Sheetal Sheth (The Children's Book Podcast #445)
ALWAYS ANJALI
Sheetal Sheth (@sheetalsheth) is the author of ALWAYS ANJALI, an affirming picture book about deciding for ourselves how we want the world to see us. Sheetal shares that she lavishes in books about the mundane, those stories that could take place on any day and in any place, but that show us something about ourselves. Sheetal has a storied background and it's fascinating to see all of those parts of her experiences and passions and memories come together into this beautiful story.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Anjali and her friends are excited to get matching personalized license plates for their bikes. But Anjali can't find her name. To make matters worse, she gets bullied for her "different" name, and is so upset she demands to change it. When her parents refuse and she is forced to take matters into her own hands, she winds up learning to celebrate who she is and carry her name with pride and power. A timeless story about appreciating what makes us special and honoring our differences.
SHOW NOTES:
BOOK TRAILER:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sheetal is an actress, writer, and producer who burst onto the scene with raves in the groundbreaking film, ‘ABCD’, playing the gutsy lead, a risky and memorable role as a promiscuous young girl struggling with the ties of family and tradition.
She broke out and won hearts in ‘Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World’ opposite Albert Brooks, as the female lead, Maya, winning the role after an extensive international casting search. Raised in a small New Jersey city, she discovered her passion for acting in high school and subsequently enrolled in the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. After supplementing her education with a summer in Amsterdam as part of the intensive, International Theatre Workshop studying under renowned acting teachers like Kristin Linklater, she graduated with honors.
Sheetal has starred in over 18 feature films and has earned a loyal international following. She has become a favorite on the festival circuit for her provocative performances. She won 3 Best Actress nods for ‘The World Unseen’ and 1 for her role in ‘Wings of Hope’, with the former premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival and then going on to win 11 SAFTA’s (South African equiv to Oscars). In 2012, fans voted her ‘Favorite Movie Actress’ in AfterEllen’s Visibility Awards. Most recently, her short film ‘Grin,’ which she also produced, has been picking up awards on the festival circuit including Best Actress.
Sheetal has also appeared on many popular TV shows and lent her voice to iconic shows like The Family Guy. Her voice-over talents extend to films such as Ang Lee’s Life of Pi and to video games like Far Cry. Moreover, Sheetal writes a popular blog Beneath the Sheetz and has contributed pieces to various outlets. Her first children’s book, Always Anjali was published in May.
Sheetal’s career and personal reputation have drawn the attention of companies worldwide. She has represented such brands as Reebok and CHI haircare. She was also the first Indian American to appear in Maxim. Furthermore, Sheetal is known as much as an actress as she is someone who’s outspoken and heavily involved in community outreach. She takes an active interest in politics, she’s served in AmeriCorps (President Clinton’s National Service program), BBBS of LA, and is currently on the advisory board of Equality Now and serves as an ambassador for The Representation Project. She also regularly speaks on panels and forums internationally.
You can see Sheetal on the cover of several magazines including Anokhi, Audrey, Woman International as well as featured in magazines ranging from Best Life to Venice. Sheetal continues to tackle a wide range of roles and has developed an impressive body of work with an array of challenging and memorable characters in film, television, and theater.
You can purchase Sheetal's books through an independent bookstore HERE.
And find Sheetal Sheth online at www.sheetalsheth.com.
LOOK INSIDE:
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