Meet Our Jury

Karan Soni

Meet Karan Soni: From New Delhi to Hollywood, a Rising Star! Born and raised in New Delhi, India, Karan’s journey led him to Los Angeles to follow his passion for film and theater at USC. You might recognize him as ‘Dopinder’ from the iconic ‘Deadpool’ series, but his talent extends far beyond that. From ‘Ghostbusters’ to ‘Always Be My Maybe,’ Karan has left his mark with memorable roles in hit films. On the small screen, he’s been a star in series like ‘Blunt Talk,’ ‘Betas,’ and ‘Other Space,’ while also making appearances in beloved shows like ‘Silicon Valley’ and ‘Brooklyn 99.’ Karan’s versatility doesn’t stop there; he’s also a voice actor in major films like ‘Trolls World Tour’ and ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’ As if that’s not enough, he ventured into directing with an episode of HBO’s ‘Room 104’ and is set to shine in upcoming indie features. Stay tuned for more incredible performances from Karan, including his return in ‘Deadpool 3’ and ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse

Maulik Pancholy

Meet Maulik Pancholy: Award-Winning Actor, Writer, and Advocate! You may know him as Jonathan from ’30 Rock,’ Sanjay from ‘Weeds,’ or Neal from ‘Whitney,’ but Maulik’s talents extend far beyond television screens. He’s the voice behind Baljeet in Disney’s Emmy-Award winning ‘Phineas and Ferb’ and the titular character in Nickelodeon’s ‘Sanjay and Craig.’ On Broadway, he’s graced the stage alongside legends like James Cromwell, Jane Alexander, Matthew Broderick, and Martin Short. But Maulik isn’t just a star on the screen and stage; he’s also a celebrated author. His novels ‘The Best at It’ and ‘Nikhil Out Loud’ have garnered critical acclaim and accolades. His passion for advocacy shines as bright as his talent. Appointed by President Barack Obama, Maulik served on the President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs and helped launch the anti-bullying campaign ActToChange.org. Today, he continues to chair this organization, dedicated to ending bullying for AAPI youth and celebrating diversity.

Karen Dosanjh

Karen is trailblazer in the Marketing, Public Relations & Communications industry in Canada. Throughout her remarkable 30-year career, Karen has overcome both gender and cultural barriers to reach new heights in the business & technology sector. She is one of the first women of Indian descent to practice public relations in Canada (1992) and serve on the Board of the Canadian Public Relations Society in Vancouver (1995-1998). She currently serves as the Vice-President, Marketing at OSI Digital and leads the global marketing strategy for the leading IT services provider. In 2019, she was named a Shakti Award recipient for Professional Achievement. In 2023, Karen was named a finalist for the Surrey Board of Trade’s Women in Business Awards in the “Corporate Leader” category. Also named a BC Business “Women of the Year” in the “Entrepreneurial Leader” category and is the first woman of Punjabi heritage to be featured on the cover of the magazine. In 2022, Karen partnered with SikhLens to produce a film, Hidden Histories: The Sikh Migration Path to Canada. In February 2023, Karen was invited by the Government of Canada to premiere Hidden Histories film at the SikhLens Film Festival India, speak to media and students at SD College.

Manu Chopra

Manu Chopra, our Jury Member is a powerhouse in the entertainment world, with a career that’s taken him from Canada to Asia and back! From co-writing the record-breaking hit ‘DR. CABBIE’ to making ‘Little Italy’ a cinematic gem, Manu’s storytelling prowess knows no bounds. And let’s not forget his creative consultancy on the inspiring ‘BAGS 2 Riches’ series. Manu’s advertising journey at GREY WORLDWIDE and his stint with CHANNEL [V] earned him recognition, even a mention in TIME MAGAZINE! Now, he’s crafting Bollywood magic and more. With experience at Canada’s largest ad agency and a role as a judge at the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival, Manu is a true industry maven!

Bim Narine

Over the course of 18 years as a casting director, Bim Narine has cast thousands of actors on hundreds of productions and has gained a unique insight into the film industry that few people get to see. His experience has led him to be one of the leaders in the Canadian casting community and develop a casting process that is efficient, effective and streamlined in order to provide the best, and most importantly the right actors for every project. His knowledge, experience, and talents has allowed him and his company to cast an eclectic range of films, television movies, and series that have been enjoyed by audiences all over the world.

Rabia Sultana

Rabia Sultana hails from the vibrant streets of East London and has an impressive journey to share. From captivating stages at the Stratford and Criterion Theatres to unraveling the mysteries of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, Rabia’s story is a blockbuster in itself! But that’s not all! She’s a trailblazer, a Producer’s Guild America ‘Create Fellowship Program’ alum, Rabia was awarded a grant from Google & PGA to produce the short film “Haider, Texas.” With a cinematic repertoire that includes films like ‘The Edge of Everything,’ ‘The Disruptors,’ ‘Angelfish,’ and ‘On Our Way,’ Rabia knows how to keep us on the edge of our seats. And let’s not forget her work on Cannes Film Festival winner ‘The Climb’ and her consulting gig with American Zoetrope’s ‘Fairyland.’ From AMC’s ‘Bottomless Brunch at Colman’s’ to HBO’s ‘Chillin Island,’ she’s conquered TV, and her commercial clients include Netflix, Hulu, Shondaland, Spotify, Meta, Adobe, and more. Rabia’s mission is clear: to celebrate the diverse tapestry of film, bringing wisdom from every culture to the forefront. She’s all about stories that challenge the norm and empower the underrepresented.

Sachin Bhatt

He can be seen recurring in the ABC series THE COMPANY YOU KEEP opposite Catherine Haena Kim & Milo Ventimiglia. He can also be seen guest starring on Apple TV+ THE MORNING SHOW, Prime Video’s WITH LOVE, and appearing in the Netflix holiday feature I BELIEVE IN SANTA. He recently recurred on Peacock series QUEER AS FOLK and GRACE & FRANKIE. Prior to that, he guest-starred on ADAM RUINS EVERYTHING, DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW and a supporting role in the Transformers spinoff feature BUMBLEBEE. Next up you can see him in the Apple TV+ feature, THE GORGE with Miles Teller.

Shivani Reddy

Shivani believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to be the main character. Her platform is dedicated to highlighting South Asian stories in film & TV and creating a space for active discussion on representation in media. She’s worked with brands like Disney, Pixar, Apple TV+, and other studios to showcase shows and movies featuring BIPOC and minority stories in hopes of eventually seeing our beautiful and diverse reality reflected in the media we consume.

Karen David

Karen David is a multi-hyphenate talent – actress and singer/songwriter – who has found equal diversity in her film, television, stage, and recording career. Karen just completed 4 seasons of her acclaimed performance as series regular, Grace, on FEAR THE WALKING DEAD for AMC. She starred in the CBS movie, WHEN CHRISTMAS WAS YOUNG, produced by Sheryl Crow, where she also recorded the title track and released it as a single. She recurred in pivotal roles on the hit HBO show, BARRY as well as previous recurring roles on LEGACIES (CW), THE ROOKIE (ABC), ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC), and a host of other shows. Prior to that, she was a series lead in Dan Fogelman’s, GALAVANT (ABC) for two years where she showcased her incredible singing voice as well as her acting, working with the great, Alan Menken. Film wise, Karen acted in the critically acclaimed, LAND OF GOLD, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival now available to stream on MAX and just completed filming on ISABEL’S GARDEN, taking the lead role.

Seema Hari

Seema Hari is a non-binary engineer, multihyphenate artist, producer and activist focused on annihilating colorism, casteism and queerphobia through their work. They co-produced the internationally acclaimed short film ‘Sheer Qorma’ with director Faraz Arif Ansari, which has traveled to over 250 film festivals and won 76 awards – including awards at the prestigious BAFTA Qualifying FRAMELINE Film Festival (San Francisco), the Academy Award qualifying Out on Film (Atlanta). They also co-created and acted in ‘Closer’, a musical short film made with musician Khanvict and director Anjali Nayar which won the ‘Prism Prize’ Audience award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. They have two documentary projects in development and have acted in various music videos for international acts across India, Europe, Canada and USA. Seema is also an ambassador for ‘Dark is Beautiful’ using their platform to spread awareness on the harmful effects of colorism and redefining the possibilities for dark skinned people in creative fields. They believe art is the ultimate expression of the self, so their activism is their art – rooted in their multidimensional self, pouring out through multiple art forms like photos, music, poetry and cinema.

Senain Kheshgi

Meet Senain Kheshgi: From award-winning documentaries to Emmy-nominated gems, Senain’s lens has captured it all. She’s the creative force behind ‘PROJECT KASHMIR’ and ‘THE DIPLOMAT,’ and her comedic touch shines in ‘DIVAS OF KARACHI.’ But that’s not all – she’s shed light on the stories of Syrian and Afghan refugees for major brands. Recently, Senain’s been at the helm of ‘A BROKEN HOUSE’ and ‘FUTURE FORWARD,’ tackling climate change head-on. She’s also the Executive Producer of an exciting unscripted series for ABC News Studios and Hulu. Senain’s passion for diversity and mentorship led her to found MAJORITY, a studio that champions women and diverse filmmakers. Her films have graced festivals worldwide and major platforms like PBS, Amazon Prime, ESPN, and more. A true industry trailblazer, Senain is a Sundance and Tribeca Fellow, committed to nurturing emerging talent. She’s a member of the Academy and the Television Academy, shaping the future of documentary filmmaking. But beyond the accolades, Senain’s heart beats for human rights, using her art to illuminate crucial issues.