Indian-Origin Comedian Radhika Vaz's Web Series Nominated for 2015 Gotham Awards

New Delhi, India, December 1, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Celebrated Indian comedian, writer, and actor Radhika Vaz’s web series, Shugs & Fats, has been nominated for the 2015 Annual IFP Gotham Awards under the Breakthrough Series - Short Form category. Produced and created by Vaz and Brooklyn-based writer-performer Nadia P. Manzoor, Shugs & Fats is a contemporary satirical series about two Hijabi women clinging on to their heritage and culture in the midst of a westernized modern Brooklyn civilization.

Commenting on her inspiration behind the hit series, Radhika Vaz says, “The reason I wanted to create the Shugs & Fats characters is because I believe that women are judged far too much by their appearances. We assume that a woman will be a certain way just by looking at what she is wearing. Being Indian (Vaz) and Pakistani (Manzoor), we have been raised around conservative cultures where women are expected to keep their bodies covered, and rightly or wrongly, many women do feel at home in traditional garb. At the end of the day it is not for us to judge that choice.”

Excited at her nomination, she adds, “I am thrilled to be nominated in this category, I have watched the other nominees and it’s very flattering to be in their company!”

The 25th edition of Gotham Awards will be hosted at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. A jury of esteemed writers, producers, directors, actors and editors will decide the final recipients. Critically acclaimed shows such as Transparent and Jane the Virgin have made it to the nominations this year. Gotham Award Tributes will be given to British actor Helen Mirren, Hollywood star Robert Redford, American independent director and scriptwriter Todd Haynes, and Anonymous Content LLP founder and CEO Steve Golin.

This edition of the Awards will recognize 10 categories with five nominees in each. The categories are Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Breakthrough Actor, the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award, the Gotham Audience Award, and the Breakthrough Series - Long Form and Breakthrough Series - Short Form.

A thriving comedian recognized for her edgy and bold style, and who was also recently featured on Vogue Magazine’s Power of 50, Radhika Vaz has carved her place in the Indian and American standup scene. Her solo acts such as Unladylike and Older.Angrier.Hairier. have achieved rave reviews leaving tickled bones across India and the US. Known for her feminist voice and candid views on gender roles, Vaz is frequently invited to speak at various prominent university panels, fundraising events, and literature festivals. She will launch her book Unladylike: A Memoir this December with the Aleph Book Company, which will span four decades of her life, including moments captured all the way from youth to a married life.

About Radhika Vaz:

Radhika Vaz is an Indian-origin comedian who has trained with members of the Groundlings School in Los Angeles, as well as Upright Citizens and the Magnet Theatre in New York City. She is also a freelance writer who has written for Vogue, Verve, GQ, and has a bi-weekly column ‘Read it and Weep’ in The Times of India. Radhika usually splits her shuttling between New York and Mumbai.

About Shugs and Fats:

In the world of Brooklyn, where everything and anything is possible and permissible, two Hijabis strive to find themselves by adopting the latest Western trends of self-expression and personal growth. At once a cultural commentary and slapstick comedy, Shugs & Fats navigates the absurdities of social conformity through the curious, loud-mouthed perspective of two veiled women. For more info http://shugsandfats.tv

The show has been featured on Refinery29, Bitch Media, BUST, PRI, and The Daily Beast. The third season of Sketches is ready for a January 2016 release, and this time with tampon jokes, gay marriage, and patriotism gone awry, it promises to be the most hilarious — and political — content created yet. Watch the Season 3 trailer, and check out these episodes from the last season about cat calling and how to spot a feminist.

About Gotham:

The Gotham Independent Film Awards, selected by distinguished juries and presented in New York City, the home of independent film, are the first honors of the film awards season. This public showcase honors the filmmaking community, expands the audience for independent films, and supports the work that IFP does behind the scenes throughout the year to bring such films to fruition. This year Robert Redford and Helen Mirren will be honored along with a host of other luminaries. For more info http://gotham.ifp.org/

For more details, please contact:

Jyoti Kalbhor | Gutenberg Communications | +91.9711262816 | [email protected]

Tina Varghese | Gutenberg Communications | +91.8586088032 | [email protected]