Potluck Ladies -

Three newly immigrated South-Asian women navigate their own unique challenges in life
while forming friendships that give them hope, companionship, and a little courage to break the rules.

EPISODE 101

Encouraged by Brenda, Sumaira decides to write an article on the intriguing lives of the women of the wive’s condos. A potluck takes a disastrous turn.

EPISODE 102

Sumaira interviews the ladies while Ruby grapples with a gift from her husband. Sumaira uncovers a harsh truth about Azra, adding an unexpected turn to their relationships.

EPISODE 103

As Azra struggles with financial challenges, Sumaira’s uplifting story about the ladies takes a dark turn as secrets are revealed.

EPISODE 104

The ladies must fight a rent increase together, while making some tough decisions. Sumaira faces her past, Ruby’s relationship unravels, and Azra confronts Tooba.

teaser trailer

SELECTED STILLS

MEET THE Filmmakers

Shazia Javed – DIRECTOR / WRITER / PRODUCER / SHOWRUNNER

Shazia Javed is an award-winning filmmaker with over two decades of experience, and founder of LifeSketch Media. Her career began when she became one of the first on-field female camera-persons for one of India’s leading News Channels. Her first feature documentary, 3 Seconds Divorce, streamed worldwide on Netflix and won the Audience Choice Award at Reelworld Film Festival. Her work has screened at prestigious festivals such as Hot Docs, Mumbai International Film Festival, and DOXA. In addition, her projects have garnered support from both Canadian and international broadcasters, IPF, CMF, and Indigenous Screen Office. Similarly, she is a recipient of grants from Canada Council of the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Edmonton Arts Council.

In 2020 she was inducted into Playback’s 10 to Watch. She has participated in some of the best incubators making her an alumna of the BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media, Netflix/BANFF Diversity of Voices, Reelword E20, Women in the Director’s Chair, BIPOC TV & Film’s Showrunner Bootcamp, and the DOC Breakthrough Program.

Allen Liu – DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Allen (he/him) is a Taiwanese-American cinematographer residing in Toronto, Ontario. He is a graduate of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts with over a decade of experience in the film industry. He is invested in telling stories which celebrate the human spirit and uplift diverse voices. He recently lensed the series Streams Flow From a River, which had its international premiere at the Canneseries Festival 2023 and recently wrapped the feature film, Jersey Boy. Potluck Ladies is Allen’s third series.

Rahul Chaturvedi – WRITER

A graduate of the prestigious Canadian Film Centre Writers’ Lab, Rahul is an Indian-Canadian filmmaker who enjoys telling heartfelt and hopeful stories of underrepresented groups.

His credits include working in the script departments for Run the Burbs (CBC), Don’t Even (Crave), Late Bloomer (Crave), and Station Eleven (Max). Rahul co-wrote the Indian-American feature film Imaginary Rain starring Shabana Azmi which is expected to release in 2024. His award-winning short film Forbidden Tikka Masala was programmed by the TIFF for their Film Circuit and Reel Comfort programmes. This film was released digitally by Omeleto to 225K+ views, and has been licensed by the TIFF Digital Platform, CBC Gem, and Air Canada.

Rahul is an alum of several development programs including Just For Laughs Stand Up & Pitch, BIPOC Showrunner Bootcamp, BIPOC Directors’ Masterclass, Reel Asian Pitch, Reelworld E20, WarnerMedia X BlackList Writer Pipeline, WarnerMedia AccessFestivals, Roadmap Writers BIPOC Initiative, and the BITS Horror Development Lab. His work has been supported by Telefilm, CCA, OAC, and the Indigenous Screen Office, and covered in several media outlets such as CNBC-TV18, The Sun, Toronto Star, The Metro, and Brampton Guardian.

Rahul has a Masters’ degree in Computer Science and spent a decade working in finance and cybersecurity before embarking on a film & TV career.

Natasha Krishnan – “SUMAIRA”

Natasha Krishnan is a writer, director, producer and actor from the South of India, born in Kerala, and brought up in the Middle East, Kuwait. She moved to Toronto at the age of fifteen where Natasha’s artistic journey began on stage. In 2012, she showcased her love for dance on the television show Canada’s Got Talent where she was a finalist. Natasha performed in the 2015 Pan Am Olympic Games’ opening ceremonies with Cirque Du Soleil and at Toronto Raptors sporting events, among others.

Her most recent dramatic piece titled On Christmas Day was nominated for ‘Best Drama’ and she was nominated for ‘Best Actress’ at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival. Natasha also received an honourable mention for ‘Best Actress’ at the Independent Shorts Awards.

Other recent work as an actor includes Paramount+’s Rabbit Hole, horror thriller Metamorphosis directed by Alex Smoot, Netflix’s Wedding Season and the biographic film Percy vs Goliath directed by Clark Johnson, and starring Christopher Walken. Coming up, you can catch Natasha in her series lead role in the show Potluck Ladies created and produced by Shazia Javed.

Elisa Moolecherry – “AZRA”

Elisa Moolecherry, a Toronto native, honed her skills in theatre performance in Montreal, where her training included invaluable collaboration with the legendary Uta Hagen.

With a career spanning three decades, Elisa has left an indelible mark on Canadian and international stages. Notable accolades include the My Entertainment Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actress, earned for her exceptional performance in the world premiere of Hannah Moskovitch’s Other People’s Children. In the world of film, Elisa has contributed to over 50 productions, including noteworthy titles like Law and Order Toronto, Molly’s Game, Tiny Pretty Things, Schitt’s Creek, The Girlfriend Experience, Surrealestate, The Newsroom, Impulse, Suits, The Bold Type, Degrassi, and Falling Water.

Kavita Musty – “RUBY”

A trained actor, Kavita Musty’s recent credits include Potluck Ladies by Shazia Javed and The Seas Between Us shot in Trinidad by Faisal Lutchmedial. After switching from medicine to acting 5 years ago, she pursued her craft in India before entering the Canadian industry in 2021. Kavita trains at EVN studios and is delving into filmmaking as well. She speaks 4 languages and can often be found dancing, singing, writing or playing badminton when not exploring her craft.