ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Shehzad Khan is an actor best known for his role as ‘Bhalla’ in the cult classic ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ and is the son of legendary actor Ajit. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about his father Ajit’s journey from hero to iconic villain, his friendship with Dharmendra and bond with Salim Khan. Shehzad also looks back at his career in Bollywood and why Ajit never wanted hi...

Lieutenant General K.J.S. ‘Tiny’ Dhillon is the former Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency and has commanded the strategically important 15 Corps in Kashmir. Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor is the former Commandant of the National Defence Academy and has extensive experience in air operations, training and strategic affairs. Together, they have written Nobody’s War, Everybody’s War. In...

Nimrat Kaur is an actor known for her performances in The Lunchbox, Airlift, Dasvi, Homeland and The Family Man. She has worked in both Indian cinema and international television, playing a wide range of roles, from a lonely housewife to a spy. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she talks about her journey from modelling to films, and why she refused to be typecast after The Lu...

Vivek Agrawal is a crime author and investigative journalist who has spent more than three decades reporting on crime, terrorism, organised crime and national security. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he takes us inside Mumbai’s underworld, its rivalries, networks and connections with the city’s business and film circles. He also talks about Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan,...

Biswajit Chatterjee is an actor who has spent seven decades in the Bombay film industry. In the 1960s, Biswajit became one of Hindi cinema’s defining romantic leads. With his effortless charm and trademark smile, he starred in films such as Bees Saal Baad, Kohra, Mere Sanam, Night in London, April Fool and Kismat. His films gave us enduring songs, including “Aap Yun Hi Agar Humse Milte Rahe” and “...

Dr Vikram Sampath is an author and historian known for his books on V.D. Savarkar, Tipu Sultan and Gauhar Jaan, among others. He is the founder of the Foundation for Indian Historical and Cultural Research and the co-founder and director of Naav AI, which uses artificial intelligence to bridge language barriers. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr Sampath questions why India’...

Mandakini is an actress best known for her role in Raj Kapoor’s iconic film Ram Teri Ganga Maili. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she discusses working with Raj Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor, her controversial scenes and how she got her screen name. She also addresses her rumoured links with Dawood Ibrahim, the gunshot controversy and why she eventually quit films. 0:00 – Introduc...

Manu Joseph is a journalist, columnist, novelist and screenwriter known for his sharp and often provocative observations on Indian society. He is the author of 'Why the Poor Don’t Kill Us' and the creator of the Netflix series 'Decoupled'. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses India’s broken cities, the jobs crisis facing Gen Z, and the decline of civi...

Samrat Choudhary is the first BJP leader to serve as the Chief Minister of Bihar. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he speaks about the Bankipur election result, Prashant Kishor, migration and jobs in the state. He also discusses the alcohol ban, reservation, infrastructure, the revival of sugar mills, and what his government plans to do next. 00:00 – Introduction 00:36 – Biha...

Rasika Dugal is known for her performances in films and streaming series such as Mirzapur, Delhi Crime, Manto, Qissa and Out of Love. A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India, she is best known for playing Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur, a role that brought her widespread recognition. In this ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dugal discusses why she initially feared she was not right for...

Lobsang Sangay served as the democratically elected Sikyong, or President of the Central Tibetan Administration, from 2011 to 2021. He became its top political leader after the Dalai Lama gave up his political authority. Born in 1968, Sangay grew up in a Tibetan refugee settlement near Darjeeling, India. He studied at Delhi University and Harvard Law School before becoming an American citizen. In...

Baba Ramdev is a yoga guru turned businessman, known for taking yoga into millions of homes in India and around the world. He runs Patanjali, an Indian consumer goods company that competes with major FMCG giants. Baba Ramdev also frequently makes headlines for his views on Hinduism, politics and national issues. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Baba Ramdev explains his idea o...

Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra is a former fighter pilot who served in the Indian Air Force for more than 39 years. In January 2025, he took charge of the Western Air Command, one of the IAF’s most important operational commands. Just months later, he led the command during Operation Sindoor. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Air Marshal Mishra explains how India blinded Pakista...

IAS Rajit Punhani is the CEO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the organisation responsible for setting food-safety standards and regulating the country’s food industry. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Punhani explains what the FSSAI mark on a product actually means and why it does not mean that every product has been tested or certified by the reg...

Sanjeev Sanyal is a historian, economist and author. He currently serves as a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he explains why India’s education system is failing its youth and why Indian degrees no longer guarantee jobs. He also speaks about India’s large population, the future of the economy, the fallin...

Stepping out of the ANI Podcast Studio, The ‘Real’ Samosa Caucus is back with Edition 9.0, Part 2, this time from Dorabjee & Sons in Pune. The 150-year-old Parsi restaurant has been serving generations of Punekars and is now run by the fifth generation of the Dorabjee family. Joining the podcast are: Sushant Sareen – Senior Fellow at ORF Tehseen Poonawalla – TV personality and political analys...

The ‘Real’ Samosa Caucus is back with Edition 9.0, Part 1 — bigger debates, sharper arguments and absolutely no filters. Joining the panel are: Sushant Sareen – Senior Fellow at ORF Tehseen Poonawalla – TV personality and political analyst Anand Ranganathan – Author and scientist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra – Senior Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies In this episode, the panel discusses...

Govinda is one of Bollywood’s biggest superstars of the 80s and 90s. Known for his unique comic timing, energetic dance moves, colourful style and unforgettable performances, he became one of the most loved entertainers of his generation. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Govinda talks about his rise to superstardom, his work with David Dhawan and Kader Khan, highs and lows of...

Amitabh Tiwari is a political strategist, election analyst, author and commentator. He is the founder of Vote Vibe and a regular columnist and television panellist. Mallika Bajaj is a digital transformation expert who studies how technology affects the way people learn, behave and think. In this live edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, they discuss what Gen Z wants and why there is a di...

Pavan Malhotra is one of Hindi cinema’s finest actors, known for his powerful performances across films, television, theatre and OTT. In a career spanning over 45 years, he has delivered memorable roles in films like ‘Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro’, ‘Black Friday’, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and ‘Jab We Met’. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Pavan Malhotra talks about his journey in cinem...

Ronnie Screwvala wears many hats: entrepreneur, investor, film producer and philanthropist. He built UTV into one of India’s biggest media companies, co-founded upGrad and established the Swades Foundation. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ronnie Screwvala speaks about the student anger, paper leaks and what is wrong with India’s education system. He also discusses degrees ve...

Mahesh Jethmalani is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India and a former Rajya Sabha MP. He has represented the BJP in several high-profile legal battles over the past four decades. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Mahesh Jethmalani speaks about his father Ram Jethmalani's legacy. The conversation also covers 2002 Gujarat riots, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, judicial ref...

Manish Tewari is a senior Congress leader, lawyer and Member of Parliament from Chandigarh. He previously represented Ludhiana and Anandpur Sahib in the Lok Sabha and served as Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting. He is also an author and has been active in Indian politics for over four decades. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the Cockroach Janta Par...

Arnab Ray, also known as Greatbong, is known for his satirical commentary on Indian politics, society, and popular culture. He is an author and holds a PhD in Computer Science. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Arnab Ray discusses racism against Indians, the H-1B visa crackdown, AI-driven job cuts, and the changing American Dream. 00:00 – Introduction 01:33 – Image of Indian I...

Medha Bhaskaran is an author and researcher known for her work on Maratha history. She has written extensively about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Maharani Tarabai. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Medha Bhaskaran explores the long conflict between the Marathas and the Mughal Empire. She also discusses Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaign, the destructi...