Tuckered Out with Ami Thakkar

Today, in the last episode of 2023, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who makes this podcast possible: my hubby and our girls, our amazing production team Ginni Media, and of course, to you. Thank you for your company, support, and for pretending to laugh at my jokes.

Before you go, I need to ask you a favor. Tuckered Out has been recognized by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences as a finalist for the Anthem Awards! 

What do I need from you? A simple vote to help this underdog podcast take a win home. 

Hugs and high fives, see you in 2024! 

Resources:

• Help Tuckered Out win the Anthem Community Voice Award!

Let’s Connect!

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media. 

Falguni Lakhani Adams is an Emmy Award-winning producer and executive with Vice TV and another one of my long-lost soul sisters. She is the epitome of a multi-hyphenate, a mom, a director, a writer, a mindfulness coach, and an entrepreneur, and she has more than 20 years of experience producing creative nonfiction stories for broadcast TV, digital media, and long-form audio documentaries. 

She has worked on projects such as Unknown Amazon with Pedro Andrade, The Search For Q, Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11, and Black Market with Michael K. Williams. You also may have heard of the very popular United Shades of America, as well as Belly of The Booth. She also just happens to have a very long list of credits for NBC News, and MSNBC, including 10 years at Dateline NBC. 

Her focus on production and community has earned her space in Veronica Beard’s Make It Happen campaign. She is also an active member with Chief, Co-Creator of Getting Hotter, and CEO of Sorry, Not Sorry, Productions. I'm sorry, because I don't know how this woman is standing up. I mean, she is doing it all. And she has fantastic hair. I hope you guys enjoy as we peel back the layers of her illustrious 20-year career, which is as colorful as it is impactful. I really loved our conversation, where every turn was a story, every anecdote a lesson, and every laugh a memory. Tune in and let’s get Tuckered Out together with the incredible Falguni Lakhani Adams.    

We talked about:    

• Meet Falguni (2:48)
• The hippo that ate her grandfather's leg (4:40)
• Representation and inclusivity + The White House Diwali event (11:33)
• Vice TV, 'Sikhs In America', + Falguni's efforts toward amplifying diverse voices (24:17)
• Journalistic integrity + the power of authentic storytelling (34:15)
• Upcoming projects + disrupting stigma around aging and going through body changes (38:30)
• Rebranding random and learning to flow with the opportunities that flow our way along the career path (48:25)
• Growing up in Jackson Heights, Queens (57:00)
• Rapid Fire Questions (1:05:00)

Connect with Falguni: 

• Instagram
• Linkedin

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media.

 Today's guest is none other than Raja Kumari, a Grammy-nominated songwriter, and India’s top female rapper. Known as Svetha Rao to loved ones, she brings an otherworldly fusion of Eastern and Western music that's completely reshaping the industry.

In our chat, Raja Kumari takes us on a journey through her album 'The Bridge’. Released worldwide in April 2023, this album is a work that not only showcases her unique blend of cultures but also marks her debut under her own label that launched two years prior, Godmother Records. Talk about trailblazers, guys, this woman is fearless. She has such a charismatic personality and is truly a natural-born storyteller, who by the way now has over 43 million monthly Spotify streams. 

I had such a blast interviewing her as she shared captivating insights into her transition from classical dance to hip-hop, her struggles with American labels, and her groundbreaking move back to India, where she found an audience that immediately resonated with her music. We also touch on her collaborations with absolute legends in the industry like John Legend, her approach to songwriting, and her vision for empowering women in music. Join us as we dive into Raja Kumari's world, where music is an expression of identity and a tool we can use to decorate time. Her experiences, from performing at India’s biggest music festival to working with all sorts of iconic figures, highlight her journey as an artist and a cultural innovator.  

We talked about:  

• Finding a guardian angel in Madhuri Dixit + the initial journey to making revolutionary music (2:12) 
• Touring for 'The Bridge' (14:42) 
• Transforming Svetha Rao through the birth and evolution of Raja Kumari (22:44) 
• Slaying the challenges of creating an album during a global pandemic (29:15) 
• Raja's inspiration for naming GodMother + showcasing the power of authenticity and cultural pride (36:55) 
• What’s up next for Raja + healing through music (42:23) 
• Rapid Fire Questions (50:29)  
• Raja's Soundbite For The Soul (53:43) 

Connect with Raja: 

• Official Website
• Instagram

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

.

Nisha Pahuja is a writer, an artist, and director and now an Emmy-nominated filmmaker. Her passion for social impact is marked by a quiet courage towards exploring complex social issues that often breed division through the lens of her camera. We chat about her latest award-winning documentary "To Kill a Tiger," which has won 19 awards from prestigious festivals such as TIFF, Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Canadian Screen Awards, and Doc Aviv and has names like Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling attached to it. The film earned its way on The New York Times Most Anticipated Fall Releases list and Anne Thompson at the IndieWire’s Oscar Contenders list.

I had the pleasure of moderating the premier of the film here in Dallas with some of the executive producers and was absolutely blown away by the film.

Nisha's storytelling prowess goes beyond this latest project, with notable credits like the Emmy-nominated "The World Before Her," the documentary "Bollywood Bound," and the insightful series "Diamond Road." Her work doesn't just capture stories; it sparks conversations and challenges perspectives, especially around themes of cultural evolution, the reality of stereotypical depictions, and the grip that shame has on so many of us. As an immigrant from India to Canada, Nisha's unique vantage point enriches her narratives, bridging diverse worlds with empathy and insight. Her journey is not just about making films but also the art of fostering understanding, catalyzing change, and alchemizing adversity into inspiration.  

We talked about: 

• How Nisha got involved with Kill A Tiger and what she feels were the hardest parts to film (4:16)
• Western and eastern societal parallels around discussing and handling sexual assault (8:10)
• Nisha’s relationship with shame and the concept of shame as a cultural inheritance (12:05)
• How Karen and her family are doing now and current projects in the works  (17:20)
• What experiencing immigrating from India and growing up in Canada was like (18:50)
• Nisha’s relationship with our culture (23:50)
• The World Before Her, the initial journey to documentary making, and her perspective on representation (29:30)

Connect with Nisha Pahuja

• Instagram
• Linkedin

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

Manu Raju is a Chief Congressional Correspondent for CNN and an anchor of Inside Politics Sunday. He has covered Capitol Hill for over seven years with Politico before taking on his current role at CNN. With a career spanning from Congressional Quarterly to inside Washington publishers, he's a familiar face to anyone following political news.

Award-winning and always at the heart of the action, Manu's work is driven by a passion for uncovering the stories that matter. His on-the-ground reporting during the January 6 Capitol attack was so impactful, that it awarded him the David Blum Award. I learned so much from listening to him recount the events and provide his perspective on what it takes to develop a story of that magnitude. 

Manu has a truly awe-inspiring career and his journey is a testament to the evolving landscape of South Asian representation in media. Manu discusses the challenges and nuances of reporting complex political stories, offers insights into the news-making process, and shares his experiences as a South Asian journalist navigating a pivotal era in American politics. It was a fascinating conversation exploring the intersection of South Asian identity, journalistic integrity, and the relentless pursuit of truth in an era of divided media.  

We talked about: 

• Manu's role behind the scenes + developing a story as a CNN correspondent (2:38)
• How the news cycle has shifted + evolved over the last decade (8:20)
• Manu's coverage of January 6 at the Capital + discussing the news with his kids (13:43)
• The fragmented perception of media outlets + the importance of unbiased fact-based news reporting (17:36)
• Navigating stereotypes and South Asian representation in media (22:41)
• Manu's powerhouse of a family lineup and his experience growing up Brown in the Midwest (26:36)
• Rapid Fire Questions (36:09)

Connect with Manu Raju: 

• Instagram
• Twitter

Let’s Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

Swati Sharma is the powerhouse Editor-in-Chief of Vox, a leading platform for explanatory journalism. I recently had the pleasure of sharing a panel with her earlier this year and felt an instant connection. 

As the Editor-in-Chief of Vox, she’s on a mission to demystify the complexities of the world by helping her audience move out of ignorance into knowledge, no matter their background.

Throughout her storied career, she's been a force at renowned news institutions like The Atlantic, Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. She has overseen digital coverage through pivotal events like the pandemic, racial reckonings, Trump's presidency, and an historic election. 

Beyond her editorial prowess, she's a Bay Area native with a passion for travel and all things Bollywood. No doubt that Swati was meant to write and tell stories and is a true trailblazer in journalism. 

We talked about: 

• Swati's role at Vox Media and their relationship to other editorial brands (2:51)
• The essence of explanatory journalism and why we need it (5:53)
• Hiring people who live by intellectual rigor and approachability (11:16)
• Serving + maintaining a diverse audience with intention and integrity (15:03)
• Facing imposter syndrome + unlearning working twice as hard for half as much (18:21)
• Shahrukh Khan, Bollywood's influence in South Asian media, and going mainstream with niche topics (24:40)
• Highschool Swati + her relationship with brown growing up (30:05)
• Rapid Fire Questions (35:10)
• Swati's bare bones for happiness (37:27)

Connect with Swati:  

• Linkedin
• Instagram

Let’s Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

Nisha Ganatra, is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actress of Indian descent.

We met this year at Sundance where I was lucky enough to see her screening of Rise, a short film focusing on the struggles of women enterpreneurs today. I first got to know her after watching Chutney Popcorn back in '99, now a cult classic, which she wrote, directed, and produced herself. 

Ganatra has directed numerous television shows including Transparent, You Me Her, Better Things, Dear White People, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She also directed the comedy-dramas Late Night and The High Note. She is also the founder of Ladies' Car Production.

We talk about her amazing 25-year journey working in Hollywood, why we are most likely related,  and why she would love to get back to her indie roots. 

We talked about: 

• Her short film Rise + how her 25-year career began (1:48)
• Chasing the next achievement and dismantling the rival fallacy (10:55)
• Nisha's experience of breaking into TV and noticing the shift in industry practices (17:46)
• Nisha's style of directing and providing actors with notes (24:12)
• Affecting cultural change through impactful art (26:44)
• Reframing our conditioning to unlearn people-pleasing tendencies (29:57)
• What’s next for Lady’s Car Production (32:35)
• Rapid Fire Questions (36:47)

Connect with Nisha: 

• Website 
• Instagram

Let’s Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

.

We're coming at you LIVE! from the inaugural summit of SALUTE in my favorite city, NYC baby.

The SALUTE (South Asian Ladies Unite To Empower) mission is to build an impactful community of South Asian women focused on innovation, unity, and progress. Members of this community are rising leaders in their fields, who are making decisions to shape the present and influence the future.

Guys, I can't tell you how much I love this community. The founders have built something very special and profound for South Asian Women. The summit itself was not only impactful, but it felt incredibly warm and intimate, which is not easy to pull off. I had a blast talking to so many amazing South Asian women who are just dominating in their fields, checking out all their amazing brands, and also running into all sorts of friends.

It felt like one big reunion, so I hope you enjoy this very special Live episode honoring the women of SALUTE.  

In today’s episode, I talked with:  

• Founder of Girls That Invest, Simran Kaur on getting involved with SALUTE and her panel on all things investing (1:50)
• NYC Yoga and Meditation guide, Neeti Narula after leading the mindfulness break for the group (6:31)
• Managing Director at J.P Morgan Private Bank, Deevana Palazzolo on connecting with her community and sharing her expertise alongside such impactful women (10:36)
• Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Associate Dean at Stanford Medicine, Priya Signh on the importance of mentorship, aligned values, and what makes SALUTE special (17:22)
• Board Partner and former CEO of Crate & Barrel, Neela Montgomery on cultural identity and navigating the career journey (24:27)
• Founder of Brown Girl Angels, Bhargavi Varma on financial literacy and supporting brown co-founders in their founders journey (27:24)
• President and Co-Founder of GEP Worldwide, Neha Desai Shah on the many paths to impact and success (33:34)
• Speaker and Founder of Silver Linings, Parul Somani on leading her workshop and defining empowerment (36:53)
• Co-Founder of SALUTE, Neha Singh on the journey to reaching the summit, experimenting along the way, and finding your voice (42:42)
• Co-Founder of SALUTE, Era Ray on the vision behind their paid membership and her hopes for ther collective moving forward  (57:52)

Connect with SALUTE: 

• SALUTE 
• Hasan Minhaj

Let's Connect:  

Instagram

 Rooshy Roy is the founder and CEO of Aavrani, a holistic skincare line that uses clean, effective cosmetics rooted in Indian agent beauty rituals, which she saw her grandmother using as a young girl in India. 

As an adult searching for an easier way to access non-toxic formulas, Rooshy reconnected with her roots by creating the beauty products she wished she had as a young Indian girl growing up in the Midwest. I deeply resonate with this because growing up in Texas, I only saw brands like AVON or Revlon, and none of it was created with my skin in mind. 

It’s definitely a beautiful thing when the journey to find a solution, molds us into the resource we once set out to find and that’s the nature of Rooshy’s story. 

Her recent partnership with Lilly Singh on her upcoming haircare line is proving that Rooshy is ready to bring these ancient rituals to the mainstream and share the beauty of the Indian culture. Join the conversation and hear all about this incredible partnership, Rooshy’s path to her current success, how she is harnessing the most powerful beauty rituals of the Ayurvedic tradition, and more. 

We talked about:   

• How the AAVRANI and Lily partnership came about  (1:51)
• The moment Rooshy knew this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship (9:32)
• Maintaining healthy competition while supporting other holistic brands (14:10)
• Rooshy's favorite beauty brands, rituals, and holistic practices + what's next for Aavrani (19:42)
• The shame of turmeric-colored fingers in childhood + how hairy legs can build character (24:20)
• Dating as the oldest daughter (29:53)
• Rapid Fire Questions  (34:17)
• Rooshy's bare bones for happiness (38:50)

Connect with Rooshy: 

• Aavrani
• Linkedin
• Instagram

Let’s Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media.

Gotham Chopra is an American sports documentarian, media entrepreneur, producer, podcast host, director, journalist, and author.  He is the co-founder of Religion of Sports, Liquid Comics, Chopra Media, and the Chopra Well. Gotham is known for his sports-centric films, having worked with athletes such as, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Simone Biles, and in today’s episode, he talks with me about his latest project with Serena Williams.

We discuss his current role as co-founder of Religion of Sports, a sports-focused media company that was founded in 2016 by Chopra, Michael Strahan, and Tom Brady.  Gotham opens up about  his incredible journey up till now, what it was like growing up with a famous father, and what he believes is the sign of true greatness.    

We talked about:  

• Meet Gotham (1:06)
• Sports as a universal language of connection (3:36)
• The role of inspiration and finding fulfillment through failure (8:25)
• The quality that every truly elite athlete shares (14:45)
• Upcoming projects Gotham is working on in collaboration with the South Asian community, Serena Williams, and Steven A. Smith (16:45)
• Growing up with a famous father and touring with Michael Jackson as a child (22:17)
• Gotham reflects on the culture of early home life and his relationship with India (31:09)
• How Gotham's relationship with his Dad has evolved over time and influenced his career journey (34:41)
• Rapid Fire Questions (42:57)
• Gotham's bare bones for happiness (48:28)

Connect with Gotham: 

• Linkedin
• Instagram
• Religion of Sports

Let’s Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media.