How does the slogan ‘Creativity empowers us together’ resonate with you?

Creating varied kinds of impactful, inclusive & entertaining content can only help us bring marginalized voice such as the queer community in India into more mainstream narratives. So, I absolutely resonate with the fact that creativity is a powerful tool that can be used for empowerment & information. Multiple voices from across the globe can come together to create impactful, life-changing content for the marginalized, as well as to disseminate knowledge for the rest.

Ashish Sawhny

Can creativity help shape a world where everyone feels included and valued, regardless of background or identity?

I do believe that incorporating diverse voices & stories from all corners of the globe creates a much larger vista of inclusion & gives those that have been silenced more powerful voices. Learning from other cultures and peoples opens our minds to diversity of all forms, which the world truly needs today.

Ashish Sawhny

How do you see your creative work contributing to political and social change?

I feel privileged to be creating queer-themed films over the last two decades; to place myself as an actor within queer led OTT series, and now hosting ‘The Queer Podcast’ for 3 seasons. I fervently hope that viewers & listeners are informed & inspired towards change on both the political & social levels. The personal is political, and I endeavour to use myself as an instrument that hopefully brings some change- even if it means just one person is impacted in some way, and can change their discourses & beliefs. 

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Ashish Sawhny is a Director, Producer, Actor, Podcast Host & Writer who has been working across genres when he began in the early 90’s. Starting out in advertising, he moved to directing & producing within the non-fictional sphere, & has made a number of documentaries within the gender & sexuality space that have won awards in India & Internationally. 

Ashish was series director on Netflix India’s 1st documentary series - ‘The Big Day’ in 2021, which was at #1 in India, and trending in 14 countries. Currently, he is also functioning as a Creative Producer & hosts a podcast that is in it’s 3rd season. Ashish has also trained & is in his 3rd year of practice as a mental health counsellor, working primarily with young adults.