Not Your Butter Chicken

A new four-part TELUS original docu-series premieres during Asian Heritage Month, celebrating untold stories of South Asians in Western Canada through the eyes of food and wine expert, Shiva Reddy.

This is Not Your Butter Chicken.

Directed by Priyanka Desai & Hosted by Shiva Reddy.

Premieres May 1 2024.
Watch on Telus Optik TV Channel 8.

Stream online here.
Available in BC & Alberta.

FOOD IS SEWA

Kamloops, BC

This episode interweaves Shiva’s profession of hospitality and her own mother’s commitment to the Indian concept of Sewa (being of service to others or the act of giving) with the deep historical roots of the Sikh Punjabi community in Kamloops. Shiva is welcomed by hometown hero and broadcast journalist Meera Bains, and a gathering of the elder sawmill and railway workers who helped build Kamloops. Shiva stops in on local farmers and jumps in to help prepare lunch as a volunteer at the city’s Gurudwara (place of worship).

READY TO ROTI

Fort McMurray, Alberta

This episode centers on the resilience of South Asian women throughout the hardships of migration. Shiva looks back on her hockey career, finding common ground with the past struggles of her mother and current challenges of immigrant women making a new life in Canada. She makes roti with Shweta, who left her life as a famous film star in India to join her husband in Fort McMurray. Shiva gets back on the ice after a long hiatus with pro player Dampy Brar, who is on a mission to teach the South Asian community the game he loves - and to teach the hockey world about his community.

DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Lethbridge, Alberta

This episode, filmed during the festival of light known as Diwali, focuses on the new era of Indo-Canadians rewriting the script on family as they celebrate a fresh take on cultural traditions. Shiva meets up with a fascinating new generation including comedian Laksh Gill, scientist Dr. Harwinder Sidhu, Punjabi-Cree artist Madeson Singh and community builder Dr. Pardip Athwal. Back at home, Shiva’s mom is moved into long-term care. Now no longer living full time with her mom, Shiva faces the sudden reality of becoming an empty nester and finds joy in cooking her mom’s traditional Diwali recipe.

WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY?

Kelowna, BC

This episode introduces Shiva’s incredible rise as one of Canada’s youngest female sommeliers and connects it to the world-famous farm to table and vineyard culture in Kelowna. Shiva looks inward and contemplates the impacts of living in fear of social judgment and a common reprimand of her childhood, "what will people say?” She reaches out to other trailblazers including the family-run Kalala Organic Winery, The Paisley Notebook's Aman Dosanj and Jennifer Deol of There and Back Again Farms. Shiva takes the wheel as she learns to drive and plans a special outing to surprise her mom.

ROUNDTABLE

Vancouver, BC

Roundtable discussion with Priyanka Desai (writer, director and producer), Shiva Reddy (host), Satwinder Bains (Author and Associate Professor at University of Fraser Valley), and Meera Bains (Journalist and CBC Reporter).