and in Shadows, we unpack her mental health journey — from bullying and struggles with anxiety/depression to learning how to protect herself in highly visible spaces. In Spotlight, we explore how she took the pageant crown while challenging beauty norms, being flattened dimensionally with pretty privilege, answering political questions on stage, breaking into tech and entrepreneurship with ventures like the Lazrani clothing line, and more!

Tavi’s IG: @tavigandhi (https://www.instagram.com/tavigandhi/)

🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina 

S4E09: Meet Priya Mia— an Indian-Bengali creator, fashion / beauty influencer, corporate strategy consultant, and PharmD!

In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments:

We talk about Priya’s upbringing as the daughter of Indian immigrants, how her cultural identity shaped her relationship with fashion, and what it means to carve out space as a Bengali creator in New York. In the Hot Seat, we dive into rapid-fire Q&A, and in Shadows, we explore the pressures of existing between two worlds — the professional and the creative. In Spotlight, we discuss her viral style evolution, balancing a PharmD background with fashion content, navigating the internet as your boss, redefining what South Asian representation looks like in today’s fashion industry, and more!

Priya’s IG: @priyamia (https://www.instagram.com/priyamia/)

🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina 

S4E08: Meet Dr. Mohamad Yasin— a Pakistani, Muslim doctor and content creator! You may recognize him as “Scrubby Mo”

In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments:

We talk about Dr. Mohamad Yasin’s upbringing and family life in Long Island, his Muslim identity, and the journey that led him to become a first-generation doctor. In the Hot Seat, we get into rapid-fire questions, and in Shadows, we unpack the darker side of social media— from hate comments and insecurities to navigating loneliness behind the screen. In Spotlight, we explore how he balances his life as a practicing DO and content creator, his path to medicine, the realities of social media at work, and how humor and purpose shape his vision for the future!

Mo’s IG: @scrubbymo (https://www.instagram.com/scrubbymo/)

🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina 

S4E07: Meet Sagar— a South Asian content creator focusing on comedic skits and wellness. He’s also a PharmD, marketer, and personal trainer!

In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments:

We talk about Sagar’s upbringing in New Jersey, his high school experience, and the moment he pivoted from PharmD life into content creation. In the Hot Seat, we dive into rapid questions, and in Shadows we explore his mental health journey and the social media dopamine loop. In Spotlight, we unpack his transition from pharmacy to becoming a viral wellness + cultural creator— tackling Kurta Marathon activism, Big Pharma criticism, the opioid crisis, the Trump-era healthcare landscape, Ozempic takes, personal ethics, South Asian skit inspiration, collaborations, and more!

Sagar’s IG: @thesagarparekh (https://www.instagram.com/thesagarparekh/)

🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina 

S4E06: Meet Mina— a Pakistani founder and influencer. You may recognize her as the founder for the Kismet Reserve, her vintage watch empire as featured in the Boston Globe!

In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments:

We talk about Mina’s upbringing in Cambridge, MA growing up in a post-9/11 America with immigrant parents, early political activism, and developing her Muslim identity. In the Hot Seat, we get into rapid fire Q&A, and in the Shadows, we sit with the emotional gravity of losing her brother. In Spotlight, we dive deep into how she built Kismet Reserve from scratch — becoming a Pakistani founder pioneering the vintage watch space, her Boston Globe feature, speaking up online, building community spaces like The Chai Room, and more!

Mina’s IG: @minahasan (https://www.instagram.com/minahasan/)

🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina