Meri Kahani with Bhawana Somaaya

In this episode, we explore Kanu Behl's cinematic world and his journey as a filmmaker who brings raw, unfiltered realism to the screen. From his early days studying filmmaking at Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute to his first Bollywood break working with Dibakar Banerjee as an Assistant Director for the film Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! He shares the creative process behind his acclaimed film...

Koral has published an eclectic range of books from academic nonfiction to relationship dramas. Her books are discussed from the context of gender studies, art, myth and ecocritical literature.  Other than India, Koral's books are shelved in the libraries of University of Harvard, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and many others. Her fourth book, Summer Holidays, has been optioned for s...

Dr. Uma Rahul Rele is the Principal of Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya which was established by Padma Bhushan Kanak Rele, who is her guru and mother-in-law.  Uma was born and brought up in Mumbai. She did her B.A. in Economical Science from Mithibai College, Mumbai.  She has also done a doctorate in Bharatanatyam dance. On this GuruPurnima Special Episode, listen to her experiences under the tut...

Meet Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan, the living legend of Kathakali. With 40 years of teaching experience at Nalanda Nritya Kala Maha Vidyalaya and 25 years in Mohiniattam, he’s a nattuvanar, performer, and award-winning artist. His rhythmic magic has graced prestigious stages across India and beyond. From captivating audiences with Padmabhushan Dr. Kanak Rele’s performances to mentoring students who...

Neeraj Churi, founder of Lotus Visual Productions, promotes South Asian LGBTQ+ films worldwide. He produces, screens, and curates film festivals while also mentoring emerging projects. Neeraj's expertise extends to advisory roles and prestigious film market selections, solidifying his impact in the industry. Listen to his experience of raising awareness for the cause through his love for films and...

Smriti Mundhra started a production company, Meralta Films, that specializes in documentary films and non-fiction content. Mundhra won the Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival for her first feature documentary film A Suitable Girl, along with her co-director Sarita Khurana. In 2020, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subjec...

The journey that Padma Shri Bhawana Somaaya & Ep. Log Media embarked on 8th Marc, 2019 to share unheard stories about people from the field of art, and business of entertainment completes 100 episodes! Over the past countless minutes of conversations, we have had some of the most memorable experiences. This 100th episode is a trip down memory lane featuring a few of the voices that appeared on...

Trained since the age of 7, in the Guru-Shishya Parampara of the Tanjavur style under the tutelage of renowned,  Late Kalaimamani Guru T. K. Mahalingam Pillai, In 1984, Anusree Bonnerjee won the prestigious Singar Mani Award at the “Kal ke Kalakaar”, a national conference of music and dance and has since performed at a number of dance & music conferences including the prestigious  Haridas Samm...

Sachin is a National Award-Winning filmmaker who studied at The University of Texas at Austin as part of their MFA program in Film & Media Production. His work has been screened at prestigious film festivals such as Hot Docs, Raindance, EnergaCAMERIMAGE, and Krakow. He strives to tell stories that demand an urgent conversation and seeks to engage with people, places, and communities that are s...

Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta is a writer from Mumbai, India. Her debut book, Rescript Your Life: Awaken The Voice Within You had a powerful message- being unkind to yourself is a form of violence. In the book, she coined the term THECO (The Chosen One), asking her readers to engage in positive self-talk. She followed this up with two biographies; in which her protagonists lived with the  THECO mindset....

Astitva is the brainchild of Nirali and Rajeev, who together felt the need for sustainable fashion,  intending to establish a connection with the rural past.  Rajeev, a microbiologist, theatrist and a travel enthusiast, always had a keen interest in discovering our past in heirloom and vintage products. Being a theatre enthusiast, he believes  that theatre has played a strong role in influencing A...

Geetha J is a writer, director and producer from Kerala, India. She is known for her writings and distinctive films on women. Her critically acclaimed debut feature fiction is the mesmerizing Malayalam film RUN KALYANI (2019), a poetic and realist drama about duties, dreams and desire. This film has travelled to many international festivals and received nine awards.   On acquiring her own video ca...

Shefali Shah has never been the kind to take the path that’s got many travelers on it. Her roles have never been conventional, she’s always playing a character that has something to say or leaves an impact. From playing a minor girl’s role in Rangeela to portraying the role of an urban - Indian housewife who cannot find the confidence to leave her broken marriage in Dil Dhadakne Do, Shefali Shah’s...

Mukesh Chhabra is the driving force behind streamlining the casting process in the Hindi Film Industry. After training for 2 years to understand the craft of acting from Shri Ram Centre, he completed 9 years of acting and teaching stint with the ‘Theatre in Education’ Company (TIE) affiliated with the National School of Drama in India. Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company, founded in 2008, has grown to...

Umesh is a National Award-Winning filmmaker known for his film ‘ The Whistle Blowers’ an investigation into pesticides in soft drinks and bottled water.  He also won Ramnath Goenka Award for excellence in journalism for his film ” Brokering News ” which exposed the practice of PAID NEWS in Indian media.  His show on Doordarshan ‘ KIRAN ’ was adapted into a book ‘ Power of One’ by Penguin Publisher...

Namita Thapar is the Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Pune with a turnover of 6000 crores ($750 million). It has a presence in 70+ countries and an employee strength of over 10,000. Namita is an MBA graduate from the Fuqua School of Business and a Chartered Accountant from ICAI. She is a recipient of various prestigious corporate awards...

Aaditi Pohankar is an actor who has made her mark in the Indian entertainment scene with critically acclaimed projects such as Aashram and SHE. The second season of SHE and the third season of Aashram have just been released which has garnered immense appreciation from audiences and critics alike, making her one of the most sought-after actors on the block. The actor was born and brought up in Mum...

She's a model, an actor, and a reality-tv judge. She has worked for more than 2 decades in both artistic and mainstream movies, and while language have blurred the lines today, Sonali Bendre starred in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and of course Hindi movies.  She has flirted with theatre, is a cancer survivor, and is a host of an extremely successful book club.  Recently she made her digital d...

There are many ways to describe Shobhaa De. She's a columnist. author, commentator, publisher, and most importantly a rule-breaker In the 70s, when film stars were revered like deities, she made dust of all of them. Over the decades, she has commented on society, politics, economics, and relationships in a fearless candid way. When she turned an author, all her books turned to best-sellers! But al...

Hetal Gadhia started as an assistant in her father's office, after that for a very brief time she did costumes for theatre, she even flirted with the idea of being in the gifting business. However, her heart belonged to the kitchen, for the fragrance of the cooked food, because she was the happiest cooking, and serving it to her family and friends. Listen to her kahani of discovering this passion...

In times when everyone's emphatically talking about women's rights, Deepika makes a strong case for protection of rights of men too whether it's false accusations or domestic violence or sexual crimes perpetrated upon them. Her documentary films focus on gender politics as it intersects with laws, justice, culture, society, and institutions and explores often ignored side of gender issues from a n...

Manasi Parekh was recently seen in Gujarati films “Dear Father” and “ Golkeri”. She debuted in Bollywood in the National award-winning Hindi film “URI” where she played Vicky Kaushal’s sister.  Her short film “Ladoo” also won the national award in a special mentions category. She has been the lead actor in tv shows like “Sumit Sambha...

Dinesh Khanna is the Chairman of The Club, the brain behind Taj Bekal Resort & Spa(Kerala), he is the former President of Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India (FHRAI), Rotarian, Restaurantier, Chairman of WTTCI, and advisor to  UPPERCRUST India – a leading food & wine magazine! Listen to his amazing experiences about building India's most premium hotels on...

Prakash Kapadia is a screenwriter who has been in the movie business for more than 2 decades, and is associated with all kinds of cinema, particularly period & dramatic genres and is most remembered for his association with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Listen to his amazing and rare appearance sharing his experiences only on Meri Kahani with Bhawana Somaaya You can follow us and leave us feedback on...

Paresh Rawal as an actor needs no introductions! He has enthralled the Gujarati and Hindi audience for decades, both on-stage and on-screen. He is a master of his craft, and as a performer has never let down his audience. What goes on in the mind of an actor before he goes on stage or in front of the camera? How does he accept, embrace and internalize a character?  How does he make every char...