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The Season 2 finale of Under the Brown Rainbow welcomes two guests: Manjusha (she/her) and Govind Pillai (he/him) – the producer and director-choreographer behind Temple of Desire, the boundary-pushing classical Indian dance work that sold out its Sydney Opera House season on 4–5 June 2026.

In this conversation with host Kashif Harrison, Manjusha and Govind unpack the world they've built with Karma Dance, a "sacred meets sensual" reimagining of Bharatanatyam that sits the classical form right next to queer and trans reality. They talk about reclaiming pre-colonial traditions that were "straight-washed" out of the art over 300 years of colonial influence, the lost poetry only now being translated, and why this work isn't an act of resistance but an act of love for the tradition itself.

We also hear about the long, latent journey of bringing personal queerness and artistic practice into congruence, the Mohiniyattam dance form as inherently trans, why art needs to lead social change (legislation alone can't move hearts), and what it means for brown queer storytelling to finally take the mainstage — followed by a closing-night party in the Opera House foyer with DJ Goddess Naavikaran.

Under the Brown Rainbow is hosted by Kashif Harrison and produced by Kunal Mirchandani. Presented by Trikone Australia.

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Listen to the full episodes of "Under the Brown Rainbow" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on your favourite podcast platform.

Follow us on Instagram [@underthebrownrainbow] and visit our website [trikone.org.au/podcast] for more information.

#UnderTheBrownRainbow #TrikoneAustralia #KashifHarrison

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Episode 7 of Under the Brown Rainbow welcomes Tara Chandran – a Malaysian-born bisexual woman now living openly in Sydney with her wife and three cats. Her pronouns are she/her.

In this conversation with host Kashif Harrison, Tara opens up about moving to Sydney at 15 from Malaysia (where queerness is still illegal) and the seven years she spent in the closet – not because her family wouldn't accept her, but because being the eldest daughter in a South Asian family meant being a stickler for the rules and never wanting to rock the boat. She shares the moment she walked into the Queer Room on her uni campus, surrounded by rainbows, and felt "I'm home" before she'd even come out to herself.

We also talk about why bisexuality still gets a third or fourth hand in queer conversations; the misconceptions she's still pushing back against (no, it isn't a stepping stone); what changed when her dad asked, "What is this nonsense?"; and her advice for anyone watching from a country where coming out isn't safe – that choosing yourself isn't selfish and the peace on the other side is unmatched.

Under the Brown Rainbow is hosted by Kashif Harrison and produced by Kunal Mirchandani. Presented by Trikone Australia.

Support the show

Listen to the full episodes of "Under the Brown Rainbow" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on your favourite podcast platform.

Follow us on Instagram [@underthebrownrainbow] and visit our website [trikone.org.au/podcast] for more information.

#UnderTheBrownRainbow #TrikoneAustralia #KashifHarrison

Send us Fan Mail

Episode 6 of Under the Brown Rainbow welcomes Mohan Kumar – a queer immigrant navigating coming out, breaking stereotypes, and building safer community spaces in Sydney. His pronouns are he/him.

In this conversation with host Kashif Harrison, Mohan shares his coming out journey – from years of believing he'd be ostracised, to choosing emigration as a path to live authentically, to finally telling his mum during a trip back to India. He talks about the relief of his sister's "You're my brother, end of story"; the layered process of his mum's "So what?" followed by months of patient conversations; and why coming out, in his experience, isn't a single event but a years-long unfolding.

We also talk about navigating life as a brown queer immigrant in Australia at a time when those identities feel increasingly under scrutiny; why he started running badminton, bouldering, and walking groups for queer South Asians (because not everyone wants the party scene); and the stereotype he most wants to break — that all our stories are sad. Plus a glimpse at his upcoming project, Coming Out, Coming Home: an audio series telling stories of culturally and linguistically diverse families who accepted their queer children.

Under the Brown Rainbow is hosted by Kashif Harrison and produced by Kunal Mirchandani. Presented by Trikone Australia.

Support the show

Listen to the full episodes of "Under the Brown Rainbow" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on your favourite podcast platform.

Follow us on Instagram [@underthebrownrainbow] and visit our website [trikone.org.au/podcast] for more information.

#UnderTheBrownRainbow #TrikoneAustralia #KashifHarrison