Spotlight with Sandalina

Sandalina Sattar
  • 4.7 (3)
  • Film Interviews
  • Weekly

📼 A vulnerable deep dive into the journeys of South Asians / Muslims in the creator space 📍NYC 📅 Every Sunday  🎙️ Hosted by Sandalina Sattar, a 26-year-old Muslim, Pakistani woman living in NYC. Sandalina is a full-time finance professional, Tik Tok content creator, and founding event host of Wholesome Hangouts 🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina 📧 Feel free to reach me at sandalina.business@gmail.com Talk Show IG: @spotlightwithsandalina (https://www.instagram.com/spotlightwithsandalina) Host IG: @sandalinasattar (https://www.instagram.com/sandalinasattar/)

  1. 1d ago

    Zohran Mamdani Skits, Viral Comedy, and Finding His Own Voice | Neel Ghosh

    Neel Ghosh, a Bengali-American comedian and jazz saxophonist known online as the internet’s viral Zohran Mamdani impersonator, sits down to talk about growing up brown in Cedar Rapids, Iowa after 9/11, his supportive oncologist dad and 'violin-at-three childhood, and how his girlfriend’s text (“you kind of look like this guy”) turned into a viral Zohran impression series. He shares meeting Zohran’s speechwriter, being booked by the campaign for a senior citizens bingo debate night, his Zohran vs. Trump collab with Austin Nasso of Tech Roast Show, the brown comedy “Avengers” aunties-and-uncles sketch, and the downside of being asked to “just do Zohran.” Neel also opens up about burning out in USC’s jazz program, the professor who unlocked his creativity at Emory, teaching music in Colombia, feeling like a chameleon, his Subway Takes boomer take, and how SlumberPod started on a rooftop. Plus, a round of “Mayor for a Day” where he solves NYC rent, unionized subway rats, and bodega cats demanding workers’ comp, and a look at Pagol, his fully improvised music comedy show at Union Hall in Brooklyn. Chapters: 00:00 - TRAILER 01:24 - MEET NEEL GHOSH 02:00 - LIFE STORY SEGMENT 06:57 - HOT SEAT SEGMENT 10:10 - MAYOR FOR A DAY GAME 14:07 - SHADOW SEGMENT 14:20 - GROWING UP BROWN IN IOWA POST-9/11 17:15 - PROS & CONS OF GOING VIRAL AS ZOHRAN 20:15 - SPOTLIGHT SEGMENT 20:30 - HOW THE ZOHRAN IMPRESSION STARTED 22:32 - DID ZOHRAN SEE IT? 24:40 - MUSIC, SAXOPHONE & JAZZ SCHOOL 28:28 - TEACHING MUSIC IN COLOMBIA 30:28 - WHY COMEDY & FEELING LIKE A CHAMELEON 32:53 - SUBWAY TAKES & THE BOOMER TAKE 33:51 - HOW SLUMBERPOD STARTED 35:50 - PAGOL: THE FULLY IMPROVISED SHOW 37:10 - WHAT’S NEXT & FINAL MESSAGE Neel’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neel.ghost/ #NeelGhosh #ZohranMamdani #Zohran #MayorForADay #StandUpComedy #DesiComedy #NYCComedy #BengaliComedian #ComedyPodcast #JazzComedy

  2. Oct 25

    This Comedian Turned LinkedIn Into a DATING Show  | Srishti Sharma

    Srishti Sharma, a South Asian comedian by night and fintech engineering manager by day, created LinkedUP, a live comedy dating show where Love Island meets LinkedIn. She talks about growing up in Mumbai, leaving Amazon after seven years as a software engineer, starting stand-up in Seattle, and turning a club booker’s request for an “Indian dating show” into a dating show run like a tech job interview. She opens up about being single at 30 in New York City, brown parents and marriage pressure, Botox and beauty standards, hating online dating, and why live events will outlast AI slop. Plus, a round of “Rate Our LinkedIn Profiles” and the contestant who disrespected her on her own show. Chapters: 00:00 - TRAILER 01:17 - MEET SRISHTI SHARMA 01:43 - LIFE STORY SEGMENT 05:47 - HOT SEAT SEGMENT 08:26 - RATE OUR LINKEDIN PROFILES 15:33 - SHADOW SEGMENT 22:29 - SPOTLIGHT SEGMENT 23:57 - HOW LINKEDUP STARTED 24:40 - DATING LIKE A TECH JOB INTERVIEW 25:49 - CONTESTANT DRAMA & CO-HOSTS 28:23 - BACHELOR VS BACHELORETTE 31:46 - LIVE EVENTS VS AI SLOP 32:37 - WHAT’S NEXT & FINAL MESSAGE This Comedian Turned LinkedIn Into a DATING Show | Srishti Sharma | S5E04 Srishti’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srishti7337/ #SrishtiSharma #ComedyDatingShow #LinkedUP #DatingShow #StandUpComedy #DesiComedy #NYCComedy #IndianComedian #DatingInNYC #ComedyPodcast

  3. Oct 18

    Pakistani Comedian on Racism, Religion, and His Special “Free Danish | Danish Maqbool

    Pakistani Muslim comedian Danish Maqbool opens up about racism, religion, faith, marriage, and his new stand-up comedy special "Free Danish." From growing up as the first brown family in his New Jersey neighborhood to becoming a top-1% Halo pro gamer, Major League Gaming commentator, and the cashier on Ramy (Seasons 2 & 3), Danish shares the full journey behind his comedy career.  Danish's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmaq1/ Chapters: 0:00 Trailer 1:17 Intro 1:42 5-Minute Life Story 6:14 Hot Seat 10:04 Game: Mosque or Comedy Club 12:35 Shadow Segment 19:30 Spotlight Segment 19:42 Pro Gaming 24:45 Ramy Show 27:56 Free Danish Special 37:58 Closing Messages 39:47 Outro -- #PakistaniComedian #MuslimComedian #StandUpComedy #DanishMaqbool #FreeDanish #ComedySpecial #DesiComedy #ComedianInterview #NYCComedy #Ramy

  4. Oct 11

    From Bollywood Rejection to Netflix’s Best of the Best | Shreya Navile | S5E02

    South Asian actress Shreya Navile joins us to discuss Bollywood’s beauty standards, body image, rejection in the Indian film industry, and her Netflix debut in Best of the Best! She shares her journey from dreaming of Bollywood as a child to finding a role where she could embrace her individuality and showcase her talent. Discover the story behind Netflix’s South Asian dance comedy, representation, and breaking stereotypes. Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser & Episode Introduction 02:46 - The Five Minute Life Story: Upbringing & Acting Origins 04:20 - Dance Roots, Theater, and College Years 09:07 - The Hot Seat Segment: "Best of the Best" Cast Superlatives 11:49 - The Shadow Segment: Surviving Industry Rejection 14:19 - Navigating Body Image & Body Neutrality 18:42 - The Spotlight Segment: Reviewing Best of the Best 23:03 - Character Breakdown: Bringing "Deepica" to Life 26:50 - Working with the Creators & Authentic Representation 30:49 - The Audition Process & Building Cast Camaraderie 35:35 - Dance Boot Camp & The Power of South Asian Comedy 37:33 - Final Thoughts & Outro -- Shreya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shreya_navile/ #ShreyaNavile #BestOfTheBest #Netflix #Bollywood #SouthAsianRepresentation #BodyImage #DesiActors #Hollywood #IndianActress #NetflixComedy

  5. Oct 4

    Bullied Pakistani Child TV Star is Now a NYC Comedian & Actor | Mohtasham Yaqub | S5E01

    Pakistani child TV star turned stand up comedian and actor, Mohtasham Yaqub opens up about growing up in Islamabad, getting bullied while on PTV, and starting over in America after a failed audition for The Voice led him to stand-up comedy. He talks about desi gender roles, unlearning misogyny, doing stand-up in Urdu, opening for Zayn Malik with Usama Siddiquee, and why brown comedians in New York lift each other up. Plus, a round of "Things My Mom Said Were Haram" and his upcoming movie Rest and Relaxation. Chapters: 00:00 - TRAILER 01:14 - MEET MOHTASHAM YAQUB 02:04 - LIFE STORY SEGMENT 06:19 - HOT SEAT SEGMENT 09:04 - THINGS DESI MOMS CALLED HARAM 12:17 - SHADOW SEGMENT 18:19 - SPOTLIGHT SEGMENT 20:07 - HOW STAND-UP STARTED 25:51 - STARTING OVER IN AMERICA 28:29 - AKAASH SINGH & ZAYN MALIK 32:09 - BROWN COMEDIANS SUPPORTING EACH OTHER 35:22 - TOUR PLANS & FINAL MESSAGE --- Mohtasham's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moecomedyy/ #MohtashamYaqub #PakistaniComedian #StandUpComedy #DesiComedy #NYCComedy #MuslimComedian #UrduComedy #ZaynMalik #ComedyPodcast #BrownComedians

  6. 12/14/2025

    S4E10 (ft. Tavi Gandhi @tavigandhi): BROWN GIRL TAKES PAGEANT CROWN

    S4E10: Meet Tavi Gandhi— a South Asian pageant queen and influencer. She is the winner of Miss Grand New Jersey and was the youngest in the Top 20 of this year’s Miss Grand USA! In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments: 📚LIFE STORY📚 🔥HOT SEAT🔥 🤫SHADOWS🤫 🔦SPOTLIGHT🔦: BROWN GIRL TAKES PAGEANT CROWN We talk about Tavi’s upbringing between Ohio and New Jersey, her Punjabi and Sikh identity, and the formative experiences that shaped her confidence and ambition. In the Hot Seat, we jump into rapid-fire questions, and in Shadows, we unpack her mental health journey — from bullying and struggles with anxiety/depression to learning how to protect herself in highly visible spaces. In Spotlight, we explore how she took the pageant crown while challenging beauty norms, being flattened dimensionally with pretty privilege, answering political questions on stage, breaking into tech and entrepreneurship with ventures like the Lazrani clothing line, and more! Tavi’s IG: @tavigandhi (https://www.instagram.com/tavigandhi/) Tavi’s Tik Tok: @tavigandhi (https://www.tiktok.com/@tavigandhi) Tavi's YouTube: @tavigandhi (https://www.youtube.com/@TaviGandhi) 🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina  📧 Feel free to reach me at sandalina.business@gmail.com 📼 Together, we will go on a vulnerable deep dive into the journeys of South Asians / Muslims in the creator space  📍NYC  📅 Every Sunday 🎙️ Hosted by Sandalina Sattar, a 25-year-old Muslim, Pakistani woman living in NYC. Sandalina is a full-time finance professional, Tik Tok content creator, and founding event host of Wholesome Hangouts

  7. 12/07/2025

    S4E09 (ft. Priya Mia @priyamia): BENGALI GIRL CRAFTS VIRAL NEW YORK WARDROBE

    S4E09: Meet Priya Mia— an Indian-Bengali creator, fashion / beauty influencer, corporate strategy consultant, and PharmD! In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments: 📚LIFE STORY📚 🔥HOT SEAT🔥 🤫SHADOWS🤫 🔦SPOTLIGHT🔦: BENGALI GIRL CRAFTS VIRAL NEW YORK WARDROBE We talk about Priya’s upbringing as the daughter of Indian immigrants, how her cultural identity shaped her relationship with fashion, and what it means to carve out space as a Bengali creator in New York. In the Hot Seat, we dive into rapid-fire Q&A, and in Shadows, we explore the pressures of existing between two worlds — the professional and the creative. In Spotlight, we discuss her viral style evolution, balancing a PharmD background with fashion content, navigating the internet as your boss, redefining what South Asian representation looks like in today’s fashion industry, and more! Priya’s IG: @priyamia (https://www.instagram.com/priyamia/) Priyas Tik Tok: @priya.mia (https://www.tiktok.com/@priya.mia) Priyas YouTube: @priyamia (https://www.youtube.com/@priyamia) 🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina  📧 Feel free to reach me at sandalina.business@gmail.com 📼 Together, we will go on a vulnerable deep dive into the journeys of South Asians / Muslims in the creator space 📍NYC  📅 Every Sunday 🎙️ Hosted by Sandalina Sattar, a 25-year-old Muslim, Pakistani woman living in NYC. Sandalina is a full-time finance professional, Tik Tok content creator, and founding event host of Wholesome Hangouts

  8. 11/16/2025

    S4E08 (ft. Dr. Mohamad Yasin @scrubbymo): BROWN BOY FIRST-GEN DOCTOR HAS JOKES

    S4E08: Meet Dr. Mohamad Yasin— a Pakistani, Muslim doctor and content creator! You may recognize him as “Scrubby Mo” In this episode we cover a variety of topics across our 4 segments: 📚LIFE STORY📚 🔥HOT SEAT🔥 🤫SHADOWS🤫 🔦SPOTLIGHT🔦: BROWN BOY FIRST-GEN DOCTOR HAS JOKES We talk about Dr. Mohamad Yasin’s upbringing and family life in Long Island, his Muslim identity, and the journey that led him to become a first-generation doctor. In the Hot Seat, we get into rapid-fire questions, and in Shadows, we unpack the darker side of social media— from hate comments and insecurities to navigating loneliness behind the screen. In Spotlight, we explore how he balances his life as a practicing DO and content creator, his path to medicine, the realities of social media at work, and how humor and purpose shape his vision for the future! Mo’s IG: @scrubbymo (https://www.instagram.com/scrubbymo/) Mo’s Tik Tok: @scrubbymo (https://www.tiktok.com/@scrubbymo) Mo’s YouTube: @scrubbymo (https://www.youtube.com/@Scrubbymo) 🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina  📧 Feel free to reach me at sandalina.business@gmail.com 📼 Together, we will go on a vulnerable deep dive into the journeys of South Asians / Muslims in the creator space  📍NYC  📅 Every Sunday 🎙️ Hosted by Sandalina Sattar, a 25-year-old Muslim, Pakistani woman living in NYC. Sandalina is a full-time finance professional, Tik Tok content creator, and founding event host of Wholesome Hangouts

See All (49)

4.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

📼 A vulnerable deep dive into the journeys of South Asians / Muslims in the creator space 📍NYC 📅 Every Sunday  🎙️ Hosted by Sandalina Sattar, a 26-year-old Muslim, Pakistani woman living in NYC. Sandalina is a full-time finance professional, Tik Tok content creator, and founding event host of Wholesome Hangouts 🎧 Streaming Platforms / Social Media: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina 📧 Feel free to reach me at sandalina.business@gmail.com Talk Show IG: @spotlightwithsandalina (https://www.instagram.com/spotlightwithsandalina) Host IG: @sandalinasattar (https://www.instagram.com/sandalinasattar/)

Information

  • Creator
    Sandalina Sattar
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Spotlight with Sandalina