Conversations with Shiksha “Bollygirl” Mahtani

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shiksha “Bollygirl” Mahtani.

Shiksha “Bollygirl”, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am an Indian American who has grown up in the US, in a very traditional Indian home. Growing up as an Indian in the US was never easy. I always felt like I was living two lives, trying my best to balance being an American as well as an Indian. I am very lucky in that my parents and grandparents instilled a sense of pride for my culture in me. Despite feeling like an outsider at times, I was always proud of my roots and always looked for ways to show it off. I even went to a homecoming dance in an Indian outfit with henna on my hands – and this was in Nashville, TN in the early 2000s! In college, I started my own Bollywood dance team and was the president of the South Asian Student Alliance. I led them into hosting all kinds of Indian events on campus that weren’t being done before, such as Diwali, Holi, Navratri and more. I quickly came to realize that one of the easiest ways to teach people about my culture was through Bollywood. Bollywood has been a major love in my life. As a kid, I would act out the scenes of my favorite movies in front of the tv. I would dance like my favorite actors and pretend I was one of them. It’s always been a staple in my life. Needless to say that all of this led me to where I am today.

I now live in Los Angeles, where I host and interview Bollywood stars and Indian influencers. I also have a radio show where I talk about the latest Bollywood news every week. And of course, there are also my Bollywood dance videos! Over the course of the pandemic, I started doing more of my BollyChallenge dance videos that I never really had time for before. They are basically side to side dance videos of my favorite Bollywood songs, where I dress up and dance exactly like that Bollywood star. What’s even more exciting is that these videos seem to be resonating with people. I like to show people that they can be like these stars that they look up to, despite not having a lot of resources. I show in my videos how I use what I have around the house to recreate famous Bollywood outfits and dances. I even go by “Bollygirl” on all social media platforms. Other than inspiring others to be the stars of their own lives, my motive has also always been to teach people about my culture and motivate other Indians to be proud of who they are. I want to inspire others to embrace where they come from and show it off to the world!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely not been easy. It’s always easier to just blend in. Growing up in a place where there wasn’t a lot of diversity made it even tougher to stand up for myself and be proud of my culture. I was lucky to have parents who pushed me to embrace myself for who I am. It was also not easy figuring out how to make the videos that I make. I had to teach myself how to edit as well as basic videography. I found a way to film everything in my apartment by myself and still manage to get the various camera angles and lighting. The hustle has been very real! But with perseverance and passion, I truly believe you can accomplish anything.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am known for a few things. The BollyChallenge dance videos that I mentioned, as well as for being a Host and Radio Jockey. I really enjoyed interviewing people who are involved in the entertainment industry. It’s exciting having my own Bollywood talk radio show with Rukus Avenue Radio. They have given me such a great platform for teaching others about the industry and actors/filmmakers that I love, as well as playing some of my favorite Bollywood songs. I am also the co-creator and lead actress in a web series title “My ABCD Life”, available on Youtube. It is a series my sister and I came up with about what it was like growing up in the US as an Indian American. I play myself, my mother, my grandmother and my aunt! I truly love what I do. Between my dances, my hosting and my acting, I have somehow found a way to make my career about different ways I can share my culture with others.

How do you think about luck?
Ultimately, the entertainment industry has a lot to do with luck. I am lucky to have grown up in a family that has made me who I am today. I was lucky that they showed me how to embrace my culture from such a young age. I was lucky that my college didn’t have great Indian representation which then allowed me to grow and find ways to show off our culture. I was even lucky that life brought me to Los Angeles where I was suddenly surrounded by dreamers inspiring me to keep pushing and not give up. I believe everything happens for a reason, so anything that may have seemed like bad luck at the time was somehow for the best. I now hope that I’ll get lucky enough to continue to represent the South Asian culture here in the US, whether it be through more dance videos, acting, hosting, etc. The sky is the limit!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambollygirl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iambollygirl
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iambollygirl
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/iambollygirl
• TikTok: @iambollygirl
• Other: https://linktr.ee/iambollygirl

Image Credits:
The main photo (in pink outfit looking down to the side) – Credit: Greg Payton @lanocturnal, The picture in the rain – Credit: Greg Payton @lanocturnal, The picture sitting on the floor with people behind me – Random party goer, The picture in red outfit looking back – Priyanka Nanwani @priyankananwani, The picture in beige, with the tree behind me – Simran Mahtani. All other picture – taken by me with tripod and self timer