Episode 33: Sheetal Sheth And A Real South Asian Hero
When it comes to South Asian representation in the media, Sheetal Sheth has had a few conversations the past 20 years on the issue. Author, actress, producer and activist Sheetal Sheth has been a trailblazer for women of color across media with 20 feature film roles and many TV show appearances throughout her compelling career.
We talk about the things she actually enjoyed about 2020, how she fell in love with writing children’s books, her extensive background working with kids, and how the process of writing is a form of therapy for her.
She gives me the backstory on her Anjali series, which is the first picture book series that features a South Asian hero, how she doesn’t like to distinguish between “boy” and “girl” books, and how the series has come out at such an opportune time.
I ask her about some of her seminal film roles, when she decided to go public about her cancer fight, why being a mentor is so important to her, and some of the fantastic non-profits she is currently involved with.
Sheetal’s story is a beautiful amalgam of strength, perseverance, grit and heart. On a side note, she can also bust out with some ghetto Gujarati (Indian language from state of Gujarat, India) when needed.