SBS Spice

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 some of the most iconic moments in modern cricket, this is more than just a series—it’s a battle for supremacy. Brought to you by Kayo.

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 very ethos of Australian cricket. Against the backdrop of the Summer of Cricket, we also reflect on how the sport serves as a powerful bridge, connecting people across cultures and communities. Dive in for a thought-provoking conversation about how this generation is reshaping the game on and beyond the field. Brought to you by Kayo.

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, Jessi Singh, and Minoli De Silva—to pull back the curtain on what it takes to balance authenticity with innovation. From the trials of entrepreneurship to the traditions that shape their kitchens, these restaurateurs remind us that the next South Asian table isn’t just about the food—it’s about cultural legacies served alongside it.

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 the lighter side of cricket’s deep connection to belief. But how far can a ritual really take you? Brought to you by Kayo.

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 into forgotten stories and reinterpreting them for today’s world. In this episode of SBS Spice, Suhayla Sharif sits down with Nusra at her first major solo exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, delving into how her art invites South Asian audiences to reconnect with their lost histories.

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 the weight of his heritage, family, and search for connection. Thanks to the organisers of the OzAsia Festival, SBS Spice sat down with Kultar at the festival, where he opens up about what it means to stay true to yourself in a genre built on authenticity.

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 Festival, SBS Spice attended the festival and sat down with Parvyn in Adelaide for an intimate conversation about roots, rhythm, and home. Hosted by Dilpreet Kaur Taggar.

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 roots and, in a world full of online noise and distractions, encourages us all to pause, reflect, and look inward this Diwali.

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 his dual heritage and advocating for South Asian visibility. Join us on My Diwali with hosts Dilpreet Kaur Taggar and Preeti Jabbal as we explore what Diwali means through Fuzz’s unique lens.

Diwali brought more than light into Ananya Anand’s life – it brought love. During Melbourne’s lockdown in 2020, Ananya found herself unexpectedly staying longer, discovering a connection that led to her now-husband. Since then, she’s blended her traditions with new ones, celebrating Diwali with fusion dishes like butter chicken pies and paneer tikka tacos. Listen in as Ananya shares her story of love, food, and a Melbourne Diwali that brings together everything she cherishes, on My Diwali with Dilpreet Kaur Taggar and Preeti Jabbal.

Romesh Ranganathan never quite planned on swapping math lessons for stand-up, but over a decade later, the Sri Lankan-British comedian has become a global sensation. With success, however, came the challenge of representing his community, and Romesh quickly realised the weight of every joke. In this episode of SBS Spice, host Suhayla Sharif dives into Romesh's rise from school teacher to one of the most recognisable faces in the industry. Catch this spicy chat on comedy, culture, and breaking barriers—wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of SBS Spice, host Dilpreet chats with Dhee, the voice behind Tamil cinema's viral hit 'Rowdy Baby' and the iconic 'Enjoy Enjaami', now making waves with her own independent music. Born to a Sri Lankan father and an Indian mother and raised in Western Sydney, Dhee’s latest single, 'I Wear My Roots Like a Medal', is an anthem of self-discovery, blending her cross-cultural experiences into a sound that’s entirely her own. From her beginnings in playback singing to crafting her unique musical identity, Dhee opens up about breaking expectations, creating music on her own terms, and navigating the complexities of social media. She also shares her hopeful vision for South Asian representation in the music industry—and why she believes now is a pivotal time for change. Listen to the episode on SBS Spice, available wherever you find your podcasts.

The ever-hilarious Dilruk Jayasinha joins Dilpreet Kaur Taggar for a chat about his journey on SBS’s latest show, Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey. In this fresh new series, Dilruk heads back to Sri Lanka, reconnecting with family, revisiting his childhood stomping grounds, and peeling back the layers of his cultural identity for Australian audiences. When asked how he thinks viewers will react, Dilruk’s take is simple: he doesn’t care. For him, the win has already happened in getting to share a slice of his life and family with the world. Joining us from Melbourne, Dilruk goes beyond the laughs as we dive into the power of authenticity and how embracing our roots brings us closer together.

Shankari Chandran has always turned to storytelling for refuge. Now, with four novels and the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award to her name, the Tamil-Australian author has claimed her place in Australia’s literary world—but it wasn’t without a fight. Once dismissed for her work not being 'Australian enough,' Shankari now calls for a reckoning, demanding a reimagining of Australia’s narrative—one that refuses to silence diverse voices. How do we break through? SBS Spice host Suhayla Sharif sits down with Shankari to uncover the transformative stories that will define the future of South Asian Australian literature.

Qais Essar is hailed as a master of Afghanistan's national instrument, the Rabab. With a rich history spanning over 2,500 years, the Rabab has endured periods of silence, but Qais believes it is at its quietest today. How does an ancient instrument find its place in today’s world? In this episode, Qais joins SBS Spice host Suhayla Sharif from Northern Arizona to explore the art of blending the contemporary with the classic and how the Afghan-American artist is reinventing its sound to secure its legacy for future generations.

A luminary in contemporary Indian music, Prateek Kuhad is distinguished for his deeply personal and evocative soundscapes. Crafting music that feels like an intimate conversation, his niche but devoted fan base weaves a global tapestry. Often hailed as India’s biggest sonic export in recent years, Prateek joins Dilpreet in our Sydney studios amidst his Australian tour to explore why he continues to write music for himself before others, delve into his artistic process, and discuss the slow but evolving perceptions of Indian artists in the West.

Can you find your way back to someone you love after being apart for years? Set between India and Australia, SBS’s new original series 'Four Years Later' explores this dilemma in its eight-part journey, premiering on SBS on Demand on 2 October. Dilpreet from SBS Spice visits the set to speak with writer Mithila Gupta and lead actors Shahana Goswami and Akshay Ajit Singh, uncovering the intricacies of bringing this unique Indian-Australian romantic drama to life and find out if love can truly endure all.

Set in 16th century India, as the Taj Mahal is about to be unveiled after years of meticulous construction, two best friends stand guard at dawn and face an unimaginable task. This is the gripping premise of Guards at the Taj, directed by Bali Padda and written by Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Rajiv Joseph. Yet, at the heart of the play is neither the monument nor the era, but a profound friendship between two brown men. Bali Padda joins Dilpreet in the studio for an intimate conversation about the play's deeper themes and the bonds that drive it.

As we were baking banana bread and trying dalgona coffee during COVID, our guest was making music videos out of her garage. Rooted in her Indian heritage and Australian upbringing, Melbourne-based singer and songwriter, ASHWARYA, flourishes in the rich blend of her dual identity. She joins Suhayla Sharif as we explore not just the unboxing of South Asian talent, but also the urgency of breaking through identity labels to find the true sound of the Australian music industry.

Discovering a mislabeled book in a Broken Hill mosque set our guest on a path to unearth cultural encounters between South Asian and Aboriginal communities in the 19th-century Australia, culminating in her groundbreaking debut monograph, 'Australianama'. Dhaka-born, Australia-bred feminist and cultural historian, Dr Samia Khatun focuses on the experiences of colonised peoples across the British Empire. Joining Ria Pandey for this episode, she challenges us to rethink the very foundations of how we understand our past, engage with our present, and envision our future. Note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised that this program includes the name of a deceased person.

Anasuya Sengupta made history as the first Indian actor to snag the Best Actor award at Cannes. But she doesn't see it as her personal win: "It's a win for all of us," she says. Anasuya's heart never left acting, even during her years as a production designer. So when Bulgarian director Konstantin Bojanov came calling with 'The Shameless,' she didn't waste any time. Join host Dilpreet as Anasuya delves into the magic that happens when we allow life to shape us rather than over-strategising.

It’s not often that you come across someone who goes against the wind with such flair that a culture shift is bound to happen. Our guest for this episode, Megha Kapoor, is exactly that kind of a groundbreaker. An editor, stylist, writer, creative director, and former Head of Editorial Content at Vogue India, Megha sits down with SBS Spice to talk about her foray into fashion, her fervent belief in the power of critique, and why it's desperately needed in today's landscape. But in an era where product placements abound, how do editors maintain authenticity? Dilpreet Kaur Taggar hosts.

Musicals have opened up a new realm of expression for theatre enthusiasts, showcasing that South Asian talent on stage goes far beyond the Bollywood song sequences often associated with them. Vidya Makan, starring as Eliza Hamilton in the 2024 season of HAMILTON, Australia, exemplifies this diversity by adding her own Desi spin to the character. But, what does that look like? SBS Spice visits the rehearsal room to hear directly from her.

23-year-old Yusuf Chothia is set to go for gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, representing Australia in the men’s 51kg boxing division, and the only South Asian person to do so. Born in South Africa and based in Perth, Western Australia, the three-time national champion carries the legacy of his Indian ancestors close to him. Hosted by Suhayla Sharif, the gloves are off for this chat as Yusuf unravels the hits and misses of being a young sportsperson aiming to achieve.

Priya Sharma didn't realise how far her Hindi content would travel when she first tried it. "My Hindi is a bit childlike," she shares. Having a mother tongue that is not widely spoken outside of a small, intimate circle is a common thread among children of the diaspora. But it was embracing this exact aspect of her identity that inspired her to dream of a life beyond the binaries of a 9-5 job or a mortgage. SBS Spice visits Priya at her home to bring you this pro-dreamer episode. Hosted by Suhayla Sharif.

Thousands of Sri Lankan children were adopted illegally between the 1960s and 1980s, leaving many inter-country and inter-racial adoptees grappling with lost identities. Sri Lankan-Australian playwright, Chenturan Aran, uses dark humor to explore this painful history in his new production, 'Cut Chilli'. But how does one craft such a story in Australia, a country with its own history of stolen generation, while also renegotiating their cultural displacement as a child of the diaspora? Dilpreet hosts.

Nick Sharma and Carrie Ou Yeung met online, fell in love, and now create digital content together, making the internet both the heart of their love story and their workplace. Nick, who is Indian, and Carrie, from Hong Kong, navigate their relationship under the ever-watchful eyes of the Asian diaspora, both online and offline. But how does one continue to love amidst constant commentary topped with cultural and linguistic differences? Suhayla Sharif from SBS Spice finds out.

Indian films deeply influence the South Asian diaspora. We know now that an 'Appu' is undoable or a 'Raj Koothrapali' insufferable but even a lovable brown character is also laced with flaws. Where do we draw the line or should we even bother? SBS Spice's Dilpreet explores the complexities of migration and the power of films in enriching these narratives with one of India's most renowned film critics and experts, Sucharita Tyagi.

For centuries, dance has defined storytelling for South Asians. Emerging dancers in Australia continue to straddle two worlds while defying social expectations of gender and sensuality. SBS Spice's Suhayla Sharif invites Sivamsan Senthilvasan, Shyamla, and Anjana Chandran to explore how one body can hold multiple cultures and transcend borders.

Officially known as a mentalist, Suhani Shah is arguably one of modern India's most popular mind readers and magicians. Extensively covered and followed, SBS Spice hosts her virtually from India to explore what lies behind the ancient artform - especially given the digital world's consumption. But when something is done over and over again, how does the magic stay?

From packing food hampers to going on the road to regional areas, Amar Singh and the team at Turbans 4 Australia provide aid relief to people going through a crisis and communities recovering from natural disasters. SBS Spice visits Amar Singh at his warehouse in Sydney to see firsthand a Sunday relief drive run by the volunteers for a couple of hundred people in need. In a world where scarcity can stop us from lending a hand, where does abundance come from? Spice speaks with Amar in a one-on-one.

Sid Sriram has had a career that's spanned across countries, languages, and industries, yet it's his deeply grounded roots in his own identity that has made him a globally renowned artist. From his independent work where he walks listeners through his journey to his playback tracks in Indian films that make you feel at home, Sid continuously traverses two worlds. It's long time coming to shatter the box we're put in - but what happens once the box no longer exists? Sid Sriram joins SBS Spice in the studio.

Chancing upon his great grandfather’s letters in a shoebox while on a visit to Sri Lanka gave life to Shakthidharan's highly acclaimed theatre production, Counting and Cracking, which follows a Sri Lankan-Australian family over four generations. Growing up in Western Sydney after his family left Sri Lanka, he says his mother barely spoke to him about the war that had broken her heart. And so, his journey of finding his legacy first began - but does a formula for discovering something we carry inherently even exist? Shakthi joins SBS Spice in the studios.

From singing Kirtan at her local Gurdwara to being in a girl band, hosting on radio, and entertaining with parody Bollywood songs online, Punjabi-Australian artist Avneesha Martins has never stopped dreaming. A strong believer in the mantra 'what's meant to happen, will happen,' she gets deep into what keeps her going, even when the algorithm isn't always our friend.

Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, also known as Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day, is observed on May 18 each year. While the day is not officially recognised in Sri Lanka, the Tamil diaspora commemorates it internationally. Renuga Inpakumar began advocating for Eelam Tamil refugees at the age of 10. Now 21, she continues to use her voice to raise awareness not only about the Tamil Eelam genocide but also to share the stories of Eelam Tamil refugees in Australia.

May 14 is Girmit Day - a day that commemorates when the first indentured labourers arrived in Fiji from India in 1879 under British colonial rule. The term Girmit, or Girmityas, was used to refer to Indian indentured labourers as it was how they would pronounce the English word 'agreement'. SBS Spice's Suhayla Sharif speaks with six Indo-Fijian Australians to shed light on their enduring legacy.

What exactly is South Asian food? In fact, can South Asian food be exact? We are not a monolithic community but our food binds us so much more together. SBS Spice guest, and MasterChef Australia Season 13 finalist, Kishwar Chowdhury, helps us decode the DNA of South Asian food through her Indian-Bangladeshi heritage and shares how a humble rebellion against Daal & Rice kicked off her journey.

The female gaze of Netlix's latest Indian production, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, has viewers craving to be inside the mastermind Sanjay Leela Bhansali's jewelled universe. We speak with two lead actors of the show, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditi Rao Hydari, about how the show dissolves the binary of "good" or "bad" women and why history has erased some of India's most fearless freedom fighters.

A chance remark by an old friend in Sydney takes a woman back to her teenage years: living alone, by the sea in Chennai. And so begins the story of Nayika: A Dancing Girl, a theatre production mixing storytelling, live music and Bharatanatyam. We sat down with co-directors, Nithya Nagarajan and Liv Satchell, to flesh out how the journey of this performance began, what makes Nayika the "9th heroine" and how one woman's story is somewhere every woman's story.

There’s brown and then there’s eBrown. With the mic firmly in his grasp, the internet is sat for Goan-Australian content creator, Jeremy Franco, who is often seen imitating his mum online. But with the ever-changing algorithm, how much can we rely on culture to feel seen? And more importantly: is it necessary to always do brown focused content as a brown creator?

Is being South Asian all there is to a South Asian character on TV? Breaking beyond what is expected of brown faces on our screens, Ayesha Madon, lead of the Netflix hit 'Heartbreak High', speaks with SBS Spice about how doing a role that didn't center around her identity alone was game changing. She says there is no gatekeeper, one has to make their own gate. The question remains: where do we begin?

SBS Spice breaks new ground with English language content for young Australians of South Asian heritage. It's a fresh new look at pop culture, identity, food, sport, history and much more.