Nicely Done

In our final episode of 2021, we look back at the year that was. Even as we tried to move on from a pandemic-struck 2020, 2021 gave us some memorable moments in pop culture, politics, science, and sports. From a free pop star to space-chasing billionaries, and from a a life-saving drug to a life-changing takeover, this is the year 2021. Join Satya and Amruta as they review and reflect on the year that was. See you in 2022! Related links: Everything about Taliban's takeover: https://www.nytimes.com/news-event/taliban-afghanistan Britney Spears and her freedom explained: https://www.vox.com/culture/22565683/britney-spears-conservatorship-testimony Why is Taylor Swift re-recording her songs? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cta4qN649Y&ab_channel=BrutAmerica People are sharing their favorite Shah Rukh Khan stories & it shows why he's the Badshah of Bollywood: https://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/people-sharing-favourite-shah-rukh-khan-stories-twitter/ What we learned from Meghan and Harry's Interview: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/world/europe/recap-of-harry-meghan-oprah-interview.html India's farmers call off year-long protest after gov't assurances: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/9/india-farmers-protest-called-off-msp-assurances

In this episode, we ask two women to open up about their wedding days. First, Priyanka Sivaramakrishnan talks about her epic sustainable wedding to Nihal Velpanur, and the lead up to it. Quite the storyteller, Priyanka paints a vivid picture of a celebration that had them all dancing in the rain. Next, Richa Karve talks about her plans for her big day with Himanshu Damle and the challenge of putting together a wedding in India, while living in Colorado. She talks about how learnt to take a step back from her own wedding. Bonus: This episode has very little Satya-Amruta conversation, because what do we know about planning weddings. Also watch how Priyanka's zero waste wedding was planned here.

In this episode, we review the 2021 Netflix movie, "Meenakshi Sundareshwar," by Dharma productions. The movie about a young married couple set in the town of Madurai, Tamil Nadu could've been an insight into a newer generation owning the rich culture of the region while navigating modern relationships. Instead, it played out as a cheap ploy to attract Indian audiences captivated by movies from South India by wooing them with stock-image level narrative of food, clothes, and of course, Rajnikanth. We take the conversation forward by discussing some tropes that have plagued our cultures Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, and other parts of South India. And also, sometimes it's a 'veshti' not a 'lungi'. Also, once in the episode we say 'misappropriation', it should be 'cultural appropriation'. Bonus: Learn about our pet peeves while watching bad movies. Related Links: Indian Express on Meenakshi Sundareshwar: Meenakshi Sundareshwar is an inauthentic, stereotypical take on Tamil culture. So, what's new? DNA: Is Bollywood finally taking the 'Marathi manoos' seriously?

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In this episode, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions from our listeners. From how we manage having demanding full-time jobs and a side hustle, challenges we faced along the way, and where we have the most fun in the process, we share everything from our origin story to our future plans. Do listen in to understand what goes on behind the scenes in the making of this bi-weekly podcast. Bonus: Generally speaking, what else could we have named this podcast?

Let's talk love. For this episode, we take inspiration from The New York Times column, "Modern Love", and seek to find romantic and non-romantic stories of love told by the people who have lived them. Our first guests are Priyanka and Pratham Sarin, who found each other one night by accident. Or was it? Listen to find out. Next, we are joined by our friend, Rituparna Chatterjee, who narrates her modern love story she shares with her husband, Rajesh. From being colleagues and friends to taking control of their lives, their story is one for the books. Additional: Your favorite hosts, Amruta and Satya, also participate in the episode and bring forth their most favorite love stories. And no, it's not about each other. Bonus: Do you have a favorite name in the world? ALSO: Listen to the very talented Gandhaar Amin's music here.

In this episode, we talk about some of the biggest advertisements from our childhood. From tradition-breaking jewelry brands, sweet gender role-reversals that the internet is gobbling up, to our country's top cricketers' unhealthy attitude towards cola brands and the unfair double standards propagated by fairness creams —we unwrap and unpack ads that live rent-free in our heads. Bonus: What not to say to a young woman who may or may not be a mother. Extra links: Fair & Lovely Ads: an evolution Tanishq ads: a playlist Indian stars and Cola wars, The Indian Express

In this episode, to mark the occasion of one of India's most beloved festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi, we talk about the mega culture surrounding the festival season in India. From centuries-old folklore, varied festival foods that take hours of preparation, we reminisce traditions and discuss how we are making new ones in our current homes far away from our motherland. We also share our favorite childhood memories, and realize the debt we owe to our parents who kept our up spirits up during the long holiday season. Good 1: Evil 0. 


 Bonus: Can you ever just eat one chakli? We give you the definitive answer. Related Links: The Dogs of 9/11: Their Failed Searches for Life Helped Sustain It from The New York Times

In this episode, we talk about all things friendship in Bollywood. In light of Farhan Akhtar announcement of #JeeLeZara ft. Priyanka Chopra Jones, Katrina Kaif, and Alia Bhatt, we take a walk down memory lane and revisit Akhtar's directorial debut ‘Dil Chahta Hai' and examine why it's become the millennial gold standard for friendship. We also talk about a few other films that tried to recreate the magic of DCH and fell short. Lastly, we talk about our hopes and dreams for #JeeLeZara and what we really want for these 3 women in the film. Bonus: Find out who says ‘Hum Cake Khane Ke Life Kuch Bhi Kar Sakte Hain' too often. Hint: It's a dad joke.   Links: NPR: The Future Is Uncertain For Women In Afghanistan Under Taliban Rule Firstpost: Akshaye Khanna's character Siddharth Sinha grounded Farhan Akhtar's coming-of-age film

In this episode, we review the second and latest season of Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher's Netflix teen comedy, “Never Have I Ever.” After a quick recap of the first season, we jump into the things that the show got right, like the mother-daughter on-screen pairing. We then move on to unpacking what it could've done better (are we still mocking Indian accents in 2021?) Finally, we explore the lost opportunities of the show. For instance, why did Mindy Kaling's fans and admirers tune in to watch tired tropes reenforcing South Asian stereotypes instead of a fresh perspective into the lives of immigrant teens? Bonus: Tune in to hear why someone should've dressed Parvati Patel better for the Yule Ball. Related Links: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's on the Time Magazine's 100 Next Washington Post's review of Never Have I Ever Vogue (India): Poorna Jagannathan on ‘Never Have I Ever' season two, representation and wanting to turn producer Vanity Fair: Never Have I Ever Season Two and the Beauty of Tearing Up the “Immigrant Mom” Trope

In our latest episode, we're talking about the summers of our lives.  We look back at some of our fondest summer memories of growing up in India and how those compare to the first post-pandemic summer of 2021 in the United States. From remembering the long and thick afternoons spent before 'desert coolers' in India to rethinking our own seasonal habits in the U.S., we're talking about everything under the sun. We also try to understand summer anxieties and why it's important to have the summer of your life, not someone else's. Bonus: Are you having a 'shot' girl summer? Recommendations: Catastrophe (TV): The Looper: The Romantic Comedy Hidden Gem You Can Binge On Amazon Prime (www.looper.com/401257/the-romantic-comedy-hidden-gem-you-can-binge-on-amazon-prime/) The Nation: Search Party (TV): The Rigorous Satire of Search Party (www.thenation.com/article/culture/search-party-review/)

Six months into the new year, while some countries are reemerging from the pandemic, others are still reeling from its last wave. However, in this midst, our lives are moving on. In this episode, Amruta and Satya talk to five friends about how their 2020 was, and what they are carrying into 2021. From changing jobs to having babies, these five people had a challenging year, which further complicated by the pandemic. Anusha Iyer talks about steadying herself as she moves to the U.S to pursue her PhD. Anuja Dongaonkar speaks about raising a new born in a scary world. Gandhaar Amin shares how he created a pandemic cocoon and filled it with music. Ellie Nan Storck speaks about being a travel writer in a world stuck at home. And finally, Shibani Gokhale talks about why she kept hustling, even as everything was suspended. Bonus: Listen to some of Gandhaar's original composition. It is music that will heal you. Show notes: Follow Anusha's journey as an immigrant student here. Follow Anuja's updates here. Listen to Gandhaar Amin's music for the GAP project. Follow Ellie Nan Stock at her job as hotels editor at TripSavvy. Follow Shibani Gokhale's work here.

In this episode, we talk about television's latest super cop, Mare Sheehan, from the critically acclaimed show, "Mare of Easttown" that has TV fans on a binge. We spend many happy moments talking about how Kate Winslet brought on her star power and (women power) to show a middle-aged woman cop, fighting the bad guys on the street and the triggers of her past. We also talk about other badass female cops from television including Catherine Cawood of "Happy Valley", Stella Gibson of "The Fall", Vartika Chaturvedi of "Delhi Crime" and Ellie Miller of "Broadchurch". These women are complete professionals, sensitive family members, tiny bit scary and downright awe-inspiring. Bonus: Why do we always ask the world from women? Related links: Read up on Mare of Easstown and Kate Winslet here. The Fascinating, Maddening End of The Fall by The Atlantic. Review: Happy Valley by Variety.

Episode 11 Trailer

It finally happened! Sort of. On the day the 'Friends' reunion aired on TV, we revisited what the iconic meant to our teenage selves and why it's much anticipated revival became the TV spectacle of the year. We watched the mega event as it aired on HBOMax and recorded our first reactions. While it sent us down memory lane, it was mostly just a self indulgent ode to its former glory. PS. They don't know that we know that they know that it wasn't really a reunion. Related links: Did you know there was a cringe-inducing desi copy of Friends? By The Indian Express ‘Friends' Reunion: The One With the ‘Remember the One With … ?' By The New York Times The Friends Mythology Has Come Full Circle

In this episode, Amruta and Satya catch up with their former classmate and current social media favorite, Priyam Saha. Priyam is an actor, anchor, dancer, writer, comic, producer and founder of Priyam’s Goddess Hour, a weekend vibe class that combines dance and movement. In this freewheeling chat, Priyam talks about navigating career choices in a world that is partial towards academics, discovering that work can be fun at Miss Malini, and becoming her own boss and employee. She also explains how some of the most exciting things that happened to her began on a whim. You can follow Priyam on Instagram and Twitter. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

As the rest of the world started to go back to a pre-pandemic normal, India was hit by a second wave of Covid-19. In May, the country recorded its highest number of new cases in a single day. In this episode, Amruta and Satya document their experiences of watching their homeland grieve from afar and living in a constant cycle of worry. Bonus: If you wish to help, here’s a list of verified organizations that you could donate to: International organizations Local NGOs in India Give India resources Show notes: This episode was recorded on May 1, 2021. At the time of publishing, these were the latest updates from India’s second wave: India Crosses 20 Million COVID-19 Cases As Critical Shortages Worsen India COVID cases top 20 million, halting cricket, prompting lockdown call Modi’s party loses key state election amid pandemic vote; India sees record deaths

For our Oscars special, we are joined by the inimitable Shubhra Gupta, an author and film critic for The Indian Express. Treat yourself to a masterclass on insight about separating art from artist in a politically divisive time, where to begin watching good Indian cinema, and which Oscar nom didn’t impress her much. Also, if you think your favorite Indian movie never makes it to the Oscar shortlist, she can tell you why. Bonus: After reviewing the last two movies up for the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards 2021, Amruta and Satya play a fun game of ‘Who’d You Rather’ win the awards. We also basically hand over the award for Best Actress to Frances McDormand. Recommended reading: Read some of Shubhra Gupta's latest reviews here. ‘The Father’ Review: A Capricious Mind, review by the New York Times. ‘Mank’ review by Variety: "In David Fincher’s Immersive Hollywood Drama, Gary Oldman Is Delectably Droll as the Screenwriter of ‘Citizen Kane’" "I love movies. That’s why I hate the Oscars." Reported story by Alissa Wilkinson for Vox. "Why the Oscars still matter". Opinion piece by Cheryl Boone Isaacs for The Washington Post. How and where to watch the Oscars 2021.

In this episode, we talk about our immigration stories and the pull of the Indian diaspora on foreign shores. From packing up our lives in under 23 kg to taking on a new identity while trying to maintain our old one, Amruta and Satya discuss being students, professionals, and visa-enthusiasts. Five years and five hundred visa questions later, we know what our future holds. That is until our next visa appointment, of course. Bonus: How to order a burger in the US and how not to mess up basic dal in an American kitchen. Also: We watched two more Oscar-nominated films this week: Judas and the Black Messiah and Promising Young Woman. Reading we recommend: Here are some of the best memes on the Ever Given shipwreck. India's rising Covid cases are raising an alarm. Read the latest data on Indian immigrants in America here. Promising Young Woman reviewed by the New York Times. Daniel Kaluuya wins SAG award for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah.

In this episode, Amruta and Satya talk about everybody’s favorite quarantine activity: cooking! We discuss our evolving food journeys and briefly touch upon ‘food fog’ in our lives. We welcome Nicely Done’s first guest, Aashi Vel, co-founder of the Traveling Spoon, a company that sells food experiences to travelers. Tune in to listen to stories of how to make pillowy dumplings from a Chinese grandmother and authentic Mole (that takes hours) from a Spanish home chef. Vel also talks about running a business based on food and travel when the whole world stayed at home. Bonus: Don’t miss our Oscar nom noms. Nicely Done’s Oscar Viewing party continues with a review of Academy Award nominees The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Sound of Metal. CORRECTION: In this episode, Satya erroneously mentions that you have extra 45 days to file your taxes. The tax day has been pushed by 32 days, from April 15 to May 17 in the U.S. Related links: Read this CNN story: We asked Asian Americans about their experiences with hate. The responses were heartbreaking Check out how Traveling Spoon is doing here Read about ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’: What to Know About the Netflix Film Read how Riz Ahmed created history by his nomination in the Sound of Metal Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Supporters of mental health, full-time readers and your favorite hosts, Amruta and Satya, talk about their book club, Cheaper Than Therapy. What started with reading Tinkles while traveling, following pre-teens (strictly in groups of five or seven) on adventures, has now led us to reading books that win awards but also help us through the more difficult chapters of our own lives. Also, please go to therapy, if you need to. Bonus: Two movies that might win big at the Oscars 2021. Ten points to Gryffindor if you’ve already seen them. Some recommended reading: Follow our book club and read along at Cheaper Than Therapy Golden Globe Award winning film Minari and why it caused a stir at this year's awards Here's why Nomadland director Chloé Zhao is facing backlash in China Follow the Nicely Done podcast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

In the lead up to Women's Day, we discuss our favorite topic: women's equality! In this episode, we talk about being raised by feminists at home, and nurtured by strong women at work. Also, hear the stories of two outstanding women who fight the good fight with their tireless work. As always, we have two fabulous recommendations for you to dig into. Bonus: A list of things not to say at your next party. Remember, equality is always sexy. Some recommended reading for the episode: Hear Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie whole speech, "We Should All Be Feminists" here. Adichie penned an emotional essay after her father died last summer of kidney failure. This was the essay published in the New Yorker. Read the full story of Seema Samridhi on Humans of Bombay. Related recommendations: Mrs. America streaming on Hulu The Great Indian Kitchen streaming on Neestream.

V-Day Special: let’s talk about love, baby! In this episode, we look at how romantic love made news and transformed in 2020. Love in time of COVID and all that jazz. It was a tough year for love, with some wins, some losses, a new language but the same old expectations. Bonus: Learn the new love lingo. It’ll help you navigate your situationship, trust us. A quick roundup of some resources in the show: Reportage by Mujib Mashal, Emily Schmall and Rusell Goldman for The New York Times. Reportage by Zeeshan Aleem for Vox Reportage by Roli Srivastava for Reuters on India's Love Jihad laws. Related recommendations: Normal People (book) by Sally Rooney (2018) Normal People (drama series) BBC Three/Hulu (2020) Modern love podcast: A list of top ten love stories in the lockdown The story of Wakas and Sidra on Humans of New York. Subscribe to the Nicely Done podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. We'd love to hear from you!

In our first episode, we review 2008 Man Booker-winning novel by Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger. We also discuss the recently released eponymous movie, directed by Ramin Bahrani. The movie stars Adarsh Gourav in a leading role supported by actors Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Bonus: Also hear about two friends who helped each other make it big (not us). A quick roundup of the published articles that we refer to in the show: Interview by Steven Moss for The Guardian Movie review by AO Scott for the New York Times Movie review by Anna MM Vetticad for Firstpost Related recommendations: Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle (2008) Man Push Cart by Ramin Bahrani (2005) Parasite by Bong Joon-Ho(2019) A Burning by Megha Majumdar (2020) Asuran by Vetrimaaran (2019) Subscribe to the Nicely Done podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. We'd love to hear from you!

A first look at our podcast where friends and writers Amruta and Satya catch up on culture by bringing in a little context. We sound less spooked in our first episode, which will be out soon!