From discussions on Tiger Balms to South Asian Theatre, this was a funny and educational episode. The Double Bill that is THE SC SAGA. We need a night of that please Theatres!

With the incredibly talented peeps Dr. Sharmila Chauhan and Satinder Chohan.

In the episode we discuss:

• Safeguarding yourself from topics when researching or diving into the world of your play/script as a writer
• Who do you share the vulnerability of you as a creative with? What outlet do you use to de zone or connect?
• The idea of success and progression as a creative
• Thoughts on South Asian Theatre- it’s past, present and future.
• South Asian Theatre companies such as Tara, Kali, Tamasha and Rifco and new organisations such as Hungama, Diet Paratha and Daytimers
• Digital Footprint and brand building.
• The Authenticity and representation of your play to be reflected in the cast and the creative team
• POC Dramaturgy and support for writers
• 3 things this industry could do with and without
• What do you feel like you lack or can work on in your storytelling and what is your Beacon of light. Something you know you do extremely well and no one ever will come close to that.
• If you know what you know now about the industry would you have entered it or worked the way you did up until now.
• What was your biggest expectation from your career. That you have accomplished  and also let go of

A bit about Sharmila:

Sharmila is a screenwriter, playwright and prose writer: Her work is often a transgressive meditation on love, sex and an exploration of the diasporic experience. She is particularly interested in the intersection of sex, power and gender.

She has had two short films produced and written two features: Most recently, her short film Oysters – an exploration of desire in the face of grief – was commissioned by Film London (2016) and her feature Mother Land – is currently being developed by Cinestan International and has been long-listed for the Sundance Writers’ Lab.

Her plays include: The Husbands (an exploration of polyandry and matriarchy in India) which toured nationally and completed its run at London’s Soho theatre (Kali and Pentabus Theatre), Born Again/Purnajanam (Southwark Playhouse (exploring class, religion and female power), Kali Theatre, Jan 2012) and well as 10 Women (body image and women with Bethan Dear, Avignon Festival, France, 2014)).

Shortlisted for the Asian New Writer award (2009 and 2012), Sharmila’s short stories have been published widely in print and online. She is also currently working on her novel Seven Mirrors.

Sharmila also has a degree in pharmacy and a PhD in clinical pharmacology from University College London. She lives in London with her husband, children and cat Tashi.

A bit about Satinder:

Satinder is a journalist turned playwright who grew up in Southall and graduated with an MA in English from Yale University. Her plays have been produced across the UK including UK tours of ZAMEEN with Kalí Theatre and KABADDI-KABADDI-KABADDI with Pursued By A Bear. She won the 2013 Adopt A Playwright Award to develop her play MADE IN INDIA, which completed a UK tour in 2017 with Tamasha and Belgrade Theatre in association with Pilot Theatre, directed by Katie Posner. The tour received great acclaim including an OffWestEnd award nomination and the Best Production Award at the Eastern Eye Awards. Tamasha also commissioned HALF OF ME, a large cast youth theatre piece, to tour in concert with MADE IN INDIA, which premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith in July 2016. In 2018 she co-adapted GULLIVER’S TRAVELS for the Bolton Octagon with Mike Kenny and the following year she wrote an adaptation of the novel GIRL OF INK AND STARS for Spark Arts which toured libraries and continues to be utilised in school’s content. Satinder has previously had work presented by The Finborough and Paines Plough for the Vibrant Festival and Come To Where I’m From respectively and she has completed the Emerging Writer’s Residency at the Traverse Theatre, won the Kalí Futures Writer Award, took part in the Kudos-Court scheme 2016 and was on attachment at the Hampstead Theatre. Satinder is one of 15 writers chosen to take part in Sphinx 30, a landmark programme for female playwrights launched to mark Sphinx’s 30th anniversary, in partnership with Kalí. She is developing further plays, audio content and working on her first novel.

Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ Guest: https://twitter.com/sharmilawrites

Links: Myself: https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_

Guest: https://sharmilathewriter.com & https://www.berlinassociates.com/clients/satinder-chohan/

Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in.

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