Rianjali Is Mild Mannered And Timid

Rianjali is an award-winning, NYC-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter/composer.  Rianjali was a former domestic violence caseworker until she found her “pinch me moment” when Oscar award-winning musician A.R. Rahman invited her to work with him. From that moment, she never looked back, composing music for hit shows on Amazon Prime and Netflix. As a musician, she has collaborated with U2, Bishop Briggs, and Shawn Mendes.Rianjali’s production company is Mild Mannered &Timid whose short films include Seeing God, which won Best Documentary at the South Asian Film Festival of America, and Saltwater, which was officially selected for the Wisconsin Film Festival and Chicago South Asian Film Festival of America. With the Mild Mannered and Timid Podcast, which Rianjali co-hosts and produces, she shares her no-holds-barred views on the society,  music, and culture of the South Asian diaspora.  Rianjali’s big mission in life is to change the perspectives of South Asian musicians’ perspective in the diaspora and to encourage women to explore careers within music and film  And, as we’ll see, this drive to break barriers and defy traditional expectations and stereotypes defines every aspect of her life from to her marriage to her music to her films. She is a true trailblazer and soul sister. Humor, heart, and talent: she has it all. In this episode, Rinajali shares her fantastic story. She lets us into her darkest moments, the sickness and parental expectations that nearly ruined her singing, and her decision to follow AR Rahman to Chennai. She reveals how AR Rahman became her personal Mr Miyagi and what he’s like up close and personal. We talk about how her marriage to Kunal by a queer Hindu priestess inspired her first doc; how her latest short film, Saltwater, explores communication in South Asian families; and how her film work helped her connect with her own family. Rianjali pays tribute to the love and support she gets from her husband Kunal, a trailblazer in his own right. And at all times there is that tension between meeting South Asian expectations, the guilt and obligations of being a good Indian girl and supporting your community, and the need to speak your mind and follow your dream. The Mild Mannered and Timid Podcast:  Challenging the stereotype of South Asian women  + using humor to deal with pain +wanting to support South Asian community + the  freedom to be honest about South Asian culture + fear of being shamed five years from now (04:48)Breaking the Film Barrier:  Making debut movie with $800 + getting married + the tattooed, weed-smoking queer Hindu priestess + Saltwater and how Indian fathers communicate + having your film used in film classes (12:42)Rianjali and Kunal – How the Crazies Found Each Other:  Rianjali details her husband’s talents as an attorney and musical creative + how she and Kunal connected through music + how their parents thought they were crazy + how Kunal supports and complements her.  (20:11)Rianjali’s Dark Journey:  Rianjali’s early love of singing and how her teacher pushed her to musical high school + Giving up singing for college and being diagnosed with depression + Getting polyps on vocal cords and fighting back + Getting a “realistic” job and the stress of helping battered women. (24:44)Enter AR Rahman:  Rianjali tells how a singing clip on Facebook led to her meeting AR + how she had to care for her sick parents + Singing for AR while he videoed her like a dad + the offer of a lifetime to go to India + Deciding to go and the guilt of  “abandoning” her parents. (30:12)   Rianjali’s Journey Begins: Joining AR Rahman in Chennai as a purple-haired girl in a traditional Indian community + the intensity of being mentored by AR and learning on the fly + how AR took care of her like a father + her first triumphs with Amazon and Netflix and Bollywood (41:34)Returning to Earth: Rianjali talks about finding her musical voice, being South Asian but wanting to do her own thing + the joy she took in becoming a full-time teacher + how the pandemic forced her to switch from gigging to writing music + advising people on the hard realities of the music business +  the South Asian impulse to be realistic about career choices and how it clashes with following your dream. (50:32)Rianjali and U2: Rianjali recalls her jamming session with Bono, the Edge, and AR Rahman. (59:01)Current and Future Projects: The excitement of making documentaries with Academy Award-Winning Vanessa Roth + plans to showcase traditional South Asian recipes and moving beyond South Asian food + having her dad star in a pilot episode, how he shared his life story with her on camera, and her love-hate relationship with him + the clash of generational attitudes towards family and ambition in South Asian culture (01:01:16) What Now for Rianjali?  Rianjali reflects on her changing goals in life and work + her desire to be known as just a female composer + the importance of getting more women into making music and film + the pleasure of helping people on their own music journeys.Connect with Rianjali:

• Rianjali’s Official Website
• Instagram
• Mild Mannered and Timid Podcast
   

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media

Tuckered Out with Ami Thakkar