Episode 17: The Biopic
We didn’t set out to record Vishnu’s life story…but somehow that’s exactly what happened.
In this episode of Fly & Butterfly, Vishnu and Mahitha start with a conversation about health, energy, motherhood and marriage, and eventually find themselves going all the way back to Vishnu’s childhood in India.
Vishnu shares what it was like when his parents moved to America while he stayed behind with extended family, the sacrifices his family made in search of a better life, and the losses that shaped him during those years.
The conversation then moves into immigration, how India has changed, whether moving to America still represents the same opportunity it once did, and how our idea of the “American Dream” changes depending on where we are in life.
And then comes one of the best stories of the episode: after moving to America in high school and barely speaking English, Vishnu was nominated for senior class president as a prank.
Instead of walking away, he decided to run.
That decision led to controversial campaign posters, a trip to the vice principal’s office, an entire hallway chanting his slogan, and enough votes to force a runoff election.
We also get into Vishnu’s first experiences learning American history, his adventures at Model UN, our early m