Casually Obsessed

This week on Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Aishwarya and Shruti take on Netflix’s East of Eden and the character everyone is arguing about: Cathy. In John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel, she is one of literature’s rare female villains, a woman described as born wrong and meant for destruction. Netflix’s adaptation, told through a woman’s lens, gives her a past, a motive and a reason to rage. Together, the...

On this episode of Casually Obsessed, the hosts agree that pop culture has never been apolitical, and has been used to great effect during the CJP and Gen Z protests. They discuss the creativity of Gen Z protests: witty slogans, cosplay, "ghosts of the votes," and a Bahubali-inspired costume that has filled doom-scrollers with righteous indignation. Finally, they ask why do A-list celebrities with...

Happy anniversary to us! Casually Obsessed turns one this week, and we're celebrating with a goodbye to another pop-culture institution. Koffee with Karan is coming back for its ninth and final season, 22 years after it first started, so Niharika, Aishwarya and Shruti look back at the moments that made the couch the place for Bollywood gossip. Along the way we ask the bigger question: did PR teams...

In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Shruti and Aishwarya dive into one of the most talked-about rom-coms of the moment, The Love Hypothesis. Starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman, the film has been winning over both Gen Z and millennial audiences with its romance and swoon-worthy chemistry. The trio also discusses Netflix’s anthology film series Lust Stories 3 and Best of the Best, sh...

This week, Niharika and Aishwarya are obsessed with the Emmys, and host Mariska Hargitay, whose Law & Order sketch brought her face to face with Taylor Swift's cat, also named Olivia Benson. The night belonged to Widow's Bay, and its star Matthew Rhys made history with two lead acting wins in one year. The hosts tear up over the Schitt's Creek and Home Alone tribute to Catherine O'Hara, and ch...

In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Aishwarya, and Shruti dive deep into the premiere of Bigg Boss Season 20. They discuss Salman Khan's dedication despite health scares, the new "Vardaan" lifeline twist that threatens the integrity of nominations, and the Alice in Wonderland-meets-horror-house theme that left them unimpressed. From Qazi Touqeer's "rock star, baby" antics and late-nigh...

Ravi Kishan's universe bit us too. In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Aishwarya, Shruti, and Niharika sit down to discuss the 'madness' that unfolded on the Internet. From Ravi's beef with Manoj Tiwari to his 'desh ki duty' moment, the trio talk about his journey through pop culture. This episode also sheds light on the popular reality show, The Traitors season 2, and the buzz around it, explor...

Her passion for music and acting landed her on YouTube. Sejal Kumar is one of the most versatile content creators from India. She started when the concept was new to the Indian audience. From doing music covers to creating her original songs to 1-min micro-dramas, Sejal wore multiple hats in her career spanning over a decade. In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Niharika Nanda, Shruti Kaushal, an...

The trailer for Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi's Ramayana has taken over the internet, and this week on Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Aishwarya, and Shruti are picking it apart scene by scene. From uncanny parallels to Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey to VFX that feels more "Star Ka Ramayan" than cinematic epic, the trio doesn't hold back on their first impressions. But the conversation goes deeper t...

Christopher Nolan returns with another ambitious cinematic spectacle — The Odyssey. Featuring an all-star ensemble cast, from Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway to Tom Holland, Zendaya, and many more, the film reimagines one of the greatest epics in Greek mythology. But does Nolan's adaptation live up to the immense hype....in this episode of Casually Obsessed Season 2, Aishwarya, Shruti, and Niharika b...

Alpha, starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, marks the first female-led film in the YRF Spy Universe and it has everyone talking. But does the action-packed spy thriller live up to the hype? In this episode of Casually Obsessed Season 2, Aishwarya, Shruti, and Niharika break down Alpha‘s plot, performances, action sequences, twists, and its place in the ever-expanding YRF Spy Universe. From what worke...

Niharika Nanda, Aishwarya Khosla, and Shruti Kaushal are back with another jam-packed pop culture roundup! This week, your hosts dive into Taylor Swift's headline-making wedding to Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden, touching on every public detail from the viral subway hoardings to Adam Sandler officiating the ceremony, and debate whether Dua Lipa's low-key wedding approach beats Taylor's spec...

In this episode of Casually Obsessed Season 2, Niharika, Shruti, and Aishwarya discuss Homi Adajania’s much-talked-about sequel to the 2012 blockbuster Cocktail. Starring Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Kriti Sanon, Cocktail 2 has been making headlines for multiple reasons. In this episode, the trio compares the two films, explores how Bollywood’s portrayal of romance has evolved in the age...

In this episode of Causally Obsessed, Niharika Nanda, Aishwarya Khosla, and Shruti Kaushal, revisit iconic Imtiaz Ali movies. From love to music to emotions, the trio talks about Main Vaapas Aaunga, Laila Majnu, Rockstar, Jab We Met, and more. Stay tuned to Casually Obsessed only on Indian Express Plus, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Produced by Niharika Nanda Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar  Check...

This week on Casually Obsessed, we sit down with actor and musician Vedang Raina, who made hearts flutter in The Archies and Jigra, and is now all set for his most ambitious role yet in Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aaunga, a partition-era romantic drama. We get into everything: how love and longing have changed from the partition era to the modern day, why he has not watched Friends, and Vedang's hila...

The 79th Cannes Film Festival has been making waves, with Indian celebrities turning heads on the red carpet. In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Shruti, and Aishwarya discuss Alia Bhatt’s six impeccable fashion statements at the festival. From a hand-painted circle ensemble to Tarun Tahiliani’s deep burgundy brocade gown, the trio breaks down each look while also discussing the actor’...

Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep), Andrea Sachs (played by Anne Hathaway), and Emily Charlton (played by Emily Blunt) are back after 20 years with The Devil Wears Prada 2, and honestly, the internet has not known peace since. In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Shruti, Niharika, and Aishwarya spiral into the chaos surrounding the sequel, revisit the iconic original film and book, the fam...

In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Shruti, and Aishwarya talk about 'brainrot' content and Bollywood movies. From Tees Maar Khan to AI-slop videos featuring human-like conflicts among vegetables, the episode is loaded with fun and nostalgia. It also highlights the effects of consuming 'brainrot' and how it has gradually become a part of pop culture content. Hosts: Niharika, Aishwarya...

Welcome to another week of Casually Obsessed, your weekly pop culture podcast where we talk about literally everything. 🎬 This week we are obsessing over: Big Mistakes (Netflix) — Dan Levy is back as a gay pastor no less. The ensemble features his unhinged teacher sister, their mayoral-candidate mom, and a mafia they definitely should not have messed with. Taylor Ortega is a whole lot. We have fe...

 Comedian Samay Raina created a massive buzz with his comeback set, Still Alive. In his latest YouTube video, he opened up about the aftermath of the India’s Latent controversy, which threw his life into a whirlwind. From roasting BeerBiceps and admitting he was unable to console Apurva Makhija, to recalling that one phone call with his father, Samay laid his emotions bare for his fans. However, s...

She reads Dostoevsky in a tin-roofed house in rural Bengal, speaks English on camera, wears a simple saree and sindoor, and has nearly a million followers. Pujarani Pradhan — known online as Life of Puja — became the unlikely centre of a very revealing storm, one that has exposed the classism lurking inside Indian internet feminism. On this week's Casually Obsessed, Aishwarya, Shruti, and Niharika...

This week on Casually Obsessed, we are breaking down everything from Ryan Gosling’s lonely spaceship journey to the genius puppet work behind everyone’s favorite alien, Rocky. In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Aishwarya, and Shruti dive into the science, the emotions, and the unexpected laughs of one of the most unique sci-fi movies in years. Plus, we compare the film to the book, an...

It was officially the week of comebacks. In this episode of Casually Obsessed, Niharika, Aishwarya, and Shruti cover three massive comebacks that took over the internet this week. Dhurandhar: The Revenge — The Bacha Hai Tu Mera meme era is upon us. We break down why Jameel Jamali has become everybody's favourite slimy character, the insane meme economy this film has generated, and why the Dhurandh...

Ranveer Singh. Four hours. Zero regrets. (Well, almost.) After a three-and-a-half-month wait, Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar: The Revenge is finally out. The Indian Express' resident pop culture enthusiasts, Niharika Nanda, Aishwarya Khosla, and Shruti Kaushal, dissect the plot, acting, use of cuss words, plot holes, and alternate theories. Beware, there are spoilers. You have been warned! Stay tuned to...

This week on Casually Obsessed, Aishwarya and Niharika are flying solo, Shruti's out sick, but she picked the topics, so her chaotic energy is very much present. They are breaking down the Dhurandhar: The Revenge trailer. Will Ranveer Singh rule Karachi? Will Yelena point that gun where we think she will? And is Uzair Baloch secretly the hero we deserve? Then it's a quick detour through London hig...