This photo of these dear friends feels like it was put together just for me.

@sweeetanj was the first South Asian performer I ever saw live on stage in Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses at @lookingglasstheatre. Twice. She proved to me in college at the @chicagocollegeofperformingarts at @rooseveltu that Indian-American kids could work in theatre.

My besties @sonalshahofficial and @danielpudi - I think everyone knows how important these two are to my life.

@nisha.ganatra has been a guiding light in my career. She has been a leader and inspiration for so many of us queer Desis and BIPOC artists shattering ceilings for all of us.

@sarbadas is one of the reasons that Danny, Sonal, and I became so close in the first place. We did a reading of her script, MAUSI which became KARMA CALLING. Thank you for my first on location shoot in Jersey City and the freedom to improvise responsibly on film.

and here is my newest family friend, @maureenbharoocha. Maureen is literally the last person Sonal and I had lunch with before this event and we all have that regret of why haven’t we hung sooner?

Thank you to @theacademy and our hosts @malala @_productofculture_ @monikasabbas @anjula_acharia @mindykaling @jazzbeezy @azizansari @shrutirya @radhikajones @kalpenn @anitachatterbox @sujataday @priyankachopra @vanityfair @paramountpics for bringing us artists of the diaspora, celebrate South Asian Excellence at the Oscars

#southasianexcellence

Sidebar. My Mom got me this outfit in 2003 in India. 💅🏾 (at Paramount Pictures Studios, Hollywood)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CprCvirLRgL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

6southasianexcellence,