Nisha Pahuja Spotlights Social Issues Through Her Lens

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11/23/23 • 33 min

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

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Let’s talk Connect:

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This podcast is produced by

Ginni Media

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.

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

Previous Episode

Manu Raju Is Discussing Inside Politics

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:

Let’s Connect:

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This podcast is produced by

Ginni Media

Next Episode

Raja Kumari Is Building The Bridge

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:

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