Rahul Bose is an actor, director, and writer who has worked in more than 55 films in different languages. He is famous for picking meaningful roles. Movies like Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, The Japanese Wife, and Chameli show how he prefers strong and thoughtful characters.

Rahul is more than just a film personality. He was also a national-level rugby player and is currently the President of Rugby India. He is working hard to grow the sport. For him, rugby is not just a game; it’s a way to teach kids teamwork, discipline, and confidence.

In this episode of The ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rahul talks about his 32 years in the film industry. He clears up some common myths, like the idea that Bollywood is only about glamour and big money.

More about the process behind choosing a film, the debate between theatres and OTT platforms, and whether Bollywood is lacking in content.

Timestamps

00:00 – Coming Up

01:53 – Introduction

03:10 – Story Behind Carrying His Own Chair on Sets

10:45 – Left's Influence in Bollywood

12:21 – Working with Female Directors

16:35 – Experience in South Indian Film Industry

22:35 – Process Behind Choosing a Film

26:45 – Script Improvisation

28:45 – Journey into Rugby

36:50 – Advice on Overcoming Fear

40:50 – Role of Discipline in Sports

43:43 – Rugby: A Costly Sport?

50:10 – Benefits of Playing Rugby

54:30 – Nutrition for Rugby Players

01:02:35 – Rugby vs. Films

01:04:30 – Theatres vs. Films vs. OTT

01:07:58 – Impact of OTT on Storytelling

01:13:32 – Lack of Quality in Bollywood Content?

01:17:30 – Lessons from His Parents

01:25:25 – Rahul Ever Regretted Doing a Film?

01:30:12 – Laapataa Ladies & Thappad

01:39:24 – Upcoming Projects

Tejashwi Yadav is a former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and the de facto chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. He currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the state. Before entering politics, Tejashwi was a professional cricketer. Today, he is seen as the political heir to Lalu Prasad Yadav's legacy and a key figure in shaping Bihar’s politics.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Tejashwi Yadav responds to the 'Jungle Raj' jibe made by opposition leaders, referring to the years when his father and family governed Bihar.

He says nothing has been done in Bihar under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar. He calls the Chief Minister "tired" and claims that corrupt officers are running the government. He also speaks about the caste census, the controversy over his son's name, Prashant Kishor, Chirag Paswan, and the Mahagathbandhan.

*Timestamps*

01:58 – Introduction

02:32 – Welcoming a Second Child

05:30 – BJP vs JDU in Bihar

09:44 – Development in Bihar

12:11 – Criticism of the Media

17:30 – Is Nitish Kumar Unwell?

20:08 – Who’s Really Running the Bihar Sarkar?

24:35 – Can Nitish Return as CM Again?

27:20 – INDIA Bloc’s Bihar Plan

28:50 – Chirag Paswan vs Tejashwi Yadav

30:29 – Tejashwi’s Plan for Bihar Polls

32:00 – Tejashwi’s Son’s Name Row

35:45 – RJD & Congress in Bihar Polls

37:11 – Tej Pratap’s Love Controversy

38:10 – Newcomers in RJD & Bihar Polls

41:51 – Caste Factor in Politics

42:25 – Caste Census

46:20 – Media Colleges in Patna

49:25 – Can Youth Trust Tejashwi?

53:37 – Who’s the BJP’s CM Face in Bihar?

Rajesh Kumar Singh took over as Defence Secretary in the Ministry of Defence in November 2024. He is a 1989-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre and has held several key positions in the Government of India.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the Defence Secretary clears the air around the India-Pakistan ceasefire, laying out the full sequence of events and stating that it was Islamabad that begged for a ceasefire. He also talks about Made-in-India weapons and how they turned out to be a game-changer.

Defence Secretary speaks about China’s involvement in backing Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, and highlights the gaps in India’s drone production. He also underlines the importance of reducing the defence procurement timeline from six years to two.

He shares updates on the timeline for AMCA, India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, and addresses the speculation around whether India is planning to buy the American F-35A or the Russian Su-57E.

Introduction – 00:00

Defence Secretary Job Explained – 00:40

India’s Defence Capabilities After Op Sindoor – 02:23

Planning Behind Op Sindoor – 03:50

New Normal After Op Sindoor – 05:50

International Reaction to Op Sindoor – 07:32

Pak’s Support to Terror Groups – 08:42

Impact of Op Sindoor – 10:05

How Pakistan Pleaded for a Ceasefire – 12:30

India’s Drone Strategy – 13:46

Made-in-India Weapons During Op Sindoor – 17:20

India’s Defence Budget & Push for Transparency – 18:47

Solving Delays in Defence Procurement – 23:54

Future of India’s Defence Exports – 26:23

India Buying the F-35A or Su-57E? – 31:20

India’s 5th-Gen Fighter Jet Plans & HAL’s Role – 32:52

Russia as India’s Biggest Defence Supplier – 35:47

MRCA Procurement Process – 37:30

What “Op Sindoor is On” Really Means – 40:25

Pak’s Support from China During Op Sindoor – 43:47

Asim Munir’s Meeting with Donald Trump – 46:07

What Happens in CCS Meetings? – 49:23

Working Relationship with the Three Service Chiefs – 51:09

Chandan Roy was born and brought up in Bihar. He studied mass communication in Patna and Delhi before moving to Mumbai to pursue a career in acting. He rose to fame with his role as Vikas in the popular web series Panchayat.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast, Chandan Roy shares what audiences can expect from Panchayat Season 4 and how it will be different from previous seasons. He also talks about his journey into acting and what inspired him to become an actor. Plus, he reveals an untold story about why he changed his name from Chandan Rai to Chandan Roy.

Introduction – 00:00

Panchayat Season 4 – 00:33

What Makes Panchayat Special – 01:55

Story Behind 'Vikas' Accent – 03:23

Actors from Rural India – 05:52

Creative Freedom on Set – 09:41

From Bihar to Delhi to Mumbai – 11:02

Inspiration Behind Name Change – 13:46

Family Reaction to Panchayat – 14:42

Working with Big Stars – 15:39

Local Accent – 17:14

Why He Left Journalism – 18:10

Khan Sir is a well-known teacher from Bihar, famous for his unique and engaging style of teaching, especially on topics related to current affairs. In 2020, he started his YouTube channel, Khan GS Research Centre. His honest and straightforward approach quickly gained popularity, and today, the channel has over 2.5 crore subscribers.

He is admired for providing an affordable and comprehensive learning experience to students preparing for various competitive exams.

In this podcast with Smita Prakash, Khan Sir speaks openly about many important issues. He discusses the Pahalgam attack and India’s Operation Sindoor. He also shares his thoughts on entering politics and gives his views on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Khan Sir talks about the current education system, the unemployment situation in Bihar, and the reasons behind the state’s lack of infrastructure and development. He also speaks about mental health, the rising issue of depression, and how parenting has changed in today’s world.

In a rare personal moment, he opens up about his marriage and addresses the controversy surrounding his wife wearing a ghunghat during the wedding reception.

This is the most honest podcast Khan Sir has ever done.

Timestamps

00:00 – Coming Up

01:22 – Introduction

02:36 – Khan Sir’s Marriage

10:01 – Khan Sir’s Classes

20:40 – Indian Engineers' Motivation

28:38 – Corporate Social Responsibility

37:34 – Love for Bihar

46:59 – AI’s Impact on Education

51:58 – Pahalgam Attack

56:21 – India–Pakistan Ceasefire

1:02:30 – How to get Students’ Attention

1:16:45 – Coaching Trend in Kota

1:24:59 – Language Inferiority Complex

1:26:44 – Snap Reaction Segment

1:57:54 – Bihar’s Challenges

2:06:00 – BPSC Paper Leak

2:09:30 – Agniveer Recruitment

2:16:02 – Views on Nitish Kumar

2:25:28 – Caste Census and NRC

Reuven Azar is the Ambassador of Israel to India. He previously served as the Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel. He has also held several key positions in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ambassador Azar speaks about Israel’s recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities. He claims that Iran was assembling nuclear warheads with the help of a clandestine group, and says that Israel is acting to defend not just itself, but the world.

Ambassador Azar also says the United States was fully informed about the strike. He adds that elite Iranian forces were successfully targeted and emphasises that Israel will do everything it can to protect its people.

He also shares his views on whether India should consider striking Pakistan’s nuclear sites.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction

02:04 – Israeli strikes Iran

07:03 – Why Did Israel Strike Iran?

10:15 – 'Operation Rising Lion'

14:10 – US role in Iran-Israel conflict

17:15 – “Radical regime” in Iran

20:25 – Proxy battlegrounds for Iran

24:20 – Narrative against Israel

27:08 – Israel’s stand on Op Sindoor

31:23 – US’s nuclear proposal to Iran

34:53 – Involvement of Israeli Air Force

37:58 – Support for forces in Israel

Get ready for the much-awaited episode of the 'Real' Samosa Caucus! Edition 6.0 is here, and it’s all about raw, uncensored, no-holds-barred discussions.

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

This episode dives into some heated topics, including Operation Sindoor and the new normal, India’s foreign policy challenges in 2025, ANI’s side of the story in the copyright debate, Elon Musk vs Donald Trump, and Rahul Gandhi’s “Narender Surrender” jibe at PM Modi.

00:00 - Coming up

03:07 - Introduction

07:23 - ANI's Copyright Case

48:57 - India Gets Invitation for G7 Summit

01:01:33 - Operation Sindoor & Pak's narrative war

01:26:50 - India-Pak Ceasefire

01:28:05 - Hitting the Nur Khan airbase

01:39:45 - Rahul's 'surrender' jibe at PM Modi

02:02:35 - Trump-Musk fight

02:17:11 - Caste Census

02:19:20 - All-Party Delegation for Op Sindoor

02:25:20 - Congress vs Shashi Tharoor

02:26:25 - Mann’s ‘Sindoor’ Dig at Modi

02:37:53 - Trump vs Harvard

02:47:15 - Journalists writing books on Op Sindoor

Sonali Bendre began her career as a model before transitioning into the Indian film industry. She made her debut at the age of 19 with the film Aag. Over the years, she has acted alongside top stars like Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan. Known for her roles in films like Major Saab and Hum Saath Saath Hain, Sonali Bendre remains one of the most familiar and beloved faces in Bollywood.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sonali opens up about her acting journey and her book release, 'A Book of Books'. She talks about her marriage to Goldie Behl, becoming a mother, and her brave battle with cancer.

Sonali also shares stories of working with the three Khans, welcoming Michael Jackson to India, and taking Dakota Johnson to temples. She addresses the viral video from an event with Raj Thackeray and sets the record straight.

A passionate animal lover, Sonali also speaks about her new podcast centred around animals and her bond with them.

Audio Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:26 - Sonali Bendre's Book

07:50 - Importance of Reading

10:50 - Bucket List

11:34 - Battle with Cancer

16:57 - Family Support during Cancer

18:58 - Acting with Khans

22:22 - Sabbatical after childbirth

26:18 - Stories from 'Hum Saath Saath Hain' Set

30:48 - Favourite Co-stars

33:15 - Salman Khan as a co-star

35:33 - Relation with Ajay & Kajol

36:25 - Working on Sarfarosh

43:43 - Working on Films in Different Languages

46:20 - First Meeting with Husband

01:00:29 - Bollywood's pay disparity

01:04:30 - Dakota Johnson Visiting India

01:06:03 - Welcoming Michael Jackson

01:11:31 - Voicing Up for Stray Dogs

01:17:57 - Friendship in Bollywood

01:19:10 - Sonali’s Ultimate Dream Movie

Lieutenant General PC Nair is a retired officer of the Indian Army with a career spanning over four decades. He served as the Director General of the Assam Rifles, India’s oldest paramilitary force, where he played a crucial role in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East region. Lt. Gen. Nair (Retd) has extensive expertise in dealing with insurgency, tribal dynamics, and border security.

He is also recognised for his in-depth understanding of India’s internal security challenges, particularly in volatile regions such as Manipur, Nagaland, and the North East. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Lt Gen PC Nair (Retd.) discusses the proposed Rakhine Corridor in Myanmar, which has sparked political and military tensions in Bangladesh.

He explains how China is expanding its influence through the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and why the US seeks to increase its foothold via humanitarian aid in Myanmar. He also explores why Bangladesh’s interim government chief, Muhammad Yunus, is delaying elections and the growing rift with Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

He also discusses the impact of militancy along the Myanmar border and how growing Chinese influence in Bangladesh affects India.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

01:50 – Power Game in Myanmar’s Rakhine

06:30 – China’s Ties with Myanmar’s Arakan Army

11:57 – ‘Humanitarian Corridor’ in Rakhine

14:00 – Yunus’s Interest in Rakhine Corridor

19:27 – American Presence in Bangladesh

23:17 – Muhammad Yunus vs Army

27:16 – Kaladan Multimodal Project

32:28 – Challenges on the Indo-Myanmar Border

35:38 – Bangladesh's ‘Two Chicken Necks’

41:43 – Revival of Lalmonirhat Airbase

46:36 – Jamaat-e-Islami Comeback in B'desh

48:54 – Myanmar’s Rare-Earth Mining

51:43 – Militant Groups in Myanmar

57:33 – India-Bangladesh Relations

Rajpal Yadav began his acting journey with television before making a mark in films like Shool (1999) and Jungle (2000).

Rajpal has delivered iconic performances in films such as Hungama, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Chup Chup Ke and Bhool Bhulaiyaa series, among others, where he impressed audiences with his blend of humor and comic timing.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rajpal Yadav opens up about his iconic comic roles and his views on nepotism in Bollywood. He highlights how actors from non-film backgrounds carve their path in the industry.

He also discusses his time at the National School of Drama (NSD), and the lifelong friendships he formed with fellow actors who went on to achieve success in Bollywood.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

00:45 – Love for Theatre

02:42 – Typecast in Comic Roles

06:05 – Boundaries of an Artist

08:53 – Playing Multiple Characters

16:08 – Insecurity Among Actors

23:11 – Turning Point of Career

31:50 – Bollywood and its Audience

36:54 – PR Companies in Bollywood

42:07 – Family Background

44:14 – Nepotism Debate

47:39 – Iconic Comic Roles

52:00 – Roles in Sequel Movies

54:23 – Rapport with Actors

57:04 – Bonding with Directors

1:01:40 – Life After NSD Days

1:05:26 – Upcoming Projects

1:06:55 – Quitting Politics

1:13:07 – Directorial Venture

Shashi Shekhar is the founder of AI for India, an initiative focused on building a strong ecosystem for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in the country. He is also the former CEO of Prasar Bharati, India’s public broadcaster.

In this episode of the Podcast with Smita Prakash, Shashi Shekhar talks about the battle of narratives surrounding Operation Sindoor and how false narratives against India are often amplified in the West through misinformation and fake news.

He highlights the role of AI platforms in this ongoing narrative warfare. He also discusses the outreach efforts by the all-party delegation on Operation Sindoor and stresses the importance of strong engagement and clear communication of India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.

Shashi Shekhar further explains why the global Indian diaspora, along with film celebrities, sports personalities, and spiritual leaders, must take a moral stand and speak up in support of India’s narrative.

Audio Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

02:08 - Narrative wars of Operation Sindoor

08:37 - Fighting Fake Narrative

17:23 - Balakot: Facts vs Bias

24:56 - J-10 Hype & Narrative Building

31:08 - Religious Spin by Western Media

34:53 - The Karachi Bombing Confusion

39:18 - Social Media’s Impact on Conflict

46:44 - Indian-Origin Billionaires

01:02:41 - US-Pakistan Relations and Propaganda

01:06:21 - Does Public Opinion Affect Govt?

01:10:23 - Why Film Industry Quiet on India-Pak War?