Bridge the Culture

Podcast exploring the way cultural gaps are being bridged through the lens and work of South Asian American artists and creatives of all kinds.

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Episodes

XI. Forbidden Tikka Masala (feat. Rahul Chaturvedi)

Why did the chicken cross the bridge? To meet with Jas on the other side! Joining him is Rahul Chaturvedi, the writer/director of a new short film called "Forbidden Tikka Masala." It is available to view now on Omeleto's YouTube channel. Make sure to check it out and leave comments (Rahul reads every single one). The film tackles what happens when an older South Asian woman and devout vegetarian accidentally eats chicken for the first time at her retirement party. It's a coming of old age flick ...

Aug 24, 2020•59 min

X. BIFL (feat. Anisha Adusumilli)

In these quarantined times, aren't we all just looking for a BIFL of our own? Not sure what a BIFL is? Well I got just the podcast (and web series) for you! On the bridge this week we have Anisha Adusumilli, an actor out of LA who over the years has had appearances on NBC's "Outsourced," Fox's "New Girl," and CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" and "NCIS: Los Angeles," among many others. Anisha talks to Jas about growing up in Ohio expressing herself through dancing and singing, to eventually discoveri...

May 25, 2020•1 hr 6 min

IX. Swiped to Death (feat. Kabir Chopra)

Swipe right on the bridge! Jas talks to Kabir Chopra, the writer/director/actor of a phenomenal new web series called "Swiped to Death." It explores the messy realities of online dating, told from the perspective of two recently single South Asians in New York as they try their luck on a new dating app. Taking inspiration from his own and friends' numerous stories, Kabir's crafted a show in which each episode is based on a real-life date that went terribly wrong. You can binge watch the entire f...

May 04, 2020•55 min

VIII. Touch A Life (feat. Raja Deka & Sabrina Percario)

Things get inspirational on the bridge this week as Jas sits down with actor-producers Raja Deka and Sabrina Percario to discuss "The Venom Brothers," an intense short film about estranged foster brothers dealing with a dark family past. You can watch it now on B-RajaTV (the home for South Asian American content, don't ya know?). Things however, quickly turn to talk of finding our purpose and the role our parents play in our life's journeys. Raja went from working with NASA and globetrotting for...

Apr 27, 2020•1 hr 19 min

VII. American Idol (feat. Shubha Vedula)

Music always finds a way, and that couldn't be more true of our guest on the bridge this week. From singing karaoke as a kid, to the stages of "American Idol," to finally finding a place on the Chicago scene, singer/songwriter Shubha Vedula has carried a tune at every age and opportunity. We talk her start in music, the experience of making the Top 20 Females on "American Idol," and how she continues to create content and work on her craft during this quarantine. Tune in to discover Shubha's onc...

Apr 20, 2020•1 hr

VI. Monogamish Pagg (feat. Nardeep Khumri)

Quarantine can't stop the bridge (despite it taking a month to do another of these). Holed up in an apartment with Jas is writer/director/actor, Nardeep Khumri, with not just one, but two short films for your viewing pleasure: "Monogamish" and "Pagg." You can watch both now on B-RajaTV, your home for South Asian American home entertainment! The two talk about Nardeep's career out in LA, from writing and directing, to starring in multiple projects, most recently Disney Junior's animated "Mira, Ro...

Apr 13, 2020•1 hr 59 min

V. Jazz Meets Soul (feat. Subhi)

Music mode continues on the bridge with singer/songwriter Subhi! Her journey begins in India, detours to New York, and settles in Chicago. Subhi has worked on Broadway, in Bollywood, and even for Wall Street. But that's not where her heart belonged, as evidenced by her "accidental" debut album, Shaitaan Dil ( Naughty Heart ). Subhi brought a fresh spin to the Chicago jazz scene by infusing it with her Indian roots, creating a culture all her own. She's performed at The Kennedy Center, SXSW, TEDx...

Mar 09, 2020•51 min

IV. Purple Arizona (feat. Sanjay Krishnamurthy)

Switching gears on the bridge, Jas speaks with singer/songwriter/musician/composer, Sanjay Krishnamurthy. He's here to talk his latest album, Purple Arizona , and his journey from Ohio to Arizona to finally the independent music scene out in Los Angeles. It's an insightful conversation about Sanjay's love of movies, music, and the magic both mediums creates for all of us. To find out more, visit www.sanjaykrishnamurthy.com . Both of Sanjay's albums can be streamed from Spotify, Apple Music, Amaz...

Mar 02, 2020•1 hr 21 min

III. Super Sonic (feat. Saleem Gondal)

Jas returns to the bridge to talk Super Sonic with writer/director/actor, Saleem Gondal. The short film finds a hard of hearing man trying to navigate love using the power of empathy and body language when words fail him. But words certainly didn't fail these two east coast boys as the conversation touches upon Saleem growing up in New York, having high frequency hearing loss, working through the arts scene, and finding his own voice in the process. To find out more, visit www.saleemnasirgondal....

Feb 24, 2020•1 hr 10 min

II. Bad Indians (feat. Shawn Parikh & Faroukh Virani)

Jas talks to the brains behind the webseries Bad Indians : Shawn Parikh (co-creator/writer/star) and Faroukh Virani (director/editor). They talk about their Texas origins, California dreams, and things get oddly therapeutic while discussing how our parents feel about our professions. Find out where you rank on the Bad Indians scale, and this holiday season, finally come out creatively to your loved ones! If you need help, Jas makes house calls. Intro Outro...

Dec 16, 2019•57 min

I. Line of Descent (feat. Rohit Karn Batra)

Writer/Director Rohit Karn Batra joins Jas to have a chat about his directorial debut, Line of Descent . They talk about his journey into filmmaking, making this feature, and working with actors across two continents. Film releases December 13th. For more information, visit the official site . Intro Outro...

Dec 09, 2019•39 min

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