The Oscar nominated movie Lagaan forever put Aamir Khan on our maps. It was his production company’s first movie and, boy, did he get it right. Since then he has become one of the most elusive and perplexing celebrities of Bollywood.  He avoids all award ceremonies and manages to stay under the radar for months at a time. We haven’t seen much of him since his small acting role in Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries) which was his wife, Kiran Rao’s, directorial debut in 2010. However, this past Sunday, Aamir Khan managed to push another boundary.

 SMJ Theme:

For months now, there are has been a lot of speculation surrounding Khan’s upcoming TV show. Until recently, it was unheard of for successful Bollywood movie-actors to return to TV. That was until the rise of reality TV which displayed a wide range of well known celebrities, from the likes of Amitabh Bachchan to Shilpa Shetty hosting some sort of reality show. Most assumed that Aamir Khan had decided to go the same way but he managed to stay true to his reputation and do the unexpected.

Satayamev Jayate (SMJ), which translates to Truth Alone Prevails, aired its first episode on Star World this past Sunday at 11 AM (IST). Khan started the show by saluting mothers and their undeniable love for their children. In all his humility and sincerity, he went on to touch on the most despicable of illnesses that Indian society faces today: Female Infanticide. Khan’s guests were everyday women that had been victims to these societal ailments and he didn’t shy away from shedding a tear or two for their adversities. It was painful and uncomfortable to watch. It was an hour and a half of soul awakening stories punctuated by statistics and scientific proof mentioned by Khan. In true Lagaan style, he ended his show by professing his love for his country and countrymen. He made sure to remind all that these problems were everyone’s and even showed how everyone could get involved right away. As the screen darkened, there was not a dry eye in all of India.

In a country where movie stars are treated like royalty, celebrities have long been used to endorse products and companies. Khan, in all his brilliance, has figured out the formula to apply his celebrity status to endorse morality. Depicting reality in a Bollywood movie has been a known ingredient for disaster at the box office, but SMJ manages to pull back the rug to expose the dirt that has been brushed under it. Stories regarding female infanticide and the skewed gender ratios in many parts of India have always been pushed aside for the hard hitting journalists to deal with. Khan has the nation not only talking about it but poised and ready to do something about it. It is only through educating and informing that change can be achieved and it is only fitting that the perfectionist of Bollywood is the one exposing the imperfections.

You can watch the full episode on SMJ’s official YouTube channel:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1vASMbEEQc

When I called her for our interview, I was definitely nervous. This was my first interview with someone outside of the family. She is a celebrity chef! What would she be like? Would she think she’s too cool to talk a girl with a blog that is centered on her need to eat and survive? As soon as we said hello, I breathed a sigh of relief. If it’s at all possible, I could hear her smiling through the phone. Even though we are separated by hundreds of miles, Chef Suzy oozed a level of warmth and vivaciousness that made me feel immediately comfortable. I knew that this interview would be easy, because nothing is easier than just sitting down and chatting with a girlfriend on the phone.

Chef Suzy Singh was raised in the suburbs of Chicago and attended University of Illinois majoring in Bioengineering. After working hard in the world of Neural Engineering, Suzy decided to make the change and switch gears entirely. She left her stable job and went back to school, Le Cordon Bleu to be precise. Before she could even graduate, she managed to charm the producers of MasterChef (where the filmed the show) and earned a spot on season 2. With her tenacity, infectious smile and serious culinary skills, Chef Suzy went far in the competition impressing the judges. Now she is taking the Chicago food scene by storm with her samosa-centric food truck, the first South Asian food truck in Chicago. Check out my interview below to get to know Chef Suzy better!

 BG: The culinary world is a tough world that is only now becoming more diverse. How does it feel to be a female South Asian chef in a previously male dominated industry?

 CS: Well I have a background in engineering, which is also a male dominated industry. I found that I couldn’t fold into the pressures of the engineering world of culinary world. I had to stay true to myself in order to excel and come as far as I have. Also, we female chefs stick together and develop a sisterhood amongst ourselves.

Suzy competing in MasterChef

CS: I think if you are going to make a change, then you need to have a purpose. When you plan on doing something big, make sure you have researched it and it’s for you. Also remember you will have to sacrifice for your dream. When I decided to join Le Cordon Bleu, I had a mortgage to thing about and no one but myself to pay it. I did everything I could to make it happen.

BG:  After visiting your website, you seem to have quite a few projects in the pipeline, can you tell me about some of them?

CS: I do have a lot going on! Currently I am Creative Chef for Ashayna banquets. What I do is develop menus and recipes for them. I love combing Indian and American flavors to create a new type of cuisine. I also love using Indian beers. I am also the National Spokeswoman for Le Cordon Bleu. And of course, I have my food truck Suzy’s Samosas that can be found throughout Chicago, just go to my website and see where we will be each day!

BG:  With your booming food truck, what made you pick samosas as your product?

CS: I found myself inspired by Indian street food. I have always loved samosas and I wanted to introduce Chicago to a new way of having the samosa. My favorite is my butter chicken samosa, I just love butter chicken, I could eat it all the time.  I offer the traditional samosa, BBQ beef, nutella and create your own! 

BG: Who is your celebrity chef crush?

CS: My celebrity chef crush would have to be Graham Elliot. He is incredibly talented and working with him on MasterChef was a dream and an incredible learning experience.

BG: What is your favorite dish that your grandmother or mother makes that you will never get sick of, ever?

Suzy's Samosas - many delicious flavors now coming to a store near you.

CS: Actually it’s not from my grandmother or mom, but it’s from my dad. He’s an amazing cooking and I love his chana puri. I could eat it all the time. 

BG: What’s your favorite cuisine outside of Indian food?

CS: My time at Le Cordon Bleu definitely gave me an appreciation for French food, but I love Thai food. It’s so comforting and delicious, you just can’t go wrong!

BG: What advice do you have for individuals who are becoming acquainted with the cooking world?

CS: My suggestion is taking the MasterChef class with Le Cordon Bleu. This class is a great way of getting acquainted with the culinary world while picking up some valuable skills.

Update: Since BG spoke with Chef Suzy she has made some big changes to her line of samosas. Chef Suzy is now working with a national grocery store chain to bring her samosas around the country! With such a big change, Chef Suzy will now be closing down her food truck to take on this new endeavor in her culinary career! Keep an eye on her website http://www.suzysingh.com/ and her facebook to see when the truck will be roaming the streets of Chicago for the last time, and when you will be able to find her samosas in a store near you!

Thuy recently sat down with BG so our readers can get to know her!

Tell us a little bit about yourself !

I was born and raised in Dallas, TX and I miss it like crazy! Before relocating to LA, I was in charge of Marketing & PR at a post-production studio called Fast Cuts Edits. I’ve been doing the marketing thing for a while but I’m currently going through a career change. I’m really interested in learning more about physical therapy (so if there are any PT readers out there who would be awesome and let me shadow them in LA I will be forever grateful!) so I’m aiming to go back to school this coming fall. I figured if I’m going to start a new life out here, I might as well take the leap and go after what I’ve always wanted to do: to help others.

How long have you been into photography? Did you take classes or did your talent come from practice?

I guess it’s been about three years now. I really got into photography during my internship at Southwest Airlines. The interns got to fly for free so I started documenting our trips and it grew from there. I would love to take classes or sit in on some workshops at some point but no, I’m self-taught. Lately though, I’ve invested in some amazing books by photographers that I really admire so I’m really excited to explore different techniques and styles. After three years, I think I’ve finally found the right tools to help me find my niche!

What’s your inspiration for the way you shoot or the themes you come up with?

It’s mainly been based around the upcoming season/issue but I’d really like to go back to focusing the shoot around the girls. It’s a lot more involved but the photos are so much more personal and I think it comes through in the photos. So I guess my answer is: I get my inspiration from our amazing Brown Girls!

What is the most difficult part about doing a shoot? Best part?

I’ll start by stating the best part! I really love getting to know each model and collaborating with them on the shoots. Each and every girl has been so unique, so fun, and so inspiring to me and I really feed off that energy. The most difficult is when scheduling makes it so that I can’t have an assistant to help with setup, wardrobe, makeup, etc. It becomes a challenge trying to be the photographer, assistant, makeup/hair girl at the same time. That wears me out!

You recently moved to LA from Texas. How do you like it?

I’ve really learned to love LA. It’s definitely different from Dallas in many ways but they’re all in ways that I love. There’s this mesh of cultures that I find so cool. Dallas is certainly diverse but I see a lot more coexistence out here–meaning there are tons of interracial couples and endless fusion fare to choose from! Also, you can’t beat the beauty of the city and mountains. It’s a photographer’s dream out here.

Will you be doing shoots in LA for your photography business?
I actually don’t have a business, though, the thought is nice! Besides what I do for BG, I really just shoot for family, friends, and friends of friends. I’m certainly not exclusive as far as clientele goes but I don’t think I want to pursue it as a career. I would love to continue doing it on the side though like I’ve been doing. It’s been such a rewarding hobby.

What are some of your favorite shoots you’ve done (either for BG or anything else)?

Ah! That’s such a hard question. I love all my BG shoots but if I have to pick a favorite shoot that I’ve ever done, I think I have to go with the latest engagement shoot I did for a friend who flew out here from Dallas with her fiance a couple weeks ago. It’s the first set of photos that came out almost exactly the way I pictured it in my head. I have to credit Jose Villa and his amazing fine art photography book. I was able to fine-tune my skills and find the confidence I needed to put out the results I’ve been trying to for so long. I feel like I’ve discovered photography all over again. Now I really can’t wait until my next BG shoot!

You can see more of her photographs at our Facebook Page.

If you live in the LA area and would be interested in modeling for a shoot, send an email with your info and photographs to staff@browngirlmagazine.com.

The Oscar winning documentary begins with a gripping intro of Zakia, a 39 year old Pakistani woman, an unfortunate victim of an acid attack, holding her pictures and telling the camera on how passionate she used to feel in taking her own pictures when she would receive a set of new clothes from her family members. Just a normal occurrence for all of us, you’d think. In the picture you see a beautiful young woman posing with a face so innocent, so wholesome. That was then..

Her face now, wrapped in a veil, showing only one eye; the eye of a hopeful woman who despite losing half her facial features, still manages to stay humble and sensible. “I know I won’t ever again be as God made me”, she confidently speaks in front of the camera. “But hopefully it will get better for me”.

Her voice, full of conviction and faith takes me aback. Zakia is a brave woman, I think to myself. And from this point on, I want to learn more about her…I want to know her.

“He used battery acid. The highest quality and undiluted. It took one second to ruin my life completely. One second,” she recalls the details of her attack committed by her very own husband.

Dr. Mohammad Jawad who resides in London with a successful career as a plastic surgeon, travels to his homeland to operate on the burn victims in Pakistan’s Government Hospital where a free clinic is set up. The doctor, compassionate towards his patients, can’t help but show his utter disgust of the stories told by these women; stories of their husbands throwing acid, their sister-in-law throwing gasoline and the mother-in-law setting the poor woman on fire. The crude reality to the viewer is unimaginable and monstrous. The cruelty of her own husband, capable of committing such heinous acts, is sickening to the stomach. Furthermore, the participation of a sister-in-law and mother-in-law, both women, setting another woman on fire is horrifying and unbelievable.

“I just cannot understand this. I am trying not to be angry. I don’t want to hear these stories anymore.” the saddened physician shares.

A safehouse in Islamabad run by Acid Survivors Foundation holds group meetings for acid victims where these lovely women gather and share their pain with each other. I am amazed to see their strength through all their horrific experiences. Whilst most of us can say that our tribulations in life don’t leave (physical) marks, the women’s’ faces are permanent marks they have to live with each and every day. They unite and relief their sorrows by laughing it off, telling the group how they have come to accept themselves. I’m in awe, perplexed and surprised to see their positive attitudes – they’re extraordinary women.

Zakia’s court case against her husband is pending and handled by a female lawyer, Sarkar Abbas, who is especially passionate about women’s cases. She is fighting Zakia’s case free of charge. Women do not go to the Court to fight for justice.

“It would be great if we could set a precedent with Zakia’s case. They should remain in prison, like animals are confined in cages.”

Ten minutes into the documentary, I find myself nodding and wholeheartedly agreeing with the lawyer’s statement.

A meeting with a member of Parliament and the acid victims raises questions on how to bring justice to helpless women by enforcing laws of life imprisonment for the perpetrators. Marvi Memon, the member of Parliament, proposes the bill and urges the other members along with her supportive females colleagues to pass this bill. The bill gets unanimously passed. A small victory for the hopefuls of Pakistan.

As Zakia awaits the verdict on her court hearing, she is invited to the lawyer’s house where the lawyer explains the final verdict to Zakia.  While watching this documentary, Zakia’s beautiful personality has captured my heart and I await the verdict in suspense with her – double life imprisonment? It’s true. Her husband will be double life sentenced. Vah vah! Justice prevailed. A precedent is set. A message delivered.

Zakia’s face was now to undergo surgery under the experienced hands of Dr. Jawad and the outcome was miraculous. Saving her face, the doctor not only brought normalcy back to Zakia’s life, but he also brought back her dignity. Zakia, a woman of such beautiful spirit, finally smiled and thanked God. I smiled looking at her with a tear streaming down my cheek. I didn’t know the effect of humanity would be this strong. It is what connects us and makes us aware of living. I am impressed by Dr. Jawad; I love his humor, his zest and passion for life, his determination to do as much we can, but as an individual there is only so much we can do, right?

The documentary leaves me with a warm feeling of hope, womanly courage and jubilation. I feel light and encouraged that there are people in Pakistan and Pakistanis abroad who care enough to make a difference. Hats off to Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy; I admire her, I applaud her, I salute her! Her vision and her efforts are truly shown in her work as well as her concern and love for abused women. Incredible work, indeed.

To watch Saving Face, visit the film’s facebook page for more information.

 Sharon Mathai is a 19 year old, South Indian girl from Dallas, Texas who recently took her chances and auditioned for NBC’s The Voice. Sharon was born into a family of doctors, but decided to break away from the norm and pave a new path for herself in the music business. Mathai chose to compete on Adam Levine’s team after winning the attention of three out of the four judges.

AE: What has the experience been like, working with top artist judges?

M: It’s incredible, a dream come true. I can’t even believe it sometimes. To even just be in their presence is definitely a blessing. I’m trying my best to reassure every single moment because it’s so surreal.

AE: Many of us are so thrilled to see a fellow Brown Girl on TV. What has the support from the South Asian community been like?

M: I think it’s blown everyone away, I’ve been getting tweets from my brown girls…and guys too saying things like, “you’re the Jeremy Lin of the music industry.” I just want to do well and represent our culture and show everyone that there is talent throughout all cultures.

AE: How have your parents and family been handling the whole thing?

M: They’ve been good, I think back to high school, freshman year and they wouldn’t allow me to wear sleeveless shirts, or skirts and slowly over the years they have opened their minds, especially to this. They are focusing more on the motivations in my heart rather than the things I do and what people in our society will think.

AE: What does music mean to you?

M: Music is everything. It’s everywhere, it’s part of us, it arises out of every emotion, it’s a remedy, music is the language of the heart, as cheesy as that is.

AE: Do you think you will ever go back to school or medicine if you make a name for yourself in music?

M: I really believe I will. That’s always been an expectation for myself. The Indian inside of me won’t be satisfied until I do.

AE: What made you chose Adele’s “Rumour Has It?”

M: It’s sassy and fun. I’m not a sassy person but I thought I’d bring something different, something that would move the crowd and get them going.

AE: What made you chose to be on Adam’s team?

M: It was honestly, impulsive. I decided to just go with my gut feeling at the time and stop thinking and overanalyzing and just go with it. First instincts are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. I thought Adam and I aligned really well in what he wants and I believe I have that.

AE: What advice do you have for South Asian girls, like you, wanting to pursue a career in music?

M: If you truly believe you have a dream or a talent and you know you have the passion for it, then you need to fight lovingly and gently with your parents and fight for your dreams if you believe you’re supposed to.

To keep up with Mathai, watch Mondays at 7 p.m. on NBC. Follow her on Twitter, ‘Like’ her fan page on Facebook or visit her website  www.mathaimusic.com  for more information.

 Headline photo via Pam Lennard

 We are the generation of the Internet. We are stereotyped as the self-absorbed, pretentious, incredibly social and aspiringly superficial generation. Very often, we successfully fulfill all those criteria. My favorite lazy days are spent in bed catching up on TV shows, shopping online and Facebooking, most of the time, simultaneously. However, when I came across this video, it made me sit up and take notice. I shed uninhibited tears for the pains suffered a world apart. It shook me to my core that children were having to endure what most adults wouldn’t have the courage to face.

 One 30 minute clip later, I found myself on Twitter. #Kony2012 and #stopKony were trending. All of a sudden, the whole world seemed to be echoing my emotions. They had all experienced the agony of guilt for their ignorance about such atrocities and they all felt the fire within to make a difference. It wasn’t long before Invisible Children’s (the organization behind documentary) website and donation pages started crashing.

 We’ve all heard the great capabilities of the Internet. It was instrumental in dethroning the dictators of a handful of Arab countries. On January 18^th of this year, we witnessed the Anti-SOPA Blackout Day that changed the minds of many politicians and saved our code of privacy. For a majority of these events, we stood on the sidelines and watched it play out. Some of us helped spread the word while others were too busy to be bothered by it. The Kony 2012 Movement is different. We will be the reason that today’s biggest criminal will be captured. You and I will make this difference and we will live on to tell the tale of how we helped bring this world one step closer to being a just world.

 The worst of oppressors is the oppressor of children. Help eradicate this man and if you do nothing else this year, you will have accomplished that.

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Invisible Children Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/invisiblechildren?ref=ts

To buy action kit/bracelets: http://invisiblechildrenstore.myshopify.com/

To make a donation: https://www.stayclassy.org/checkout/donation?eid=14711

To sign the pledge: http://www.causes.com/causes/227-invisible-children

I don’t usually get crazy nervous when I interview sources for stories but tonight, my nerves took a crazy rollercoaster ride. I felt like a 10-year-old girl at a Spice Girls concert. I had the privilege of speaking with one of my favorite up and coming South Asian artists, Arjun. His debut single ‘Remember Tonight’, gained him the title as ‘Best Newcomer‘ at the Brit Asia Music Awards 2011. I was first introduced to Arjun’s music from one of my best friends and now I cannot stop listening. If you haven’t checked him out, you need to. He has gained whopping 3,696,331 views thus far for his version of the famous, “Why This Kolaveri Di” Tamil hit. Here’s how the Skype interview went:

BG: Some may say that you’re the next Jay Sean or Lomaticc, what do you think about the accuracy of that statement?

 A: I get that a lot really, I do love both artists and their work. Jay Sean has paved the way for Asian artists so thanks to him for that. I just don’t think our sound is the same since my work is guitar based and I also compose all of my own music. All three of us have our own kind of sound, which makes us unique.

BG: Of all the places you’ve performed at so far, which has been your favorite venue or audience?

A: I’ve done some big gigs in England recently, Diwali on the square at Trafalgar Square with an audience of about 30,000 people.  I’ve performed on beaches in Sri Lanka. However, my all time favorite has to be supporting Jagged Edge and Blackstreet at a club in London.

BG: Speaking of performances, are there any plans of you coming to the U.S…more optimistically, Texas?

A: I’m hoping to come to at least 4/5 cities in the US right now like L.A or New York. I’d love to come to Texas if something comes up so give me a shout out if something comes up!

BG: Not that anyone’s counting, but the last time I checked, your “Why This Kolaveri Di English R&B Mix” had a grand total of 3,313,830 views. How do you feel about that?

A: One day, for fun I was humming the tune and ended up adding English to it and then decided to produce it. I got online the next morning and saw the number of views it had and was shocked. I’m really glad I did it. I think it’s also in due part to Facebook and Twitter and becoming so viral online.

 BG: Who are some of your mentors or inspiration for your music?

 A: Craig David. He has a very similar guitar sound and in the late 90’s he was such a great inspiration to me. 112, Genuwine, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. I love all kinds of music and I hope that reflects in my own tracks.

 BG: If someone asked you what your favorite song on the radio is, what would your answer be?

 A: I like that Jay-Z and Kanye track, I can’t say the name but you know, “N” word in Paris.

 BG: When you’re not making music, what do you enjoy doing?

 A: I really enjoy playing cricket and just sports in general. I’m also into architecture and artsy things. Normal things, chilling with my mates and going clubbing.

 BG: If you could do a collaboration with any artist, who would it be and why?

A: From an R&B perspective obviously I’d love to do one with a rapper…so Jay-Z would be a privilege. Ryan Leslie would be great too. I really look up to him and respect what he does so one day hopefully I will get to work with him.

 Friend him, Tweet him,Youtube him!

Every year, I feel as though my attachment to India becomes increasingly stronger. Spending five months studying abroad in Ghana (hence my absence from BG) has forced me to think about my identity in ways that I never had previously.

At orientation, the students in my program and I asked about how Ghanaians see foreigners and if past students had ever talked about experiencing racism in Ghana. While I appreciate our program coordinators, they definitely took the easy way out of that question and simply answered that most Ghanaians “don’t really see race.” That was a meaningless answer.

A recurring topic of conversation between my friends and I was the word’ Obruni’ which literally means white person. Over time, however, it has come to be used to describe all foreigners. Ghanaians do not see the word as offensive. From their perspective, it is simply a means of distinguishing foreigners. They used that term on a regular basis in the markets, in the streets, on campus, and anywhere else I went. Some days it was humorous, and I took it lightly. When the woman who I purchased fruit from in the market everyday introduced me to someone as her ‘obruni friend’, I simply smiled and laughed. In my opinion, she used it endearingly. On other occasions, it really disturbed me. In America, an individual wouldn’t usually be called out for being a foreigner. If they were, it would be seen as highly offensive.

I believe that there is no particular aesthetic that defines Americans. By that, I mean there is not one skin color, eye color, hair texture, or physical trait that characterizes an American. Some people may counteract that white is still the majority, but the term white can encompass individuals with ancestry from anywhere in Europe. Therefore, even among white Americans, there isn’t necessarily one particular aesthetic.

 In Ghana, that is not the case. While there is diversity in Ghana, foreigners still stick out. Some days the attention really bothered me, and I was offended, hurt, or angered by always being called Obruni. Sometimes, the sheer existence of the word disturbed me. It is essentially saying that even if I learned native languages like Twi or Ewe, dressed like a Ghanaian, married a Ghanaian, lived in Ghana for ten years, cooked Ghanaian food, and did everything I possibly could to blend in, I would never be able to fully assimilate because of my appearance. I would still be called Obruni in the markets upon first glance, and I would still be charged “Obruni prices.”

Although it is used to describe all foreigners, I had some experiences where I was engaged in a conversation, and a Ghanaian would use the term Obruni interchangeably with white. I am not white, and while I am not offended by being called white, I have never identified as white. Based on my experiences and conversations, I felt like many Ghanaians that I interacted with had a tendency to dichotomize people. They used the umbrella terms black and white pretty liberally which I felt simplified and diminished the significance of the complex identities that I value very much. One day in a history lecture, our TA asked the class to define what a perfect woman should be. After gathering opinions from Ghanaian students, she came over to where a friend of mine from the study abroad program and I were sitting and asked to get a Caucasian perspective. She quickly corrected herself by asking about the American perspective after she realized that I am not white. However, most Ghanaians that I came in contact with seemed to classify me as white without realizing that I am not. 

I also had experiences where people asked me where I was from. After telling them I was American, they stared at me blankly, and I had to explain to them that my parents are from India. One time I proceeded to ask the group of Ghanaian students why they were so confused about me being American. They responded by stating that it was because I wasn’t white. Their response certainly initiated some chaos in my brain. Does that mean America = white, or is that just how people who haven’t really experienced diversity or been exposed to the States perceive the country? Does it mean that I can’t be American because I’m not white? I mean technically even if I lived in India, I wouldn’t quite fit in because I didn’t grow up there. Where exactly do I fit in then?

Race definitely played a larger role than I anticipated in my experiences in Ghana. When I shared my frustrations with my friends, they presented me with a new perspective. Although sometimes it could be irritating to be the first Indian person that a Ghanaian encountered, it could also be seen as an opportunity. In a sense, I was a cultural ambassador. I had the opportunity to correct any stereotypes or images that they had gotten from a Bollywood movie (which happened many a time) and present them with other ideas and information.

After receiving so many questions about India and Indian culture, my upbringing, and Hinduism, I have become much more curious about my background. Ever since I returned to the States a couple weeks ago, I have been reading as much as I can about India and Hinduism to answer the questions I may not have been able to answer in Ghana. Constantly being questioned about myself forced me to think about my beliefs and values and certainly helped me strengthen them. For that, I have to say Medaase Ghana. (Thank you in Twi).

Meet Prita Chhabra, an up and coming South Asian artist taking the music scene by storm one performance at a time! Prita was born in Canada but at the age of fifteen, she moved to Orlando, Florida. She returned to her hometown and obtained a psychology degree from Concordia University. Chhabra started her singing and songwriting career in both Orlando and Toronto. Prita strives to blend both a Western and Indian style in her music to appeal to both audiences. In only the past year, Prita has been given the opportunity to perform with artists like, Jay Sean, comic Russell Peters, and Grammy nominee Eric Robertson. Chhabra was nominated for Best Female Act at the 2010 Toronto Independent Music Awards and received a 2010 Excellence in Entertainment award from the National Association of Indo-Canadians.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Prita. You can check out her music on her MySpace as well as Facebook page.

BG: Who inspired your music career/ who are your influences?

In grade 1, I told my teacher I was going to be a star (because I wanted to be the cartoon character Jem!) but in grade 2 I heard Bette Midler singing and a flame was lit in my heart that has yet to die. Throughout the years I’ve had many influences ranging from pop to rock to R&B, and I love all sorts of music. I love that you can be moved, inspired and healed through music; it truly is a beautiful thing!

BG: What advice do you have for other South Asian girls aspiring to make it in the music industry?

To be the first you and not the next somebody else. Make sure you’re making music for the right reasons, and don’t worry about what others are doing or saying about you. Whether it’s your family or your competition, just spend all your time and energy on yourself and get yourself to where you want to be. All is possible if you have faith that it is possible.

  BG: What’s something not many people know about you?

That I’m a big high-energy dork! Haha!
BG:  What are some of your upcoming goal and plans?

I’m working on releasing my next CD and my intentions are to move as many people as I can. I have a few more videos that I’ve shot that I will be releasing and I’d like to get into some acting! I’m also working on furthering my own HIV/AIDS awareness campaign!

BG: If you could be a fruit, which one would you be and why?

I’d be a whole fruit salad diced and prepared, ready to go!

For those of you waiting to find a TV show that accurately portrays South Asian life in a big city, there’s finally one coming up the woodwork. Recently, I had the pleasure of talking to Hiral Shah, the producer of a hopeful new series DeSiCiTi, which portrays the lives of a few South Asian women working, finding love and trying to keep their heads above water in New York City. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Well… yea, it is inspired from several different shows like Sex and the City and Friends but there’s much more to this scrappy little show than meets the eye. DeSiCiTi was nominated for Best TV Pilot at the New York City International Film Festival this year and it was also an official selection at several prestigious festivals like Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival and the 2009 GlobalFest FilmFest. Check out the trailer here and my interview with Shah.

What was the process you went through when pitching the show to Indian networks?  

We went to India with a few contacts.  It was through these contacts and some cold calling that we were able to line up meetings.  Many folks were interested in meeting us since we were female producers from the US and had an interesting project.  Our pitch meetings went well, essentially bringing a portable DVD player to show the trailer and then discussing the project and how it would fit the network.  There was a lot of curiosity however, most folks were not ready for a program that was so out of the box.  They wanted to stay in their “saas baahu” comfort zone and since budgets were being frozen or slashed at the more innovative networks, we were told to come back when they had more money.  It is still a possibility, however in the time since the India trip, we have found markets that are willing to take the risk and appreciate the concept.  It’s surprising since you would think that Indians would support one another, but we have found that more non-Indians have a better understanding of the commercial viability of the program.

How exactly did you all create and develop these main female characters?

It was essentially a brainstorming session where we had an idea of what we wanted then pulled out traits (of people we knew) that we felt would complete the character.

How important are the roles of the men in the show?

Very important.  We don’t want this show to be boxed in as a South Asian Sex and the City.   The male characters play an important role, which will be realized as the episodes are produced.

What kind of impact are you hoping this show will have on viewers of all races, genders and ages?

All of the issues are relatable and create a certain level of social awareness.  We want people to open up to the idea that despite how we look on the outside, we are all very similar on the inside.  Men and women of all ages that have watched this show have loved it for many reasons.  They can find something about someone that they like and relate to.  Something that makes them laugh while also educating them on a variety of issues and how different cultures may handle them, but also showing how similar we all are.

The show, unfortunately, is still in development and has not yet been picked up by any major networks. But with the potential shown at all of these ceremonies, there’s no reason DeSiCiTi shouldn’t be on the air within the year. Lookout for some awesome storylines involving many controversial issues to be tackled with honesty, class and humor. And Bonus, Shah wants most of the episodes to end on a happy note, aka, with a Bollywood dance number. Hey, it worked for Slumdog Millionaire. It’s about time for mainstream Hollywood to see Indian people in a new, non-stereotypical life.