mango masala

GVRNZ and Halima kick off the episode by discussing how Bangladesh has recently been given the status of the economic leader of South Asia. They then delve into the Rohingya Crisis and give a brief overview of its history, how it came about and what you can do to help. It's then acknowledged how we officially entered Pride Month (June) and how the South Asian community still has a long way to go in terms of LGBTQ+ acceptance. They also discuss how Hijras (a third gender) was common place in South Asia until its colonisation by Britain.

In this week's themed episode, GVRNZ, Simran and Halima give their take on all things music. They discuss the industry and where it's lacking, who their favourite artists and albums of all time are, and whether the UK scene will ever match the hype of US music. Throughout the episode, they also give their three "desert island discs", i.e. the three songs they would take with them if they were stranded on a desert island.

GVRNZ and Simran start the episode off by paying their respects to the victims of the Manchester Arena Attack, four years on. They go on to discuss how the event led to a dramatic increase in islamophobia and hate crime in the UK, and how to prevent such from occurring in the future. They then cover how Internet Explorer is being officially retired by Microsoft after 26 years of service, and question whether all apps are destined to die out eventually.For the second half of the episode, the guys are joined by Faz of Planet Faz, who shares how his podcast is showcasing up-and-coming individuals. He goes on to discuss how manifesting success has got him to where he is today. The group finish the episode with a debate on whether social media activism can ever be worthwhile.

GVRNZ and Simran discuss academic burn out, and whether such is glorified in South Asian cultures. They also cover the recent events in Glasgow, whereby a protest successfully prevented the removal of two residents by immigration enforcement. The episode culminates with a segment of our recent webinar which covered BAME representation in Physiotherapy. The panel was made up of Chandni-Sabrina Shah BSc MCSP, a physiotherapist and masseuse based in West London, Arnie Putnis (Regional AHP Clinical Fellow HEE), and Indeveer Sanghera, a Physiotherapy student from Vancouver who has studied at the University of Brighton.

GVRNZ, Halima and Simran delve into a number of new topics, starting with the UK local council/mayoral election results. They then discuss the most recent happenings in regards to the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the Tokyo Olympics' recent decision to ban BLM apparel. They finish the show by talking about YouTuber Chunkz' recent decision to quit music as it's haram.

On this week's episode, GVRNZ and Halima delve into a multitude of topics, including Asian Timing, fasting during Ramadan, allegations against PM Boris Johnson, and some men's poor hygiene. We finish with a 00s backwards song challenge.

GVRNZ, Simran and Halima discuss their most recent experiences during the pandemic, including fasting for Ramadan and completing a university degree. They then discuss the controversy surrounding the Super League, and protesting priorities. For the second half of the show, they’re joined by Luton’s Rebelyous, who tells all about his recent move to Manchester and what new music we can expect.

GVRNZ and Simran discuss the most recent shootings that have occurred in America, both by police and members of the public. They agree that such is enough to convince them that they would never opt to live there.The two then discuss a comment made by Bolton boxer Amir Khan whilst appearing on his new reality TV show, 'Meet The Khans', regarding cheating and age.The episode finishes with an interview Simran conducted with Karenjeet Kaur Bains, the first Sikh Woman to represent Britain in heavy lifting.

Alone in the studio, GVRNZ delves into recent controversial topics, including Prince Phillip's death, Andrew Marr's "Indian bride" comment, and the French hijab ban.The second half of the episode is a bit more upbeat, as he's joined by H33RA who tells all on his new 6-track EP 'VIRGO'. The "pleasure-centre" record has spawned hits such as 'IN THIS ROOM', 'COMPLICATED' and 'SAY'.

To start off the episode, GVRNZ and Simran discuss the recently published Sewell Report, which suggests that institutional racism does not exist in the UK.GVRNZ and Simran are later joined by Alicya Mamo, co-founder of Electric Bazaar - a modest ethical fashion social enterprise based in the North West of England. Alicya tells GVRNZ and Simran about the origins of the organisation, how it all works, why it's both important and unique, and what we can expect to see from them in the future.The episode finishes with an interview with Raf-Saperra, in light of his new hit Punjabi single, 'Milli-1'.

As we celebrate 50 years of Bangladeshi independence, we look back at the country's history, in particular its "bloody birth". Halima educates us on the realities of how Bangladesh came to gain independence through the 1971 Liberation War, and addresses the denial that many still have regarding the atrocities that were committed by "West" Pakistan against Bengalis. She also delves into how many individuals played a key part in the war effort, and are not recognised adequately for their contributions, e.g. women, Hindus and indigenous peoples.We then discuss what it means to be British-Bengali today, and the various socio-demographics at play in relation to their place in British society.The episode finishes with a snippet from Sakshi's most recent interview with Chandé, who tells us of what it's like being a South Asian DJ in Manchester, and the importance of his work with Daytimers.

This week, GVRNZ and Simran are joined by Manchester’s own Punjabi Indian Drag Queen, Lucky Roy Singh. As well as their drag work, they’re also an award winning activist, charity ambassador, philanthropist, public speaker, influencer, campaigner and author.Lucky opens up about their past, growing up in Manchester and feeling closeted about their sexuality and identity. At a young age they became engaged to their boyfriend (now ex-husband). Their partner’s family was accepting on one condition, they would have to pretend to be a woman. Once married, Lucky’s situation began to deteriorate. They were subject to honour abuse, leaving them destitute and with extremely poor mental health. Lucky now uses their story and platform to help raise awareness of honour abuse, LGBTQ+ issues, and representation.The group then discuss discuss the importance of LGBTQ+ representation, intersectionality, performative activism and more, before finishing the episode with a recap of Season 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

GVRNZ, Halima & Ben discuss how the past week hasn't been great for women, especially considering it's bookended by International Women's Day and Mother's Day. Meghan Markle's Oprah interview is discussed, as well as Piers Morgan's reaction and Good Morning Britain exit. The focus then moves to the murder of Sarah Everard and the horrific statistics regarding the prevalence of gendered violence against women throughout the UK. We finish the episode on a lighter note, with an interview with Burton upon Trent-bred rapper HB. He tells us about his new EP, 'The Consistency', his musical influences, what he has planned for the future and more.

GVRNZ, Simran & Halima are joined by Shweta Sidana from Natural Nutrition. They start off by discussing Meghan Markle's treatment by the UK press, ahead of her Oprah interview. Shweta then tells us about her new business, why we should be knowledgeable about what we eat, and the importance of cultural diets. We then engage in a debate about whether South Asian cuisine is the best, and if so, which specific one? The episode finishes with us taking a British food quiz to find out if we're more Northern or Southern, and a fierce debate as to where these geographical boundaries lie.

GVRNZ, Simran & Halima discuss the recent Supreme Court decision to not allow Shamima Begum to return to the UK to fight her British citizenship case. They also talk about the confirmed roadmap out of lockdown, whether we should be getting our hopes up so soon, and what plans they have for post-lockdown life. We finish the episode with an interview carried out by Sakshi Karanjkar with Arji Manuelpillai, a poet, performer and education artist. They discuss his past in hip-hop and transition to poetry, his work with refugees, the problematic way in which poetry is covered in British education, the problem with a lack of South Asian representation in school literature and more.

This episode, GVRNZ, Simran & Halima are joined by Ashveen Kohli of the Hear Me Roar Podcast. Her project aims to create a safe space for individuals from minority backgrounds can talk about their disciplines and aspirations, free of judgement.We begin by talking about the ongoing maltreatment of Uighur Muslims in China, before Ashveen tells us about working in finance and what it's like being the only WOC on her team. She then tells us how she started her own podcast, and offers advice for any listeners who might be wanting to follow suit.

The full mango masala gang get involved for this Valentine's Day special. In one of our most candid and funniest episodes yet, GVRNZ, Halima, Simran, Sakshi and Ben discuss all things, love, relationships, cultural barriers - the full works!

Krissy Gill from Blasian Radio joins GVRNZ and Simran to discuss recent events in India and how whilst activism is essential, you should also make sure to preserve your own mental health. We also cover the recent Reddit stock market incident and the new Channel 4 Series 'It's a Sin'. The episode concludes with an interview with jazz musician Sarathy Korwar by Sakshi Karanjkar, who talks to him about his journey as a South Asian jazz musician in the UK and how the pandemic has affected his work.

In light of recent protests in India and Poland, regarding farmer rights and abortion respectively, we discuss what's going on in these two countries. We then delve deeper into why we protest, what we're trying to achieve when we do such, and whether it's worth it. We finish the episode with a chat with Manchester singer Hana Malik, who's new single 'Woke Up' comes out on February 11th.

Manchester artists Freezy and Joash tell us how their new single 'Be Mine' came about, what it's like being Asian in the music industry, and what the rest of 2021 has in store for them. GVRNZ and Ben also start the episode off by covering the latest news, including freak weather in Manchester, the Biden-Harris US Presidential victory, and Priti Patel's latest comments on the reason for high UK COVID rates.

GVRNZ & Halima discuss the pros and cons of private education, and whether such should exist. They also reflect on their own past experiences of navigating white academic spaces as BAME individuals, such as school and university in the UK.

In light of a recent debate in a mango masala meeting and Reni Eddo-Lodge's bestseller, 'Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race', GVRNZ and Halima delve deep into this controversial issue; as people of colour, should we talk to white people about race? If so, how much?

GVRNZ, Ben & Simran discuss the representation of South Asians in various industries, including radio, music, film, fashion and sport. We also cover recent news topics, including Brexit, the death penalty, and Yasmeen's freedom from Geoff on Corrie!

Welcome to the show! In this episode, we largely focus on the current going protests in Punjab - how they came about, and what we can do to help. We also discuss recent news stories including the COVID vaccine, and end with a quiz on recent events.