Shubhra P Podcasts

They could be the biggest pop stars you've never come across. Absent from your social media feed, yet integral to the pop culture consumed by millions. Meet some of Hindutva's prominent pop stars who say they are on a mission, spearheading a cultural revolution. In this episode, Sandip speaks to journalist Kunal Purohit who in his book, 'H-Pop: The…

Even though Rahul Gandhi is the guardian of the Nehru-Gandhi holy flame, at times it seems that his real mission is to reinvent his own party. On the other hand, many supporters of his party feel that the real stumbling block to its reinvention is Rahul Gandhi himself, who neither wishes to renounce it nor lead it from the front with gusto. Joining…

After the Supreme Court’s disheartening verdict on same-sex marriage, it appears that we are still struggling to make progress in this regard. However, if we were to look just beyond our northern border, we would realise that Nepal is actually several steps ahead of India on this issue. In this episode, Sandip Roy speaks to Sunil Babu Pant, one of …

India-Canada relations are currently at an all-time low. And it all started after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged active connections between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Pro-Khalistan leader. In this episode host Sandip Roy speaks to Ujjal Dosanjh, the former Premier of British …

Over the past decade, India's top courts have presided over numerous landmark cases, including those related to Aadhar, Sabarimala, the Hijab row, anti-defection laws, privacy, Section 377, and the UAPA. While each of these cases holds significant importance individually, does a different narrative emerge when considering them collectively? In this…

When ISRO launched its Mars orbiter, it drew attention to the women working at the space agency. And the recent Chandrayaan-3 landing also celebrated this idea. However, the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prizes, which were announced after a one-year hiatus, had 12 winners, none of whom were women. It appears that something is amiss. In this e…

From hosting and producing popular shows like Quiz Time and Mastermind India to becoming the producer-director of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Siddhartha Basu is widely regarded as the father of Indian quizzing. In this episode, he talks to host Sandip Roy about his journey, how quizzing has evolved in the country, and what knowing the right answer…

With Priyanka Chopra starring in ‘Citadel’ (an American spy thriller TV series) and Alia Bhatt starring in ‘Heart of Stone’ (an American spy thriller film), has Bollywood finally made the crossover? Was Irrfan Khan India's first genuine crossover star? And in an era when stardom is increasingly becoming global, does it even matter? In this episode,…

There is a mystery surrounding Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh. Over the past decade, the Bahujan Samaj Party's Dalit voter base appears to have been co-opted by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is often perceived as an upper-caste Hindu party. Surprisingly, this shift has occurred despite the fact that atrocities against Dalits by the upper caste…

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta joins Sandip Roy to talk about his latest TV series, Scoop, which is based on journalist Jigna Vora's book 'Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison.' In the book, she shares her experience of being accused, arrested, and tried in court for journalist Jyotirmoy Dey’s killing, before ultimately being acquitted of all charges.…

Even though we talk about caste through the lens of politics, reportage, and even personalities, the intersection of caste and law is often overlooked. Even though it is the law that has been used again and again as the main weapon in the fight for social equality. In this episode, Sandip Roy talks to journalist Manoj Mitta, who in his latest book …

In this special Pride Month episode, Sandip interviews Hoshang Merchant, a poet and writer who has never been shy about discussing love, sex, and religion. Born in 1947, Merchant has led a life that has taken him across the globe, from Mumbai to Los Angeles, and from Heidelberg to Jerusalem. In 1999, he edited the pioneering anthology of gay writin…

Patriarchy seems like an entrenched fact today, and many argue that it is the 'natural' order of things. But is it? What do we really know about its roots? How did male domination spread across different societies and cultures? And what can science, history and archaeology tell us about it? These are the questions that science writer Angela Saini e…

From taking on the Khalistan movement in Canada, and surviving an assassination attempt, to discussing multiculturalism (and why it is a double edged sword) and caste in Sikhism, in this episode Sandip Roy speak to Ujjal Dosanjh, the former Premier of British Columbia and federal minister — the first person of Indian origin to lead a government in …

In this episode, host Sandip Roy interviews bestselling author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni about her latest novel ‘Independence’, which tells the story of three sisters who are separated after the Partition of Bengal. They discuss her approach to storytelling, why women are the central focus of her work, her beginnings as a writer, and her belief th…

Welcome to Varta Lab! This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are here with a rather sad announcement. Stay tuned, as there’s a lot to be conversed. In the episode, they talked about : - Importance of tuning out in life - Constant construction work & the need to leave Bombay - Building & society politics - Sharirik takleefen for Aakash & Navin - Nea…

Welcome to Varta Lab! This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by fellow stand-up comedian and host of the ‘Has It Aged Well?’ Podcast - Urjita Wani! In the episode, they talked about : - Urjita’s hilarious Taj Mahal visit & brawl with monkeys - The best Agra people & monkey mimicry by Urjita - The monkey who tried eating a Fuji film - How…

In this episode, Sandip Roy speaks to Dalit poet and publisher Yogesh Maitreya and discusses his memoir Water in a Broken Pot, the experiences that led him to becoming a writer, and why he places his hope on the power of literature. Maitreya also speaks candidly about his beginnings, the alienation that Dalits often feel in academic spaces, and the…

Welcome to Varta Lab! This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by fellow comedian and host of the Radical Measures Podcast - Noel Cordeiro! In the episode, they talked about : - Why his RMP co-host & fellow comedian Gaurav Pawar is funny literally ‘everywhere’ - Gaurav at open-mics & the ‘g***d mara’ story - When the client doesn’t underst…

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are back w/ another edition of #JustUs! And this time their stories are from the mountains & performance stage!!! In the episode, they talked about : - Aakash’s recent Tirthan Valley trip & the 101s of traveling - The middle-class style of vacationing - Exp…

In her book, Lies Our Mothers Told Us, writer and journalist Nilanjana Bhowmick talks about how middle-class homes can be a laboratory for patriarchy, and the burden that women have to bear in India. In this episode, she joins Sandip Roy to talk about what inspired her to write the book, fighting patriarchy at home, the lack of women in public spac…

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! On Varta Lab this week, Aakash & Navin are joined by poet, writer & educator, and old friend - Preeti Vangani! Preeti Vangani is an Indian poet, writer, and educator. Born and raised in Mumbai, she is the author of Mother Tongue Apologize (RLFPA Editions) & her poetry has been published in Gulf …

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! On Varta Lab this week, we’re back with another edition of #JustUs, where just us (Aakash & Navin) are there to bring you stories from our chaotic yet somehow beautiful lives :) In the episode, we talked about : - The old age of p*rn discovery - The panic mechanism that comes along with making a…

Writer and journalist Nilanjana Roy's new novel, Black River, is a police procedural set in a dusty little town in Northern India that revolves around the horrendous murder of an eight year old girl. In this episode, she joins Sandip Roy to talk about writing the book, why she likes killing in print, her adventures in reading, her advice for buddin…

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! On Varta Lab this week, Aakash & Navin are joined by RJ, Actor & Host - Abhilash Thapliyal aka SK Sir from our favorite web series, Aspirants! In the episode, they talked about : - Abhilash’s childhood being an Army Kid - The beautiful people & bad roads of Konkan - Aakash & Abhilash - some DANG…

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! On Varta Lab this week, Aakash & Navin are joined by songwriter & multi-instrumentalist - Sidd Coutto! Over the past two decades, Sidd has played multiple roles in numerous bands, notably, drummer of Zero, singer of Helga’s Fun Castle, frontman of Tough on Tobacco, multi-instrumentalist with Ank…

What is the actual state of elephants in India? How many of them are currently in captivity, and what are the reasons for that? And what challenges do conservationists face in trying to help them? After the recent Oscar win of The Elephant Whisperers, Vivek Menon and Alok Hisarwala Gupta join Sandip Roy to answer these questions, and talk about the…

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! On Varta Lab this week, Aakash & Navin are joined by Actress & Comedian - Anu Menon aka popular nostalgia character - Lola Kutty! In the episode, they talked about : - Rahul Dravid’s no-smoking PSA Ad - that not everybody knows of - Anu’s iconic on-screen character - Lola Kutty - The good old da…

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by Abbas Momin - Host of ‘Has It Aged Well?’ Podcast & a creator at IVM. After several reschedulings (cause of him being a coworker :P), we have finally got Abbas on the show! In the episode : - Thunder thighs, a guy called ‘dikki’ cause of his h…

The literary world may know him as the author of books like The Death of Vishnu, and The Age of Shiva, but Manil Suri is also a professor of mathematics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. And in his latest book, The Big Bang of Numbers, he writes about creating the universe in seven days using only maths. In this episode, he joins San…

Welcome to Varta Lab! Become a Club Varta Lab member! This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by Anshu Patni - CEO, Web3 & Gaming at Mythoverse Studios & a fellow Podcaster. In the episode : - We get to know who a ‘bus didi’ is - What is it like to live on the border cities of the country - How well did Aakash & Navin produce Anshu’s podc…

This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by Singer/Songwriter & Harpist, Nush Lewis. The first ever Harpist on the show, yay! With moody vocal lines, pensive compositions, combined with a unique production ethos, her musicality can best be described as minimal acoustic, with intricate melodic lines set upon ephemeral soundscapes. The episo…

Why did Pathaan become such a success? Is it just an action film or a 'daring act of subversion'? And what does it say about the role of Muslims in Hindi films? In this episode, host Sandip Roy talks to Professor Ira Bhaskar, and author Ghazala Wahab about the depiction of Muslims in Hindi cinema, and how it changed over the years according to the …

This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by Harun Robert aka ROB, yes - THE ROB!! Rob used to host one of India’s most popular art-based television shows - MAD. The artistic nostalgia in this episode is on another level! The episode : How Pogo & M.A.D happened for Rob and the story behind his name Industry ke stunts, gharbaar ki baatein & …

This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by Siddharth Menon. Siddharth Menon is an Indian film, television and theater actor. He is best known for his roles in Loev, Rajwade and Sons and Karwaan. The episode : The days of wearing lucky clothes to pass in exams Escaping the city life When Badshah bestowed some wisdom on Aakash The world of …

In this episode, host Sandip Roy talks to the novelist and columnist Shobhaa De about her recently released memoir 'Insatiable' — from her early modelling career and how she developed her writing style, to her past controversies and her reaction to Pathaan. Produced by Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar…

This week on Varta Lab, Aakash & Navin are joined by ALOK V Menon. ALOK (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed author, poet, comedian, and public speaker. As a mixed-media artist their work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the human condition. The episode : How Navin met ALOK ALOK - the introduction Hair, hair, balding & rituals Aakas…

Who is taking care of India’s elderly? UN statistics project that 48 million Indians will be over the age of 80 by 2050. That’s more than the population of California. But is India ready for that? In this episode, host Sandip Roy speaks to Himanshu Rath and Indira Jayaprakash about the lack of elderly care facilities in the country, the issue of ac…

In this episode, Sandip is joined by veteran journalist and the founding editor of People’s Archives of Rural India (PARI) to talk about his book, The Last Heroes: Foot Soldiers of Indian Freedom, which tells the incredible stories of freedom fighters who still have not been recognized for their contribution and struggle. Episode image credit: Bhar…

In a new anthology titled, Indian Christmas, writers Jerry Pinto and Madhulika Liddle bring together essays that capture the many unique flavors of an Indian Christmas — from a village in Nagaland, to Bow Barrack in Kolkata, and from churches to Goa to even rural Jharkhand. In this episode, they join host Sandip Roy to talk about what is really uni…

With the year ending, we bring you the last episode of ‘nonsensical but still funny’ storytelling from 2022. This week on #VartaLab, we’re back with another edition of #JustUs, catching up on life and sharing stories that matter, well, maybe not so much, but who cares. The episode has the following to offer : Navin’s video-game story, one where he …

What makes Indian languages different from other ones? We all know about a mother tongue, but is there also a father tongue? Why did invaders from Uzbekistan bring us Persian? And will English cannibalise every other language or is the future of Indian languages something like Hinglish or Nagamese? In this episode, host Sandip Roy talks to Peggy Mo…

On #VartaLab this week, Aakash & Navin are joined by Director & Screenwriter Shubhra Chatterji, AKA History Wali! Shubhra became a popular figure after she began hosting the show 'History On A Plate' on her Instagram Live. Her love for storytelling & food is what got her here on this god-forsaken podcast! In the episode, the three of them talk abou…

This is just really bad audio ... A train to Bklyn

On #VartaLab this week, Aakash & Navin are joined by THE Sushant Divgikar, aka Rani KoHEnur! Sushant Divgikar is an Indian model, actor, singer, columnist, psychologist, motivational speaker, drag queen, pageant director, and video jockey. And also the one from whom Navin gets all the gossip. In the episode, the three of them talk about: - What Sus…

By Express Audio

This week on #VartaLabS4, we have Balram Vishwakarma joining us, who has come all the way from Andheri West for this episode. Balram is a writer, content creator, and the Janmdata of the popular meme page - Andheri West Shit Posting. Balram spoke to Aakash & Navin about a bunch of stuff and here’re a few keynotes: - Why Balram chose meme making as …

This week on #VartaLabS4, Aakash & Navin are joined by illustrator & muralist, Neethi. Neethi is an old friend of Aakash and an exceptional artist who has worked on projects with giants like Google, Instagram, Whatsapp, Adobe & more. In the episode, Aakash, Navin & Neethi talk about : - D*ck pillows, posey bugs & the secret of the poster of ‘The Si…

When it comes to sex education, there are many questions that don't have easy answers. Like, who should do it? Should it be parents or schools? And when should you do it? And should it just be about the reproductive system or infections or abstinence? Or should it also include pleasure? In this episode, host Sandip Roy talks to Reema Ahmed and Ramy…

This week on #VartaLabS4, joining Aakash & Navin in the studio is the Shararat girl, Shruti Seth! An actress, a VJ, and now sadly, a part of our podcast. Another ‘what a nostalgia’ moment on the show. And not just Shararat, Shruti has also been a part of movies like Rajneeti & Slumdog Millionaire and shows like Comedy Circus. And, of course, Aakash…