difficult-ish is a project hosted by mohuya and mashnun, two bangladeshi-american artists, about deconstructing the narrative of what it means to grow up in a south asian/desi home, and building the idea back together using blocks from two different journeys. video podcasts on youtube. new episodes every friday!

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/2/1/18/7227ba4b-dfc6-4721-b64b-d4fb9b962d3b_rana_redc.mp3

first guest of the year and it&#39;s rana abdelhamid!! she is running for new york state assemblywoman and she shares her experience of growing up in astoria, queens, her push for safety for immigrants and muslims across the city, women empowerment, affordable housing, and so much more!! she is so knowledgeable about NYC&#39;s policies and how we can make it a better city for all of our neighbors. voting day is february 3rd for new yorkers so make sure u go out to make an impact!! rana&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranaabdelhamid/ our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

rana abdelhamid on running for ny state assembly, muslims in government, ice raids, + more

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/1/11/19/c24b0229-f193-4b31-9ced-d73ad2ee8b0c_ny_ep_red.mp3

happy new year sweet people this episode is a catch up on all things us + where we&#39;ve been, our very serious resolutions for 2026, and all the tips and tricks we have on how to live a fruitful life this year. from spelling bees, impromptu trips, public speaking, and so much more, please enjoy this amazing discussion between two professionals right now!! our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

how to have fun and experiment in 2026

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/12/28/23/03c63bfd-e18e-478d-9975-1b24fe6732bb_raj_rc.mp3

we sure do have a banger this week!!! we&#39;ve got rajid selim on the pod today and he really blessed us. rajid is the founder of DOST, the leading media platform amplifying the most exciting talent from the south asian diaspora, generating over 200 million views for musicians of our background. he&#39;s here to talk all things music, from building a page from the ground up, navigating the music business, touring the country with sid sriram, times square billboards with nafeesisboujee, and his new dj side quest that&#39;s got him opening for anik khan and jai wolf. this man is a doer and he did not hold back!!! tap in immediately rajid&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rajidselim/ dost&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dostmeansfriend/ our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

rajid selim on building dost, the music business grind, and the rise of desi artists

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/11/30/20/a5eb2a99-a359-4f7a-ba92-c3ec28a9c921_wedding_rc.mp3

title says it all :&#39;) here&#39;s the story of our wedding, all the lovely moments and all the mishaps and everything in between. we are so thankful for all of you who have been apart of our crazy ride :) please do enjoy!!!!our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

surprise, we're married!

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/11/10/23/c3a80c89-853f-4432-a4b4-cc1b09ff1215_zhoran_redcircle.mp3

zohran mamdani is a breath of fresh air for new york city and we are ecstatic that the people have come behind him, but we cant lie and say there are a couple things we&#39;re scared of... will zohran coming into office bring more political separation and islamaphobia to the city? will the state be in the support of him the way the people are? tune in to hear our thoughts!!!our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

why zohran mamdani might be bad for nyc...

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/11/2/21/077c5316-b9e1-428b-89af-12caf798024e_where_we_been_mp3.mp3

hello we are so happy you&#39;ve come back to another episode of our pod where we talk about what we&#39;ve been up to on our much needed season break! mashnus solo traveling in spain with his hostel stories and airport scares, mou working on her biggest art project yet, and why we almost ended up cancelling our whole wedding... do listen to hear about it all!! gracias!! our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

almost cancelling our wedding, getting detained in spain, and more on where we've been

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/10/24/19/e6c6f17c-58a4-47d1-b5a8-3575b348cea0_king_at_google_by_day__olympics_boxer_by_night.mp3

a new season with a new guest!! introducing zinnat ferdous, who is the 1st female boxer to represent bangladesh and win various international matches while also juggling a full time job at google. in this episode, she talks all about her journey to becoming a professional boxer in her late 20s, how her immigrant parents reacted to this path, the process of trying out for the olympics for bangladesh, the hardships with navigating both a demanding career and training for international matches, and so much more. she shares so much about trusting your gut feeling, the power of networking, pushing through fear, and more wisdom so hope u enjoy!our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

working at google by day, olympics boxer by night w/ zinnat ferdous

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/9/14/17/d01181db-a5dd-4516-ad15-aeb334cf2532_holding_a_grudge_ep.mp3

hellooo hello! this is our season finale as we both shift focus temporarily to so calm wedding planning!!! this episode is all about how easy it is to hold grudges and grow resentment, mostly with our parents but also with friends and others that have done us wrong. we dive deep into how we interact with grudges, how we remind ourselves to have empathy in the toughest times, and how to give some grace when its needed most. this is a goodie duh listen!!!!our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

resentment, holding a grudge, and how to let things go

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/9/7/20/b0f5b28f-6cc5-4864-b9b3-939dd45ea38c_lies_red.mp3

all of our parents told their kids lies to protect them growing up, but how about the ones that blatantly make no sense?? did u hear that simply praying and eating veggies clears ur skin?? how about that the idea that family should be the only people u can trust as they&#39;re fighting over land while telling you this?? in this episode, we&#39;re dissecting superstitious beliefs, traditional mindsets, and false propaganda that we almost fell for until we got older. hope u enjoy this one!our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

the most diabolical lies our immigrant parents told us growing up

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/8/31/16/edef1072-f67d-48ca-a112-d4391e18e839_gas_red.mp3

this is a special episode where we recount our funny labor stories growing up working at the gas station when we weren&#39;t supposed to be and working at our uncle&#39;s flea market. child of immigrants are usually helping out their families at a very young age and we have many stories to share from that experience from mashnun getting stuck in the fridge and hustling with cigarettes and mou working the counter at the flea market. hope u enjoy!! our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

family business = free babysitting + free labor

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/8/23/14/41d4bbe1-23d1-4835-8da6-7fe30e03f1a1_career_red.mp3

would you choose your own career even if it means breaking your immigrant parents heart? in this episode, we are talking all about the doctor, lawyer, or engineer roadmap that our bangladeshi parents wanted us to go on and the guilt, disagreements, and hard work that went into choosing what WE actually wanted to do. if anyone&#39;s feeling lost with how to make your parents proud while also making yourself happy, we hope this one will make u feel a little less alone. we hope u enjoy this one!! our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

choosing your own career and rejecting the immigrant parent life path

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/8/17/16/220f1f3b-aee7-4c77-8922-1fe05b1840e3_nyc_audio.mp3

we always hear about living it up in NYC, but how about the horror stories?! we&#39;ve never opened up about getting scammed out of thousands of dollars trying to get an apartment, home invasions and living in the red light district, psychotic neighbors, and it&#39;s finally time. we can&#39;t have the good without experiencing some of these very humbling things so we hope you learn from our mistakes and enjoy!!  our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

nyc horror stories: living in the red light district, apartment break ins, and crazy neighbors

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/8/9/18/af7c5190-671c-4fa2-b7ba-52565a4ea8a8_lose_redcircle.mp3

we always hear stories about people losing their identities when they get into relationships where they stop hanging out with their friends because they get too comfortable with their partners or they don&#39;t make time for the things they love doing anymore. we&#39;ve seen our immigrant mothers sacrifice their livelihoods for the sake of the family and we are ending that toxic cycle!!! in this episode, we talk about the importance of separate time and hobbies in a relationship with our experiences in solo traveling, individual passions, and more. does this mean u love your partner any less? should spending time alone feel scary?? all questions answered and we hope u enjoy this one!! our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

why brown people romanticize codependence

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/7/19/16/309d00f2-b767-4814-b1ec-c9091be49b06_aunts_redcircle.mp3

do brown aunties and uncles just gossip and judge? this episode may ruffle some of y&#39;alls feathers because we talk about some good contributions that they have made to society. we&#39;re talking about the cool family members who you feel comfortable opening up to, who built cities like Jackson Heights with little to no money, organizing community picnics, and more. this one is soooo funny so we hope u enjoy!!our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

is brown aunty hate justified?

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/7/12/16/e5fbc1b5-e4a9-4bb4-a257-26c570fc46bd_dameer_redcircle.mp3

its true its true we went all the way out to toronto, canada to speak with the one and only dameer khan! dameer is musician, global dj, and all around artist, but at the core is someone who so passionately represents bangladesh, its people, its culture, and is on a golden path to sharing it all with the world in this episode, we let dameer have the floor and tell us about the reality of life in bangladesh, its political situation, and all of the things our people have to speak up about, but also telling us about all the beautiful things our people and culture have attached to them. we talk modernizing bangla music, building real infrastructure, the underground rave culture in bangladesh, and all in all this is dameer&#39;s attempt at finding a wife for his US visa tbh this one&#39;s very special and we wholeheartedly hope you enjoy :) our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcastdameer&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dameer.dk/our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

dameer on actually representing bangladesh, global dj moments, modernizing bangla music

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/7/4/2/fc347e09-cac7-4ecd-9e67-9ca075205479_code_redcircle.mp3

have u ever code switched to fit in? in this episode, we&#39;re talking all about changing the way you speak, dress, and act to be accepted into our workplace, home environment, and school. and the question is, is this tiring and did we lose ourselves in the process? every child of immigrants is going to be able to relate to this one so hope u enjoy! our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcastour instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

the hidden cost of code-switching to fit in

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/6/27/17/c5cbbacc-e72d-4abb-9578-6a71ca61b160_prop_red.mp3

good day to our difficulters!! this episode is inspired by the tiktok trend on propaganda we should NOT be falling for, and we made this whole ep on super niche things that are normalized in the south asian community that we should NOT be doing!! is tanning and darkening our skin that bad?? do we gotta buy our parents a home before ourselves?? do we gotta respect our elders??? listen to find out :) new summer labyrinthave collection out now! shop here: https://www.labyrinthave.com/collections/the-homecoming-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BF-collectionour instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

south asian propaganda we're not falling for | tanning, moving out, islamophobia

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/6/20/14/ea078aab-f5ea-4c3a-89ec-3941059f1661_zohran_redcircle.mp3

hello!!! if you&#39;re not sure why you should vote or care for these upcoming nyc elections, then this episode is for you! we break down the revolution that zohran mamdani is creating for young voters as he runs for nyc mayor, why this impacts america as a whole, what sets him apart from his competitors, his fight for more accessibility and affordability across the city. we&#39;re simplifying the jargon around voting and politicians so let&#39;s dive into it !!our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcastour instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

nyc has a generational opportunity with zohran mamdani

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/6/13/16/368c8b32-9e1d-41f2-914f-2c19c935c325_wedding_redcircle.mp3

we are in the engaged era and in the initial stages of wedding planning and OOF - we are stressed. in this very vulnerable tell ALL episode, we are talking about the behind the scenes of wedding planning. no one tells you about the financial stressors, societal and familial pressures and expectations on what it&#39;s supposed to look like, who NOT to invite and if we even have a say over that, and so much more when it comes to these very glamorized wedding events. buckle in because this is a good one!our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcast our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/ mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/ mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

an honest talk on our wedding | finances, societal pressures, + do we invite our judgmental family?

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/6/7/14/462a19d5-6e76-46b3-8032-820f299cca2a_owe_pt_2_red.mp3

hello!!! this episode serves as a part 2 to last weeks &#39;do we owe everything to our immigrant parents?&#39; where in this we talk about all the things we DONT owe. do we owe them full cultural perfection? or control over our careers? or complete sacrifice of self being?? that and so much more discussed in this wonderful episode of ur fav pod!!!our youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@difficultishpodcastour instagram: https://www.instagram.com/difficultish/mohuya&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohuyaakhan/mashnun&#39;s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashnunmunir/ Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

5 things we don't owe to our immigrant parents