Brown Girl Broadcast

What does it mean to find your place in the world when you’re constantly navigating between cultures, expectations and different versions of yourself? In this episode, we sit down with Meghana Karanjkar, fiction writer and author of First Generation, to explore the complexities of growing up between cultures, the pressure to succeed, and the emotional realities that often get left out of the immig...

Buying a house, building wealth and figuring out what financial success actually looks like can feel overwhelming, especially when you grow up with the classic Desi expectations of making it big. In this episode, we sit down with Murtaza, a real estate agent and business owner, to talk about everything from renting vs. buying and the real costs of homeownership to the pressure Brown men face to be...

Get to know us a little better with 73 questions, Vogue style From our childhood memories and current obsessions to Desi family chaos, dating hot takes and life in our 20s, we’re answering everything from the serious to the completely random. Expect honest answers, questionable opinions and probably a few stories we didn’t plan on telling. After 73 questions, you might just feel like you know Mari...

What does it really mean to build your own path when you grow up with a very specific idea of what success is supposed to look like? In this episode, we sit down with entrepreneur and technology executive Shabbir Karimi to talk about going from working in tech to building companies, taking risks, dealing with failure and redefining what success means along the way. From building Panopta and its ac...

Every Brown girl knows a girl who fits one of these personalities. The responsible daughter, the family translator, the wedding socialite, the therapist friend or the chaos queen. In this episode we break down the Brown girl personality types we’ve noticed in our own lives, share stories and debate which ones we actually are. From the girl who knows everyone’s business but never posts to the one w...

Growing up Desi often meant hearing a lot about women’s health without actually being taught about it. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Maliha Sayla, an Obstetrician Gynecologist, to talk about what every Brown girl should know about her health. We get into periods, PCOS, endometriosis, fertility, pregnancy, birth control, sexual health and the questions many women are too embarrassed to ask....

What happens when the version of success you were taught growing up no longer feels like enough? In this episode we sit down with Shazad Carbaidwala, a former professional bodybuilder, author, personal trainer, championship mindset coach, project manager and philanthropist. We talk about his journey from bodybuilding to building a life centered around purpose, discipline and helping others. Shazad...

Join us as Hamna shares her journey into skincare, her perspectives on beauty standards, and practical advice for embracing your natural beauty at any age. This episode offers insights into skincare routines, cultural influences, and how to navigate beauty expectations in a diverse world.

What starts as a simple conversation with a stranger can turn into something unforgettable. This week we're joined by the creator of Human Archive to talk about building one of social media's most compelling interview platforms while still in college. We dive into the story behind the project, what it's like interviewing strangers, the moments that have stayed with him, balancing conte...

Money can feel intimidating but it doesn't have to. This week we're joined by accountant and business owner Mariam Ezzy to talk about building wealth as a Brown girl. We cover her journey to entrepreneurship, what it's like being a woman in finance, the biggest money mistakes we see in the Desi community, and why every woman should understand her finances no matter her stage of life. W...

We’re taking a trip through every era that made us who we are today. From childhood obsessions and awkward teenage phases to college chaos, career growing pains, and the seasons of life we’re navigating right now, we’re reflecting on the moments that shaped us along the way. We share embarrassing stories, lessons we learned the hard way, the eras we’d happily leave behind, and the ones we wish we...

This week on Brown Girl Broadcast, we’re talking about what happens when two people grow up in the same culture but in completely different worlds. From family traditions and food habits to household rules, wedding expectations, and the little things you don’t realize are “different” until you’re in a relationship, Nida Bharmal joins us for an honest and fun conversation about navigating it all. W...

This one’s for the moms ❤️ In this episode, we brought our moms on the pod for the first time and asked the questions we don’t always say out loud. From chaotic parenting stories and classic Brown mom moments to generational differences, sacrifices, and the realities of raising daughters between two cultures, this episode made us laugh, reflect, and maybe get a little emotional too. We’re talking...

No thoughts, just chaos. In this episode, we’re putting ourselves through the ultimate Desi dilemma game with rapid fire Would You Rather questions that hit way too close to home. From weddings and family expectations to food, dating, and identity, we’re choosing between situations we’d honestly rather avoid. Would you survive three weddings in one weekend or host endless relatives at your house?...

No lessons. No growth. Just chaos. In this episode, we’re telling the most unhinged, embarrassing, and “why did I do that?” stories from our lives—everything from falling in public and wardrobe malfunctions to lying for no reason and fully misreading situations. We’re also getting into Desi-specific chaos: auntie comments, pretending to know relatives, being forced to perform, and those moments wh...

One year, 20+ episodes, and a lot of unfiltered conversations later… we’re reflecting on it all. In this anniversary episode, we’re getting real about what podcasting actually looks like behind the scenes; from how we’ve grown individually and as friends, to the moments that challenged us, surprised us, and made us question everything. We’re also talking about the impact of sharing Brown girl stor...

In Part 2, we move beyond the myths and into the real conversation South Asian women were rarely allowed to have growing up. With a doctor’s perspective, we unpack how women’s health was handled in immigrant households. From period stigma and skipped sex education to pain being dismissed and mental health being minimized, we talk through how medical understanding has evolved around fertility and h...

No context. No explanations. Just takes. In this episode, we’re breaking down our personal ins and outs for 2026: habits, mindsets, routines, and Desi-specific dynamics we want more of and less of. This is not a self-improvement episode or a rulebook. It’s just honest opinions, hot takes, and a little disagreement. Take what resonates. Leave what doesn’t. No pressure energy only.

Mental health was never really part of the conversation growing up in Desi immigrant households. In this episode, we sit down with a therapist to unpack how cultural expectations, generational trauma, and the pressure to “be strong” shaped how Desi girls and guys learned to cope...or didn’t. We talk about what mental health looked like growing up, why feelings were often dismissed, and how silence...

Cold water did not cause that. Haldi cannot cure everything. And yogurt at night is not the villain we were raised to believe it is. In Part 1 of our Desi health series we are joined by our first ever doctor guest to break down the Desi health myths we all grew up hearing. From food fears to body rules passed down by aunties and WhatsApp forwards. We separate fact from fiction talk about where the...

In this episode, Nafisa and Mariya dive into the hilarious, painfully relatable world of Desi girl icks: from chaotic rishtha bios to Frappuccino-ordering men, astrology-obsessed friends, cultural cringe moments, and all the unspoken Desi fashion crimes we’ve all seen (and committed). Get ready to laugh, feel called out, and call out your friends too.

This week on Brown Girl Broadcast , we’re diving into the chaotic, hilarious, and heart-shaping “ firsts ” every Desi girl knows too well. From sneaking out for the first time (and thinking we were criminal masterminds), to hiding our first crushes like state secrets, to navigating our first big “adulting” moments. We talk about lunchbox culture shocks, auntie interrogations, awkward makeup phases...

Whether it’s Hinge or Bumble BFF, let’s be real, we’re all just out here swiping for connection.  In this episode, we’re diving into the two sides of modern dating: romantic and friend dating. From cringey app bios to awkward first hangs, we’re unpacking how finding “your person” in your 20s isn’t as simple as it looks. We’ll compare what it’s like to date for love versus for friendship: the ghost...

Our first-ever guests are in the studio — and they’re bringing the  male perspective  with them. In this episode, we’re “building” the perfect Brown Girl from looks to life skills… and then breaking down how those expectations actually hold up once you’re in a real relationship. From chai-making stereotypes to emotional maturity glow-ups, nothing’s off-limits. Expect unfiltered guy takes, cultural...

This week, we’re turning up the heat with our spiciest Desi Hot Takes . The opinions you’d never dare to say at a family dinner. From calling out overrated foods (yes, we said it 👀) to questioning Desi dating norms, weddings, and everything in between, we’re diving headfirst into the things everyone’s thinking but no one wants to admit. Expect laughter, light chaos, and maybe a little controversy...