How do perspectives on the world formed thousands of years ago still shape our worldviews today? In this episode of 'Rethinking South Asian Philosophy', host Bhanuraj Kashyap sits down with Professor Monima Chadha (University of Oxford) and Distinguished Professor Graham Priest (CUNY and University of Melbourne) for a wide-ranging and mind-boggling chat about Ancient Indian philosophy. We discuss the Buddhist denial of the self, how Buddhist philosophy can reshape moral responsibility and some strange puzzles in logic that have captivated philosophers for centuries. Along the way, we also reflect on the barriers that persist between Indian and Western philosophical traditions and share stories about the value of engaging in cross-cultural philosophy. Listen now, only on SBS Spice, wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to 'Rethinking South Asian Philosophy', a journey through the world of philosophy and where South Asian philosophy and philosophers currently stand in this complex academic space. In our opening episode, we sit down with Dr. Bryan Mukandi (UOW), Assoc. Prof. Karen Jones (University of Melbourne), and Dr. Helen Ngo (Deakin University) to discuss with them diversity issues within Australian academic philosophy and why non-Western perspectives our underrepresented in our curriculum. We swap stories about loneliness among minority students, why non-Western philosophy gets overlooked, the financial pressure the University sector is facing, and how exclusion in academic philosophy functions. Beyond all of this, we try to work out what to do to bring about meaningful change. Listen now, only on SBS Spice, wherever you get your podcasts.
How does a 17th century Shakespearean tragedy hold a mirror to present hierarchies? Actor Raj Labade believes that this reflection is both a point of connection to a rich literary past and how pathways for other South Asian theatre artists can continue to be paved. As he steps into the shoes of Edmund in Belvoir St Theatre's 'The True History Of The Life And Death Of King Lear & His Three Daughters' he sits down with Dilpreet Kaur Taggar to explore the evolution of theatrical tales and representation on stage. Listen now, only on SBS Spice, wherever you get your podcasts.
The Partition of British India in 1947 that formed the countries of India and Pakistani also resulted in one of the largest instances of forced migration ever documented. Tearing apart families, communities and histories, the fallout lingers in countless lenses on the world 78 years later, including that of filmmaker Sparsh Ahuja. Co-founder of reconciliation initiative 'Project Dastaan', he explores with Suhayla Sharif the partition's deafening silence, the power of art and the potential of virtual reality. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.
In 2024, artist Sulochana Dissanayake, her husband Dinuka Liyanawatte and their two children moved from Sri Lanka to Australia seeking stability and a spark in the arts landscape. A year on, Sulochana and Dinuka's experiences settling as skilled migrants have inspired their latest artistic collaboration 'Free-doom Down Under' that explores the negotiations new migrants silently confront. The theatre creator unravels with Suhayla Sharif how art has anchored her career and nourishing South Asian cultural health in Australia. SBS Spice attended the OzAsia Festival, thanks to the festival organisers.
In a world growing louder with borders, Sufi music still whispers the same truth: love is the only thing worth returning to. In Adelaide, Farhan Shah leads SufiOz, a band of musicians from Pakistan, India, Japan, Chile and Nepal. With Dilpreet Kaur Taggar, Farhan reflects on what it means to keep the Sufi alive, to sing for union when everything around you asks to be divided. SBS Spice attended the OzAsia Festival, thanks to the festival organisers.
At the heart of Adelaide’s spring season is OzAsia Festival, a celebration of stories that cross borders. Senior producer Sonal Patel joins SBS Spice’s Suhayla Sharif to talk about curating 200 artists, championing Asian-Australian voices, and producing a festival built on connection and care. SBS spice attended the OzAsia Festival, thanks to the festival organisers.
Artist Rakini Devi reimagines faith as feminist revolt. Inspired by the myths of Pope Joan and the goddess Kali, her performance 'The Female Pope' transforms sacred iconography into a visceral protest against global misogyny. In conversation with Dilpreet Kaur Taggar, she reflects on how ritual, dance and visual art converge in her practice, from the temples of Kolkata to the colonial stages of Australia. SBS Spice attended the OzAsia Festival, thanks to the festival organisers.
Meet Sid Pattni: Archibald Prize finalist, painter and one of the most exciting South Asian artists in Australia today. He’s known for faceless self-portraits, a choice born from survival, identity and a belief that audiences should see themselves too. Honest, funny and fresh, Sid tells Dilpreet Kaur Taggar how he rejected his 'Indianness' growing up, why “multiculturalism” can feel hollow, and what he wants from the Australian art world now. If you love artists who break rules beautifully, this one’s for you. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch the interview on YouTube.
Diwali isn’t just India’s story. In Sydney’s Bangladeshi community, the festival of lights takes on new meaning, shaped by migration, memory and the divine feminine. SBS Spice's Munasib Hamid joins Ritu and her family to explore how faith and tradition evolve far from home, from dawn pujas to khichuri feasts and the quiet strength of the goddesses they honour. Watch the full video on YouTube or listen only on SBS Spice.
What do you do when you’re brown, Muslim and not meant to party? You start early! Set in 1990s London, 'Daytime Deewane' follows the secret daytime raves where South Asian kids, shut out of white nightclubs and watched by their parents, built their own world of bhangra, bass and borrowed freedom. Actor Ashan Kumar joins Dilpreet Kaur Taggar to talk about why joy can be the biggest rebellion. 'Daytime Deewane' is currently on at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta.
He’s Indian. She’s from Hong Kong. They just got engaged and this Diwali, they’re bringing all the love (and all the snacks) to the pod. Nick & Carrie join Dilpreet & Suhayla for a ‘Party in the Pod’ packed with samosas, gol gappe, mithai and some seriously sweet confessions. They tell us which Indian sweet they’d pick for each other, how they celebrate across cultures, and what Diwali means when love lights the room. Watch the full video on YouTube or listen only on SBS Spice.
Caste doesn’t just decide where you live or who you marry. It decides what you eat and who you eat with. In 'Come Eat With Me', Indian artist Sri Vamsi Matta turns a communal meal into an act of resistance. Through shared eating, he challenges centuries-old ideas of purity and pollution and rehumanises the Dalit experience beyond pity or pain. Can a meal break caste? Vamsi sits down with Dilpreet Kaur Taggar in our Sydney studios to unpack. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube.
Lives of ’90s South Asian kids are incomplete without a Lucky Ali memory. For some, it was the first crush, for others the first campfire, and for many, the first road trip. A Lucky Ali song usually made everything better. The legendary singer-songwriter is in Australia with his 'Journey Through the Decades' tour and sits down with Dilpreet ahead of the shows. He admits he doesn’t like Bollywood and that might be the least surprising thing about him. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube.
Born in the 1980s on dancefloors built by people of colour, house music has always been about belonging. In 2022, Armaan Gupta (Kahani) and Kunal Merchant asked: where is that space for South Asian house? From that question came 'Indo Warehouse', a collective and label bringing the pulse of the subcontinent into global electronica. Ahead of their second Australian tour, they sit down with Suhayla Sharif to talk about why nostalgia hits harder on the dancefloor and the set their fans dubbed "Indochella", a nickname that may hint at where this movement is heading. Listen now on SBS Spice.
In 2022, when ordinary bakers became banana bread connoisseurs, Anirban Chanda took his lifelong passion for baking online. Five years later, his sweet experiments have risen to new heights: a spot on season 8 of ‘The Great Australian Bake Off’ and a growing business, ‘Another Whisk’. In this episode, he joins Suhayla Sharif to talk about blending native Australian flavours with his Bengali sweet tooth. Warning: this chat will make you hungry. Listen now on SBS Spice.
Aryan Khan makes his directorial debut with 'The Ba***ds of Bollywood', a sharp satire on fame and chaos in the film industry. In this SBS Spice episode, Dilpreet speaks with Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh and Sahher Bambba about villains, managers, “nepo kids” and everything in between. From legacies to behind-the-scenes madness, the cast explain why Aryan’s first series feels dangerously close to reality. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch the interview on YouTube.
“And what will people say?”... For too many South Asian survivors of domestic violence, it’s the question that keeps them silent. Theatre-maker Kersherka Sivakumaran flips that silence into art with her new work 'And What Will People Say?' at Sydney Fringe Festival. Merging her frontline volunteering with her love for Bharatanatyam and performance, she uses theatre to confront stigma head-on. In conversation with Suhayla Sharif, Kersherka shares how clarity of intent and artistic storytelling can turn shame into dialogue. Listen only on SBS Spice.
We love girl dads. And Saesha's dad fits the bill a little too perfectly. For this Father's Day, she bribes him with a Yo-Chi to jump on the pod and spill his secret to surviving three women in the house. It's a little scary, he admits. Dr Sanjaya Senanayake is one of Australia's most recognised health experts who has often embarrassed his family on national TV with his "jokes". We're certain he is a big deal but for this episode, he is just a dad (and also our official Spice Girl). Listen now, only on SBS Spice.
For Shabana Azeez, being the first to represent her roots is only the beginning. The Adelaide-born actor once faced a choice between a drama school acceptance and her Indo-Fijian family’s support. Today, with screen credits spanning genres and borders, she’s opening doors in an industry she once risked entering. As she builds her character Victoria Javadi in the medical drama 'The Pitt', Shabana speaks with Suhayla Sharif about humble beginnings, the lessons of failure, and turning competition into community. Listen now on SBS Spice, wherever you get your podcasts.