Chai with Champs Podcast with Ritika Agrawal

She is the Emmy-winning producer who read a script overnight, canceled all her meetings the next morning, and put her life savings into a show that had never been done before in India. Apoorva Bakshi joins Ritika Agrawal to break down exactly what it took to bring Delhi Crime, one of Netflix's Top 10 non-English shows globally, from an unproven idea to an internationally celebrated series, and...

He built a production company from short films shot for a few hundred dollars, broke into Tribeca, and landed an IFC release, all without a single studio connection. Venk Potula joins Ritika Agrawal to talk about what it actually takes to finance, direct, and release an independent film as a South Asian filmmaker in America, and why the community's biggest cultural moment in cinema hasn't...

He left a corporate career after Princeton, spent a decade building himself in Bombay, and now works across Bollywood and Hollywood. Ankur Rathee joins Ritika Agrawal to break down what the globalization of entertainment actually looks like from the inside, and what it takes to build a career across two industries. Ankur Rathee is an actor known for Four More Shots Please!, Undekhi, Made in Heaven...

Before Grey’s Anatomy, True Detective, and Never Have I Ever, Anjul Nigam was a student at NYU during the golden age of indie cinema, chasing auditions and living with Adam Sandler as a dormmate. His journey has been anything but straightforward: a sudden rise in Hollywood, four years of unemployment, rebuilding through theatre, and eventually stepping into producing with his breakout film Growing...

She walked away from corporate stability to become a full-time actor. That’s how Renu Razdan has built her path in indie cinema, acting for years on sets, then producing and starring in A Newlywed Story , proving you don’t need a safety net or traditional industry backing to create meaningful work. In this episode of Chai with Champs , Renu breaks down the real planning behind making your first sh...

What does it take to go from film school at NYU to working with Zoya Akhtar on one of India’s most iconic streaming shows, Made in Heaven? For cinematographer Neeraj Jain, the answer lies in telling stories through light, building trust across borders, and committing to frames that honor complexity and nuance. In this episode of Chai with Champs, Neeraj shares his path from training under masters...

Abi Varghese turned an immigrant story into a phenomenon in Kerala and parlayed that momentum into directing for Netflix and Eros Now. He didn’t wait for backing or permission; he built his own audience and carried them with him. That path has become the foundation for his banner, Infamous Coconuts, which is now pushing regional Indian stories onto a global stage. In this episode of Chai with Cham...

When Rachna Khatau walked onto the set of The Big Bang Theory as Kathleen, she wasn’t backed by film school credentials or industry connections, just persistence, strategy, and the belief that she belonged in the room. In this episode of Chai with Champs, she shares exactly how she broke into one of the most competitive auditions in television, what actors never hear about surviving the waiting ga...

Before the films, the festivals, and the Oscar buzz, who was Krushan Naik? In this episode of Chai with Champs, Krushan takes us inside his journey, from arriving in the U.S. with no safety net, to creating Anuja, a short film that became Oscar-qualified for Best Live Action Short Film. We unpack the 3-year strategy that took Anuja to international recognition, the unspoken rules of visibility in...

She didn’t just break into rooms , she built them. Monika Varma Samtani went from being one of the first South Asian anchors in American newsrooms to founding Ms. Media, Shop The Films,and curating platforms like South Asian House at SXSW and Soundvilla, where global creators meet opportunity. In this episode of Chai with Champs, Monika reveals the mindset it takes to start over, the courage to ch...

What happens when you bet on yourself and send one bold DM? For Karan Wadhwa, it led straight to working under Rajkumar Hirani on the set of Sanju. That single risk didn’t just open a door, it launched a career that now bridges Bollywood’s biggest productions and the grind of indie filmmaking in LA. In this episode of Chai with Champs, Karan shares the unfiltered truths of navigating both Bollywoo...

Say yes to one opportunity and it could lead you to A.R. Rahman. That’s exactly how Rianjali & Kunal Patel began a journey that transformed their lives, from a single yes, to working with one of the greatest musicians in the world, to building a career that now spans music, law, and film. Today, they run their own production company with films traveling to a dozen international film festivals,...

What happens when a consultant at Accenture trades spreadsheets for screenplays and ends up directing, producing, and starring in her own films? Today on Chai with Champs, we're joined by Sujata Day, a multi-hyphenate creator, star of HBO’s Insecure, and the force behind the critically acclaimed film Definition Please. From navigating Hollywood without connections, to rewriting the narrative f...

From Delhi’s radio studios to Cannes red carpets, Sucharita Tyagi has built her voice into one of the most fearless in cinema. In this episode of Chai with Champs with Ritika Agrawal, Sucharita shares her journey of carving space as a South Asian woman in film criticism and the cost of being unapologetically bold. We also dive into the bigger picture, what it really takes to stay relevant in India...

Welcome to the Chai with Champs Podcast; The Center Stage for South Asian Cinema. I am your host, Ritika Agrawal, where I sit down with Oscar-nominated producers, directors, award-winning directors, actors, composers, influential film critics and more who are shaping the future of South Asian Cinema. New episodes drop every Tuesday starting September 1st! Follow us on @chaiwithchamps

Ankur Rathee is an Indian-American actor and dancer best known for his roles in the Amazon Prime series Four More Shots Please (2019) , Zoya Akhtar 's Made in Heaven (2019) , the Hindi films Thappad (2020) and The Tashkent Files (2019) opposite Naseeruddin Shah , and as a finalist on Dance India Dance (2013). He graduated from Princeton University where he trained under artists like Tony Award win...

Tanpreet is a passionate mental health advocate, focusing on promoting self-love and acceptance. Her diverse background encompasses modeling, acting, public speaking and hosting, alongside her career as a Human Resources professional. As a speaker and educator with the registered Canadian charity, Stigma Free Mental Health Society, Tanpreet works with youth all over Canada to raise awareness about...

Rianjali is an award winning, NYC born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter/composer with a mission to change South Asian musicians’ perspective in the diaspora. Rianjali was a former domestic violence case-worker until she found her ‘pinch me’ moment when she caught the attention of Oscar award-winning musician A.R. Rahman’s and was asked to work alongside him. Rianjali has collaborated and perfo...

️Praised as an “extremely sensitive and inspiring performer who touches souls,” award-winning pianist Jenny Huang has appeared in North America, Europe, and Asia as a featured artist at international music festivals, competitions, music salons, and master classes. Jenny is also an exceptional brand marketer! Her exceptional accomplishments have earned her prestigious honors in the marketing indust...

Born and raised in Durham, NC, Vybhav Jagannath donned the alias VJDAMUSICMAN in early 2018. The singer-songwriter began his journey with Young Enough To Know Better , a YouTube exclusive project that allowed him to explore the genres of pop and ballads while trying his hand at songwriting for the very first time. MusicMan ( short for VJDAMUSICMAN) used beats he found off of YouTube and wrote and...

Neha Joy is a Host and Producer at The Hollywood Reporter, where she reports on the latest in film, television, and pop culture through THR’s daily news videos and conducts interviews with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. She also led production on THR's monthly video series Heat Vision Breakdown. Before joining THR, Neha worked as a television host for MLB, The New York Mets, Sports Illust...

In this engaging episode, we have the pleasure of sitting down with the incredibly versatile Sangita Patel, a true testament to the power of determination and following one's passions. Sangita's journey is a fascinating blend of engineering expertise and her rise as a prominent television personality in Canada. Sangita's career took a remarkable turn when she transitioned from her background in en...

In this deeply moving episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with Anna Johannes, a true embodiment of resilience, determination, and the relentless pursuit of social justice. Anna's journey is nothing short of extraordinary, as she's dedicated her life to advocating for disability rights and social justice. Her story begins with her being born without her left hand and forearm, a circumsta...

In this episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with Carla Eboli, a groundbreaker in the advertising industry and a true advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). Carla's journey is a remarkable testament to the power of leadership, connection, and fostering the next generation of women leaders. As the EVP, PR & Multicultural - D,E&I Lead at Energy BBDO, an Omnicom G...

In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of Jay, a true embodiment of the term "multi-hyphenate." Jay's career is a journey through diverse industries and roles, where he seamlessly navigates the realms of strategy and creativity. By day, Jay leads social media strategy at a leading advertising agency, crafting digital campaigns that make waves in the advertising world. But his passion fo...