Priyanka Desai

Series Premiere: Our Ocean Table (@ouroceantable ) Dive in to explore how culture can inspire ocean conservation, one dish at a time. Our Ocean Table is available now for free on TELUS Optik TV Video on Demand channel 8 and the TELUS TV+ app with an Optik TV or Stream+ subscription. Learn more in our bio. Directed by Sonya Lee @sonyalee & Jon Chiang @jonchiang Produced by Priyanka Desai @pdlight Joanna Wong @joannaclairewong (@jugaadsisters ) and Sonya Lee @planktonproductions In honour of Asian Heritage Month, join us in celebrating this premiere at special screening events across the country. On May 1 in Toronto (Waitlist only), May 2 in Calgary, and May 7 in Vancouver, Our Ocean Table is making waves on a screen near you! Event listings in bio. Visit the TELUS originals YouTube channel for Bonus Content: “Interview with Chef Jinhee Lee,” an extended conversation where the chef/owner of Jinbar in Calgary gets real about growing up as a Korean daughter, and reflects on what it means to be a good woman, a good daughter, and true to herself. 🦑🦪🐟 — #OceanConservation #KoreanCanadian #KoreanSeafood #SeafoodCulture #NatureDocs #OceanDocumentary #AsianHeritageMonth Film, Filmmaker, BC Film, AB Film, British Columbia, Alberta, Documentary, Docuseries, Social Impact, Film funding, Film Production, Canadian Film, TELUS

BIG DAY! NOT YOUR BUTTER CHICKEN, is officially available across Canada on CBC GEM! This series is very close to my heart. Not only do we share the journey of how South Asians came to Canada and helped build the Canada that we know now but it also follows the story of my mom and I through food. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll most likely be a little hungry! P.S. How freaking cool is it that we are on the front page! Thank you so much CBC GEM!!!

I had it all planned in my head, when I am done with this contract I will post this picture (swipe left) instead of sending resumes to seek new projects - with a caption: Producer for hire. Skills include hauling dead squirrels to film sets. 🤣 🐿️ When I was moving to Victoria to work on this project, I told my Vancouver friends that I will be right back. But one season turned into two and I am so happy I stayed back. If it was not for this show, I wouldn’t have had the chance to make some of the most cherished lifelong connections in Victoria. Also some disastrous dating encounters. But thats a story for another day. The show @moosemeatandmarmalade is coming to an end. Come May 7th we will see Bush Cook Art Napoleon and Chef Dan for one last time take us on their adventures and then bid adieu to this show. For me, it was a chance of a lifetime to experience and learn traditional Indigenous knowledge and practices from Art Napoleon, to fearlessly making tax credit applications with Hilary Pryor by my side, and updating cost reports with Mike Wavrecan like nobody’s business (affairs) pun intended. A huge thanks to all the fantastic crew members who I feel so lucky to have worked with. From celebrating awards to experiencing loss of a dear member together. As I scroll through my phone photos, I see so many memories and endless landscapes from scouts and site visits. This show took me to nations, villages and towns that I had never heard of. Thank you for making me experience real Canada! One day I will make a photo blog of all those memories. I promise! Moosemeat & Marmalade (13 x 22 min) Season 6 & 7 Broadcaster: APTN Producers: Hilary Pryor @art.napoleon & @mrwavrecan n Hosts: Art Napoleon & Dan Hayes Directors: Hilary Pryor, @michael_bourquin @juleskoostachin @claudiaminervamedina @quanahstyle @banchihanuse Production Manager: Priyanka Desai 🙋🏽‍♀️ DOP: Chris Johnson Location Sound: @ramsaypictures Editors: @claudiaminervamedina Production Coordinator: @livvanderwal Sound Design: David Parfit Office PA: Kira Doxtator @kiradoxtator Nick, Stephanie In memory of Calvin

“Koreans are tied to the ocean through food, and so what does that mean for our culture if we don’t get to eat our seafood anymore?”🦪🦐🐟 One week away! Our Ocean Table (@ouroceantable ) premieres on TELUS Optik TV and TELUS TV+ on Friday May 1st. On a journey inspired by iconic Korean seafood dishes, this three-part docuseries follows filmmaker Sonya Lee @sonyaslee and journalist Hannah Sung @hannsung as they dive into our waters to explore how culture can inspire ocean conservation. Directed by Sonya Lee @sonyaslee & Jon Chiang @jonchiang Produced by Priyanka Desai @pdlight Joanna Wong @joannaclairewong (@jugaadsisters ) and Sonya Lee @planktonproductions 🎟️ Catch it on the big screen! Tickets available for in-person screenings in Calgary (May 2nd) and Vancouver (May 7th) - visit our link in bio for details. — #OurOceanTable #OceanConservation #KoreanCanadian #KoreanSeafood #SeafoodCulture #NatureDocs #OceanDocumentary #AsianHeritageMonth Film, Filmmaker, BC Film, AB Film, British Columbia, Alberta, Documentary, Docuseries, Social Impact, Film funding, Film Production, Canadian Film, TELUS

In my TV journalism days I may have met many celebrities. But this one will always be the special one. Young Priyanka was always drawn to her music yes but also her larger than life personality. Even now, I cannot tell which I loved more. The 80s and 90s was the era of film gossip and having older sisters in their teens and twenties, I had a front row seat to all the whispers! The industry was not kinder to women back then. She eloped with her driver,’ they said. ‘She survived a difficult abusive marriage’ they said. ‘She sings these explicit item numbers,’ they said. The sisters Lata and Asha were always pitted against each other. Asha Bhosle was always framed as the “other” sister, set in constant comparison to Lata Mangeshkar, the pious elder. Lata was reverent, restrained. Asha was colourful, rebellious. Divorce and remarriage became markers of judgment, and Asha, it seemed, had done it all. I still remember the image of her sitting on her balcony and mourning the death of her husband R D Burman. In that moment on national television, I felt like their relationship was finally seen for what it is, a pure love between two extraordinary artists! Asha was always the outlier. And young Priyanka noticed. I was impressed by her bold choices. To me, she was everything, a little dangerous, wildly exciting, unapologetic. A rebel with a phenomenal voice. She represented a kind of feminism that felt homegrown, desi, and deeply authentic. When I was asked to interview her for her 79th birthday (almost 13 years ago) by my editor @nikhil.wagle23 , the idea was to feature the limitless woman that she is. I went to her lower parel apartment to film this interview. I remember going there with our entertainment journalist Manali Pawar and Videographer Ganesh Kale. Mumbai’s moist afternoon air filled her apartment, and we bought her white lilies, something we knew she adored a lot. At least those gossip columns had served some purpose! (Continued in comments) #ashabhosle #restinpower #queen

#saynotowar

When I woke up and my chats were blowing up with messages from friends and colleagues! I couldnt believe and honestly it took me a minute to even post this, cause I just couldnt beleive that I am nominated for THE Canadian Screen Awards. So grateful for the honor and deeply indebted to the crew who brought the vision to life. Thrilled to be nominated for Best Direction, Lifestyle or Information for the docu-series Not Your Butter Chicken. If you are a voting member GO VOTE for ME! If you are not a voting member I know you will cheer me on. And if you are human SPEAK UP! SAY NO TO WAR! This nomination is such a powerful recognition — and a celebration of South Asian stories in Canada. What a moment for all of us! Honored to be nominated alongside: • John Keffer (The Good Stuff with Mary Berg) • Shawn Viens (Pamela’s Cooking with Love) • Gillian E. Parker (The Social) • Frederick Kroetsch & Shirley A. McLean (Wild Rose Vets) Save the date, grab your favourite Indian snacks (or butter chicken – we won’t judge!) and tune in on Friday, May 29th to catch the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, hosted by Andrew Phung, streaming at 8 PM PT on CBC, CBC Gem, Crave, CTV, Global, and STACKTV. #CdnScreenAwards #notyourbutterchicken

Late Post: What an honour to be part of GEMFest 2026’s panel “Funding Realities: A Community Townhall” at VIFF Theatre! Grateful to share space with such an incredible group: Brishkay Ahmed, Andrew Williamson (Telefilm), Sarah Jane Flynn (Knowledge Network), Jason Lee (CMPA), and moderator, Janine Steele (CMF). Important, honest conversations about current realities and the future of our industry. Even more special to spend the day surrounded by colleagues and friends, celebrating International Women’s Day!! And of course, a highlight: getting to be with the incredible Baljit Sangra, whose film Have You Heard Judi Singh? closed out GEMFest 2026. 💛

For Your Consideration 🏆 Not Your Butter Chicken, a four-part docu-series celebrating untold stories of South Asians in Western Canada through the lens of food and wine expert Shiva Reddy, is officially up for SIX Canadian Screen Award categories! We’re beyond honoured to be in the running. Cheer us on! 📣 Eligible Categories: * Best Lifestyle Program or Series * Best Direction, Lifestyle or Information * Best Photography, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition * Best Picture Editing, Factual * Best Sound, Lifestyle, Reality or Entertainment * Best Host, Lifestyle Swipe to the end for a cute video of the best team enjoying Indian food that is NOT your butter chicken - and not your mom either! Which one are you rooting for? 🙌 #FYC #CanadianScreenAwards #NotYourButterChicken #BestProgram #BestHost

Recently someone asked me, why did I want to be a producer. I said because I like delegating tasks to others 🙈 I blame it all on my youngest sibling syndrome - producing seems like a therapy, most of the times. Look at all the pictures, I am always giving instructions to people!! 🤣 Thank you iSAFF for channeling my youngest sibling syndrome and having me be the Festival Manager for international South Asian film festival two years in a row. From barely knowing other South Asian creatives in Canada as a new immigrant, to now knowing so many of them that sometimes I forget if I was in new country. This year I also had the honour to direct the Annual iSAFF Gala and the vivacious brilliant emcee @sukhmanisadana swipe for our post event high picture! But really what a treat it was, being part of the festival and getting to know each one of these talented people who are putting South Asian Stories front and centre. @MannuSandhu thank you for bringing me on for this beautiful journey with you and other amazing folks without whom the festival wouldn’t be the same. Alongside @farah_hsn @rajarneja1 @mjohal812 @avidrumz and @bimnarine and @priyankmurarka @mankiranlive @kashifpasta @steeleyjan @brishkay @baljitsangra @shrutiramanimusic thank you for sharing your wisdom! Will always cherish the conversations with the legend herself #deepamehta and the prolific storyteller @iamonir among so many creatives who shared their light with the festival this year! 🥹 Producer: @mnusandhu Co-Producer: Panzypreet Sandhu Artistic Director: @pulkitdatta Co-Directors Programming: @pallavisastry @keertanaks Programming Coordinator: @anishacheema Sponsorship and Marketing Coordinator: @arekayare 
Festival Coordinator: @czarvoyage 
Festival Coordinator: @kapoor.nikit Festival VideoGrapher: @mayuresh.ambekar & Team 
Festival Video Editor: @harshwardhankumbhar 
Head of Design: @nvsowjanya 
Social Media Wizard: @onecent_pennyy 
Accountant Humble Accounting 
Logistics Coordinator: @amitdhuga & Festival Coordinator & Admin Support @stuffapitanikita Supported by many volunteer hands!! Gratitude Love & Light!

We are so excited to meet everyone at iSAFF this coming festival season. Count down starts now 🥳 9 days to go!