Deep, Down & Desi

"But…Where are you really from?" is back - the podcast that looks at the question that all Asian people have been asked. With the help of some special guests they look at what it truly means to be British Asian today… Join hosts Eshaan Akbar, Nim Odedra and Sunil Patel as they discover just how 'Desi' their guest are, through funny and revealing stories… Episodes are released weekly, and guests throughout the series include Ali Official, Sacha Dhawan, Jassa Ahluwalia and Sharan Dhaliwal.You can find series 2 by searching 'But...where are you really from' on BBC Sounds.

In the first episode of Bollywood Uncovered, Haroon speaks to Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan on her 20th anniversary at the top.Kareena is both a superstar and inspiration for many of her fans. She’s successfully navigated the ever-changing industry for more than two decades and managed to do what many considered impossible for a Bollywood actress – stay consistently in demand with box-office hit after hit. In the first episode of this no-holds barred podcast, Bebo looks back on her Bollywood hits like K3G and Jab We Met; reflects on the movie choices that didn’t fit her glamorous image and has advice on what young actors need to do, to make it big in Mumbai.To listen to the full series search Bollywood Uncovered in BBC Sounds.

If you like Deep, Down and Desi, you'll enjoy Bollywood Uncovered from the Beyond Bollywood feed. In this podcast series, Haroon Rashid visits Mumbai to find out what it takes to be a Bollywood film star in 2020

Amitabh Bachchan fans Haroon, Amn & Shehzaad start at the beginning of Amitabh's career. To listen to the full series, search The Biggest B on BBC Sounds.

If you like Deep, Down & Desi you'll enjoy The Biggest B, from the Beyond Bollywood feed. In this series, Haroon, Amn & Shehzaad try and figure the secret to Amitabh Bachchan’s 50 years Bollywood?Listen to the full series by searching The Biggest B on BBC Sounds.

Janhvi Kapoor knows what expectation is. The daughter of legend Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor tells Haroon Rashid that she wants to earn the love for who she is. They chat about the pressures that come with life under the spotlight and how Janhvi navigates her rising star on her own terms. You can listen to the rest of the series by searching Beyond Bollywood on BBC Sounds.

If you like Deep Down and Desi you'll enjoy the Asian Network's new Beyond Bollywood Podcast. In this podcast, join BBC Asian Network’s Haroon Rashid for your fix of Bollywood movie chat, big star interviews and all things Desi entertainment. From new movies to love of the classics – this is the only place to be!

In the last episode of this series, Saima and Maleena talk about the power of talking. Grief can be one of the biggest tests to your mental health. So is there a ‘right’ way to cope with loss? They invite Rabbil to the café to hear his story about how he lost his Aunt and his subsequent struggles with depression. Hypnotherapist Dipti then joins them to give her professional opinion and chat about her own story of grief that inspired her career as a mental health practitioner. Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today. After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living. Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits. Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why? Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife...If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Within the British Asian community, care can be a controversial subject. Who should look after you when you’re in your final days and what should you expect from the pros?Saima and Maleena chat about family expectations, the Asian stigma of so-called ‘old people’s homes’ and the benefits of modern palliative care.Kamalpreet pops into the cafe to share her experience of looking after her Gran who suffered from dementia and how she navigated the complexities of the care system before she passed away.Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today.After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living.Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits.Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why?Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife...If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

If death is inevitable, then planning for it is essential. But it can also be one of the most daunting things that you have to deal with and too many put it off until the very last minute of life.Maleena chats to Saima in the café about what getting your affairs in order actually means - or the ‘Death Admin’ as she likes to call it.They hear from Dan, who created a will writing start-up that brings the legal process into the modern digital era. And Maleena visits the Garden’s Of Peace, the UK’s largest Muslim cemetery, to hear about how tens-of-thousands have balanced their British Asian identity even after they die.Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today.After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living.Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits.Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why?Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife...If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

In this episode of Fresh To Death, Saima and Maleena discuss how honest you can be about your grief and what it’s like dealing with death in unfamiliar surroundings. Maleena uncovers an incredible story of a young woman who goes on holiday with her secret boyfriend and tragically has to return home without him.Back at the café, Saima and Maleena chat about the complex cultural issues when discussing the most personal of circumstances, including who you can share your love and pain with.Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today.After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living.Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits.Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why?Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife...If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

In this episode of Fresh To Death, Saima and Maleena explore what it's like to deal with death in the family.They speak to Raj, who started a Will writing service for the Sikh community with his wife, before being hit with the cruellest of coincidences. Can the experience of dealing with death as a professional help you grieve your own personal losses?Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today.After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living.Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukaemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits.Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why?Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife... If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

In this episode of Fresh To Death, Saima and Maleena share their experiences of dealing with death.Saima opened Masala Wala cafe with her family, a small Pakistani restaurant that serves her mother’s recipes with love and charm. Out of nowhere, she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, before she even turned 30. Her life has been dramatically cut short - without treatment, she wouldn’t be here today.After dealing with her diagnosis, she talks frankly on how she’s getting over dying, so she can get on with living.Maleena, a Journalist and Producer, lost her brother when they were both teenagers, after a long battle with leukemia. As she became an adult, her father passed away suddenly and without warning. She shares openly what it’s like growing up with grief, the guilt of being left behind and how her identity as a British Asian was tested to its limits.Together, they bond over their unique perspectives on life and death and ponder the ultimate question - why?Join them for their chat over a cup of chai - this could be the most important podcast of your afterlife...If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

In a community saturated by talk of babies and marriages, British Asian bereavement is curiously complicated - and often ignored. Family, religious and cultural issues make each passing unique from the mainstream and brings in sharp focus the generational expectations that can cause further heartache at a time of sensitivity. Fresh To Death is out to change that.Restaurateur Saima Thompson is living with a terminal diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer and filmmaker Maleena Pone lost her teenage brother to leukaemia and father to a sudden heart attack. Together, they explore their own perspective of being British Asian women dealing with death - and speak to others with a range of unique perspectives, from will writing to funerals, mental health to cultural traditions.If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can find support at the BBC Action line for bereavement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement

Raul considers the paradox of being an atheist Hindu, but the truth is hard to digest.Raul has always loved the old stories of Hinduism – the monkey gods, elephant heads, and frolicking milkmaids – but he’s not so sure what they actually mean to him, spiritually speaking. Over the series, Raul has come to see Hinduism in a whole new light. But he still needs to ask himself the biggest question yet. After all this reading, talking and meditating – does he believe in any of it? In his quest to find out whether Hinduism has to be a 24/7 commitment or more of a pick ‘n’ mix thing, Raul has a final heart-to-heart with the Pandit Satish K Sharma, reads some of the most outrageous stories in the Vedas and, well, experiences a purge of sorts…

Raul attempts to justify his diet – but will the Pandit have beef with the way he eats?In this episode, Raul weighs up the needs of the planet, the advice of the Hindu scriptures and the demands of his own stomach to figure out if it’s time to give up eating meat. He goes out for breakfast with his comedian friend Kiran Morjaria, entertains his audiences with a story about sausages and returns to the temple to chew it all over with Pandit Satish K Sharma. As a kid, when Raul went to the school dinner hall he’d have to wear a big sticker saying NO BEEF. When he was a teenager, he smuggled meatball marinaras into the house under the cover of darkness. But now, what with climate activists making us all feel guilty, he’s starting to think that Hindus had it right all along. But if humans weren’t supposed to eat meat…why do we find it so darn delicious?!

Millennia before the West started reassessing the concept of gender, India had the Hijra.When researching for this podcast, Raul was surprised to discover that, in Hinduism, gender non-conformity is nothing new. The origin of the Hijra can be found in ancient Indian folk stories, but they are also a real community of transwomen that live in India today. Many people still believe that they are mystical beings and that they can confer blessings and curses. In this episode Raul investigates the complex subject of gender in Hinduism and in India. He speaks to his comedian friend Sindhu Vee, the trans activist Kalki Subramaniam and, of course, his ever-helpful guide Pandit Satish K Sharma.

What’s the role of marijuana in Hinduism? Raul takes it upon himself to find out. When Raul was 19 years old, he received a surprising call from his mother. It was Maha Shivratri, she said, and officially the one day in the Hindu calendar that smoking marijuana was permitted. (Not by UK law, of course.) This got Raul thinking – maybe his lifestyle was more aligned with the Hindu faith than he thought? In this episode, Raul has a surprising conversation with the Pandit Satish K Sharma, he talks to Hannah Deacon about her battle to get access to medical marijuana for her son and introduces us to the notorious Spekky Rizwan.

Raul Kohli discovers that he owes the universe the debt of his body. No pressure then. When it comes to the birds and the bees, Raul was arranged a marriage before he was arranged a sex education lesson. Add to that the confusing depictions of romance in Bollywood films and the fact that Krishna married 18,000 milkmaids, it’s fair to say that there are some mixed messages going on. So, Raul sets out to discover if Hindus are as conservative about sex as his Mum wanted him to believe.In this episode, Raul chats to his comedian friend Anuvab Pal, seeks advice from his pandit, the Hindu scholar Satish K Sharma, bares all to his live audiences and reads the Kama Sutra cover to cover…for research purposes, ok?

Raul discovers there’s way more to yoga than sexy leggings and expensive beach retreats. As a stand-up comedian, Raul’s mind is always going at a million miles a minute, while his body travels to all four corners of the globe performing comedy to late-night crowds. But this lifestyle is taking its toll, and he wants to find ways to keep the stress down.In this episode, Raul chats to his comedian friend Sukh Ojla, seeks advice from the esteemed scholar Satish K Sharma, finds his flow with wise yogi Ravi Dixit and puts his theories to live comedy audiences. Turns out that, thousands of years before the West started banging on about mindfulness and self-care, Hindus had already found the path to tranquility.