SBS Spice

Pallavi Sharda has established an acting career over several continents, embodying a range of characters and contexts. From tasting success in India's cinema landscape to finding her feet in Hollywood, she now has her sights set back on where it all began— Australia. Her latest role in Jonathan Teplitzky's 'Spit' pays homage to her roots in the suburbs whilst also reclaiming the rights to her own...

My Melbourne is the 2025 anthology film that unites Indian directors Onir, Imtiaz Ali, Rima Das and Kabir Khan to explore the depths of Australian city's diversity. The pillars of sexuality, disability, gender and race are cemented through four stories set in Melbourne, Victoria- home to 36% of Australia's Indian migrants. Suhayla Sharif explores bridge building with filmmaking in conversation wit...

The rent’s too high, the planet’s on fire, and your HECS debt is growing while you sleep—so what now? With federal election around the corner, Dilpreet Kaur Taggar sits down with Senator Mehreen Faruqi—Deputy Leader of the Greens—to dive into the big debates shaping Australia’s future. Why is a trip to the dentist a luxury, why does homeownership feel further out of reach, and can any party truly...

What’s it like to report on South Asia’s most urgent stories? Former ABC South Asia Correspondent Avani Dias takes us inside the job—covering Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, Pakistan’s political landscape, and the treatment of minority groups in India. She unpacks global media’s misrepresentation of the region, the emotional toll of reporting, and the stark contrast between Australia’s quiet newsroom...

What happens when you don’t speak, read, or make eye contact for 10 whole days? SBS Spice girl Dilpreet Kaur Taggar went full monk mode at a Vipassana retreat, and Suhayla Sharif is here to ask the questions—Was it peaceful or just painful? Did she reach enlightenment or just realise she might be the problem? In this intimate chat, we unpack mindfulness, solitude, and the fine line between self-aw...

Inside Australia’s multi-billion-dollar wedding industry, where do South Asian weddings stand? Known for their grandeur, these weddings balance tradition, family expectations, and modern realities. In this episode, we speak to a couple who went all in, another who eloped to escape the spectacle, a wedding planner and a fashion expert shaping the dream—exploring how cultural expectations, personal...

It’s International Mother Language Day on Feb 21, and Suhayla Sharif and Jasmeet Kaur must explore what their mother tongues—Fiji Hindi and Punjabi—mean to them as second-generation Australians. Jasmeet is fluent in Punjabi, while Suhayla is looking to reconnect with Fiji Hindi. They reflect on the challenges and joys of staying connected to their languages and also dive into teaching each other s...

Love can be the answer to many of our world's conundrums but also the root of many contradictions. For South Asians, it can often come at a cost. Whilst it is widely believed that love is unconditional, barriers like race, religion, caste and culture often draw a fine line between acceptance and rejection. SBS Spice loves love, so this episode celebrates the journeys of three Australian couples wh...

Why launch an Indian film festival in Australia? Filmmaker Anupam Sharma wants us to think beyond Bollywood. Having spent decades bringing Indian stories to Australian screens—including directing 'UnIndian' starring Brett Lee and Tannishtha Chatterjee—he’s now launching the National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA). As India and Australia’s ties grow across trade, politics, and culture, N...

At 19, Kushi Venkatesh has already earned the title of South Australia's funniest teenager—but her journey into comedy wasn’t exactly planned. Recorded live at the OzAsia Festival in Adelaide, SBS Spice chats with Kushi about how an unexpected accident brought her to the stage, her decision to stick to clean comedy in a world of expletives, and the balancing act of making people laugh while keepin...

Love is not in the air anymore; it’s on the apps. In this episode, we dive into the modern quest for connection through online dating. Hear from those who’ve found love, others who’ve been burned and sworn off swiping, and some who wrestle with stereotypes yet persist. How long should you wait to respond? What warrants an unmatch? Who deserves a second chance? The rules shift every day. So, with p...

Is 30 too late for therapy? Are vapes cancelled? Even Watermelon Strawberry Ice? In this groundbreaking episode of SBS Spice, with investigative journalism at its heart, Dilpreet Kaur Taggar and Suhayla Sharif analyse their personal ins and outs for 2025 – along with some unsolicited advice for people. All of them.

How do Indians prepare for the epic clash between India and Australia? The tricolour turban, the face paint, the roar of the anthem—every gesture is more than just a show of support; it's an expression of identity, unity, and an unbreakable connection to the homeland. This conversation delves into what it truly means to 'get ready' for a match—not just for the game, but for the emotions, the histo...

A Chicken Tikka Burger at the MCG? Unimaginable a few years ago, but now it’s a crowd favourite. As India and Australia prepare to face off in the Boxing Day Test, the cultural exchange isn’t just happening on the pitch—it’s on the menu too. Today, we’re joined by Chef Dylan Sanding, Executive Chef at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, to explore how Indian flavours like buttery chicken burgers and sam...

Australia’s favourite brown guy – and no, he’s not Indian (we've double-checked), Nazeem Hussain has spent over 15 years turning life’s everyday chaos into comedy gold, going from a regular day job to performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, from London to Edinburgh, while selling out shows right here at home in Australia. In this episode of SBS Spice, Dilpreet and Nazeem talk about the w...

If your vagina could talk, what would it say? Vivie, a 2024 short film by Malaysian-born, New Zealand-based director Hweiling Ow, imagines just that. Featuring an all-South Asian cast, this New Zealand production takes a witty yet heartfelt look at one woman’s journey of self-discovery as she confronts her outspoken vagina, Vivie. Vivie had its international premiere at SXSW Sydney 2024 — so SBS S...

The Ashes may hold the weight of tradition, but could the Border-Gavaskar Trophy be cricket's crown jewel? In this episode of Pace, Spin, and Spice, renowned journalist Bharat Sundaresan unpacks the evolution of the Australia-India rivalry—a rivalry that isn't just about cricket; it's about culture, pride, and the shifting power dynamics in the cricketing world. With billions of fans invested and...

Cricket in Australia is at a turning point, with South Asian-Australian players transforming its narrative. In this episode of Pace, Spin, and Spice, we sit down with Jason Sangha, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, and Esha Kaur Tiwana to explore their personal relationships with the sport. As they find their place in the game, these athletes are not just excelling in performance—they’re challenging the ver...

The pandemic pushed the restaurant industry to its breaking point, testing the resilience of restaurateurs everywhere. For South Asian business owners, survival is intertwined with a greater mission: preserving cultural heritage through menus inspired by migration and memory. In this episode of SBS Spice, Ria Pandey sits down with four culinary trailblazers—Nelson Fernandes, Shaun Christie-David,...

As the Summer of Cricket heats up, Pace, Spin and Spice dives into the quirky world of superstitions that shape the game we love. Host Bhanuraj Kashyap chats with cricketers Charlie Wakim and Nivethan Radhakrishnan, who share their on-field rituals, and superfans Shaurya Aryavir and Gaurang Sharma, who reveal their lucky charms. Whether it’s a glove tap or a game-day snack, these stories uncover t...

Nusra Latif Qureshi has spent over 30 years reviving Musaviri, a centuries-old South Asian art form nearly lost to colonial history. Her mixed-media works—paintings, collages, and sculptures—speak to themes of trauma, dislocation, and resilience, often featuring solitary female figures that embody both absence and presence. Trained in Lahore, Nusra channels history into her art, breathing life int...

Kultar Ahluwalia's journey in hip-hop is deeply tied to his roots—growing up in Adelaide with a Punjabi father and Irish mother, he often felt like his story wasn’t reflected in the world around him. Hip-hop became his way of expressing that complex identity. In this episode, Kultar shares how the birth of his daughter led him to start publishing music under his real name, and how his work carries...

From childhood performances in Sikh devotional music to leading the cult psychedelic band The Bombay Royale, singer-songwriter Parvyn’s journey has always been genre-defying. Now, with her latest album Maujuda, the Punjabi-Australian artist blends jazz, rock, and disco with Punjabi folk traditions to explore the themes of migration, belonging, and presence. Thanks to the organisers of the OzAsia F...

For Pallavi Sharda, Diwali is more than just rituals and celebrations; it has always been a gateway to her heritage. As the first Australian-born actress of Indian heritage to lead in Bollywood films, Pallavi has navigated multiple worlds, and the essence of Vedic festivals like Diwali continually grounds her. In this episode, she shares with Dilpreet her deep connection to the spirituality of her...

For Fuzz Ali, Diwali transcends mere celebration; it’s a cultural tapestry woven into the fabric of life in Fiji. Growing up in Suva, where the festival is a national holiday, Fuzz reflects on how these traditions shape his identity as an Indo-Fijian artist now living in Australia. With a festive backdrop of fireworks, colourful sarees, and community spirit, Fuzz shares his journey of embracing hi...