As the lines between cinema of the West and the East become blurrier and blurrier, especially with the popularity of both ‘Woods across national lines, a new podcaster is rising up to lend her voice to the bridge between them once again.
Ritika Agrawal is bringing her experiences with cinema and identifying the key South Asian figures responsible for making it happen, bridging the gap between them in her podcast Chai with Champs, which returns for its third season this September. If you’re just a sucker for classic Hollywood charm and how its found its voice in South Asian glamor, and vice versa, you might just be in luck with this find.
“Growing up across New York, Nigeria, and India, I found a love for cinema that was deeply rooted in my identity,” she shared. “As I learned more about the industry, I realized we’re unfortunately still on the sidelines, until now. My goal is to bring individuals in South Asian Cinema, both behind and in front of the camera, to center stage.”
Agrawal left her cushy media job in New York City and flew to Los Angeles to film the podcast’s new season, which will feature celebrity guests like Oscar-nominated producer Krushan Naik, singer-songwriter and Recording Academy 2025 member Rianjali, filmmaker and actor Sujata Day, actor Rachna Khatau, producer and actor Anjul Nigam, producer Karan Wadhwa, independent filmmaker and actor Renu Razdan, and so many more!
Chai with Champs returns for a third season on September 1.
