DIDIHOOD ~ Issue 65

Happy July! 

In case you missed it, check out our event highlight from our evening with Netflix and Never Have I Ever.

We would also like to give a huge shout-out to our Didi V.T. Nayani -- her film This Place is currently screening in Toronto. Go check it out! 

Next up, stay tuned for the announcement for applications for this year's mentorship program! 

Meet the Didi: 

This month we speak with comedian, actress and writer Nelu Handa based in Toronto. 

You dabble in writing, acting and producing — tell us how this journey began?
In Grade 6 I was Mickey Mouse for a school dress up day. My friend was Minnie and when we were on the stage for our "vote for your fave by round of applause" I told my friend that we should start waving like the Queen. It was the first time I got a huge laugh from an audience and I was 100% hooked. So, naturally, having never seen a brown woman in mainstream comedy (other than Manjula from The Simpsons, and that was voiced by a white lady…), I went to WLU for business, then worked in marketing for a few years. 

After I got fired from a job at MuchMusic, I got really depressed about it. So I did what all depressed people do, turn to comedy! I signed up for an improv class at The Second City, and I knew I’d finally found my people. I did improv for years while I was working fulltime at Corus, and when my contract was wrapping up,  I decided that it was either gonna be now or 10 years from now, so I took the plunge. I became an actor fulltime.

It was up and down for years, but I was booking roles with enough frequency to feel like I didn’t need to give up yet. When I got a recurring part on Workin’ Moms season 2, that felt like a real moment of second gen pride, baby got into the union and finally had a dental plan again.

I was on a show called Baroness Von Sketch and was asked if I’d be interested in submitting a writing package should they get a season 2. I did, and got to work on that show for 5 seasons. I was able to pick up other writing gigs, and eventually got staffed on comedy shows like Jann, The Beaverton, Odd Squad, Sort Of,  A Little Late with Lilly Singh, and now Run the Burbs. I’ve been able to reach executive producer level now, and I think making sure my voice is heard and taking a seat at the table has been essential to that. I never grew up knowing this could be possible.

Have you ever faced any barriers in this industry as a BIPOC creator?
I have had frustrations with having to explain my existence and experiences at times, but I’ve been fortunate enough to work on some ethnic-ass shows where I can share my whole self and it’s a benefit for me to have all these cultural experiences to pull from. It’s the stories we get to tell now. It’s always always always what I push for when I’m in a writer’s room.

What draws you to the comedy genre?
I love laughing. That’s really it. My brain is programmed to look for jokes and when I was a kid I ate up comedy, like I’d always be watching Saturday Night Live in the basement while my family watched a bootlegged VHS of a Bollywood movie upstairs. I’m just built for it. In 2015 I started a live comedy night for women of colour in Toronto and that was a very supportive community. It was called Yas Kween, but we changed in 2020 to Mirchi Comedy because it felt like I’d culturally appropriated a term that was not mine to profit from. I’d hit a point in my career where things were going well for me and I wanted to help elevate other WOC so that they could get their stage time and do their comedy in front of an audience that was hungry to see it. 

What was it like working on strong South Asian storylines for television?
On Sort Of, creators Fab Filippo and Bilal Baig made a really safe space for us writers to share our experiences. Honestly, some days it felt like we’d had a five hour therapy session in the writing room. Though my background is Hindu Punjabi from India, I was able to infuse my experiences for this beautiful Muslim Pakistani family. We’re not so different when it comes to family dynamics. For Run the Burbs, our female lead, played by Rakhee Morzaria, is Indian as well. In season 2,  I wrote an episode about Raksha Bandhan and it’s very much based on my experience. No spoilers about season 3, but it gets browner y’all.

What would be your advice for Didis who are interested in a career in writing, producing or acting?
Well, first off, do it! We need more Didis in the field at every level. Practically, it’s about committing to doing the work and all that entails, learning how to steady yourself when things aren’t going your way, making sure your voice is heard, getting a damn seat at the table, and for the love of Gods, keep believing in your crazy. This career isn’t easy at times, but it’s worth it.

What we're reading:

Poorna Jagannathan Is Hilarious As a Sexually Aggressive Villain in Netflix’s ‘The Out-Laws’

Canadian drama This Place is a complicated love letter to the places we call home


— Arti Patel

Issue 65
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