S4E8: “I never really wanted to be at home, which is why I gravitated to the basketball court." - Anish Bhalla The Root & Seed Podcast

What do the 90s, hip hop and basketball have to do with one another?  For a good number of youth who grew up in Toronto, especially those from immigrant backgrounds during that decade, the answer is everything.  Anish Bhalla has embarked on a playful, yet therapeutic journey of documenting his upbringing in the animated series Bhalla Show.  It’s playful, because of nostalgic humour, and therapeutic because of the role that basketball played in Anish’s life. Lucky for us, Anish’s honesty and willingness to share his story is resulting in a relatable depiction of the immigrant family, even though Anish’s intention is “just to tell the story of his family.” The idea of documenting through animation is such a great way to illustrate an otherwise uncaptured past, bringing Season 4 of The Root & Seed to a close.

Anish is a husband, father, writer, producer, basketball player, and tech aficionado. He has been creating basketball content since 2010 and has worked with Canada Basketball, On Point Basketball, and the Toronto Raptors organization. His current project, The Bhalla Show, won the Just for Laughs Stand Up and Pitch contest in Montreal earlier this year.  Follow its journey to production and air @bhallashow