If, like me, you like exploring the stories of strong, bold women, then Amrita Tanna is a name that might be familiar to you. Since leaving BizAsiaLive.com in March, Tanna has taken strides to fill blank pages with inspiring words that honour diversity, challenge assumptions, and create opportunities for deeper connections.
After almost eleven years at BizAsia, Tanna resigned from her post as director and showbiz senior editor, citing the quest for a new challenge as her reason for leaving, but after speaking to Tanna for 30 minutes, the change of direction is more complicated. Amicable but complicated, nevertheless.
There’s little doubt that Tanna loved working with BizAsia; after all, who wouldn’t want to interview celebrities and go to premieres, events, and awards?
But change is inevitable when you’ve been in the same role for a while; that’s perhaps not evolving to make the most of a changing world and emerging ways of consuming news and entertainment. What started as a passion project with little expectation quickly became an all-consuming career. Tanna, however, was always looking for new challenges and opportunities to grow – not just for herself but also for her team.
Tanna acknowledges that BizAsia gave her invaluable opportunities to progress and develop professionally and personally: “When you’re working under pressure with little or no spare time, you soon learn the mettle of your character.”
Tanna’s most significant accomplishment in her time at BizAsia is the awards they won together. By interviewing some of the most prominent celebrities and vocalising stories that mattered to people, she helped create content that resonated with many readers. This content pushed BizAsiaLive.com to the forefront of Asian entertainment websites in the UK.
Aside from that Tanna was also a hot favourite among celebrities such as Farhan Akhtar, who thanked Tanna for ‘a lovely and engaging chat’. Other stars included in the Tanna appreciation club are Madhuri Dixit Nene, Vishal Dadlani and Ranveer Singh, with TV’s Nakuul Mehta also a fan of her interviews. The Bade Ache Lagte Hain actor described how he wasn’t a ‘fan of interviews’ and that very few people can get him to do one. He went on to thank Tanna for being that person and for her ‘patience and sensitivity’, during their interview together.
As we know, all good things come to an end – eventually, but what you do next generally determines success.
With her friend and former colleague Shyama Sudra Doshi, Tanna has launched a podcast series – ‘Voice It Out Podcast With Shyama & Amrita’– which they hope will bring people together through meaningful conversations. The conversations cover topics such as Indian cinema, community social aspects, current affairs and anything that impacts women’s lives.
With season 1 of the podcast recently complete (there’s still time to catch up on any missed episodes – head over to Spotify), Asian Sunday asked Tanna what we could expect from season 2.
“Guests, you can expect to hear other voices and opinions.” If you’ve read anything that Tanna has written, you will know that she’s a seasoned interviewer with a killer technique (in a nice way) that she uses to get the most out of her subjects and with her extensive list of contacts, the podcast guest list will be interesting, to say the least.
After all, Tanna has had the privilege of interviewing superstars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Ranveer Singh to name a few.
Concluding on long-term goals; as expected, Tanna and Sudra Doshi had a plan.
“The plan is to create a brand around the podcast, a platform for others, especially women but not limited to, to speak about their fears and hopes.”
“We want to create an open and honest dialogue,” Tanna continued, “where people can feel safe and free to express their thoughts and be supported in their endeavours. We want to create something to make a lasting impression and help others.”
Those that have followed Amrita Tanna’s journey will know she is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusivity and a champion of women’s rights – by now; you probably realise she is also tireless, with the energy and drive that makes most people feel exhausted.
Here’s the money shot – they will film the podcast! This means in season 2; you will hear Amrita, Shyama, and their guests, but with the added bonus of seeing them.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Amrita and Shyama in their new venture. Keep an ear and eye out for them in the months to come – the new season is expected to start in September.
Amrita Tanna has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on BizAsiaLive.com and has much more to give. Asian Sunday wishes her the best of luck in her future endeavours.
