✦ our story
Loot is a South Asian cultural collective bringing together artists, writers, researchers and thinkers to collaborate across mediums and ideas.
The word loot carries a complicated history. Originating in South Asia, it entered the English language during the period of British colonial rule in India, where it came to signify “the taking” of objects, wealth and culture.
Loot holds the word in tension. It becomes a space to gather, remix, reclaim and transform cultural forms — acknowledging the past while creating new possibilities for exchange and collaboration.
✦ the person behind the curtain
PhD researcher · strategic designer · South Asian diaspora commentator
By day I lead strategic and design research. By night (and weekends) I run Sharam Masala, a YouTube channel about South Asian diaspora identity that somehow convinced 8,200 people to keep watching.
I also write In formation on Substack — ficto-critical accounts drawn from my PhD research on the experiences of immigrants. It's part cultural analysis, part storytelling, part processing things I couldn't fit in a thesis.
Loot is the thing that (kind of) ties it all together. A space for the South Asian diaspora in Melbourne and beyond — to gather, make noise, share ideas and take up room.
01 ——
Flagship cultural nights that bring together performance, food, art and conversation. Big enough to feel like a moment. Intimate enough to feel like community.
02 ——
Smaller, deeper gatherings for the curious. Storytelling, identity, creative practice, cultural research. A room where ideas get worked through together.
03 ——
South Asian diaspora identity examined through a sharp, honest lens. Commentary, culture, conversation — on YouTube.
Watch on YouTube →04 ——
Long-form fictional accounts drawn from PhD research on the immigrant experience. Culture through story, not just argument.
Read on Substack →Two ways to be part of Loot — pick yours (or both).
Get first access to Loot events, salons and cultural programming in Melbourne. No spam — just culture worth showing up for.
Are you an artist, performer, writer, musician or creative who wants to work with Loot? Get on our collaborators list and we'll be in touch when opportunities come up.
Created on Wurundjeri land, Naarm (Melbourne).
Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.