Unstoppable Woman with Shailja Saraswati

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Season 4 The new season expands the lens to explore the unstoppable spirit that exists beyond gender, titles, and public achievement. Adopting a gender-agnostic approach, Season 4 focuses less on what people have accomplished and more on who they become in the process—centering on inner mastery and enablement, through uncovering what it takes to stay resilience for transformation Perhaps this season also marks the beginning of what comes next from the host of the show - Shailja Saraswati Stay tuned!

  1. 4D AGO

    Creation Begins Where Imitation Ends | On Art, Life and Finding Yourself ft. Savio Dsilva

    Most people think imitation is harmless. But over time, it does something deeper.  It weakens voice.  It blurs identity.  And it slowly distances people from what is truly their own. In this episode of Unstoppable Woman, I sit down with artist Savio Dsilva for a conversation that begins with art but quickly opens into something larger. We explore originality, dyslexia, education beyond the classroom, the pressure to fit prescribed systems, and the courage it takes to build a life on your own terms. Savio speaks with rare honesty about why he refuses shortcuts, why he values story over surface, and why creation cannot come from borrowed references alone. This is not just a conversation about tattooing or art. It is about: • creation versus imitation   • life beyond the rat race   • finding yourself through what you make   • why real education is not always the classroom   • and what it means to stay true in a world pushing conformity   One line that stayed with me: “Life is not about marks. Life is about living.” If you have ever felt pulled between external success and inner truth, this conversation will stay with you. Watch till the end, and tell me in the comments: At what point does imitation stop being inspiration and start becoming disconnection? #UnstoppableWoman #SavioDsilva #Art #Creativity #Originality #InnerAuthority #LifeDesign #Leadership Chapters: 00:00 Beyond Marks 00:51 Childhood and Dyslexia 01:27 Art as a Language 04:23 Accidental JJ Entry 06:08 Early Hustle and Support 08:06 Advice for Dyslexia 10:42 Parenting Without Pressure 12:33 Tattoo Journey Begins 16:37 Choosing Meaningful Clients 18:01 Ocean Breath and Flow 23:22 Tattoos That Uplift 24:32 Designing From Memory 25:21 AI Temptation And Anatomy 26:22 Coverups And Corrections 26:58 Scaling Without Burnout 28:44 Escaping The Rat Race 34:04 Resilience Against Noise 35:57 Music And Daily Rituals 38:00 Big Projects And Curiosity 41:12 Parenting With Freedom 44:14 Closing Thanks And Legacy

    46 min
  2. From Survival to Thriving | A Woman Filmmaker’s Playbook

    MAR 25

    From Survival to Thriving | A Woman Filmmaker’s Playbook

    What happens when success validates you… but still doesn’t get you work? In this episode of Unstoppable Woman, Arunima Sharma speaks about rejection, resilience, creative purpose, and why awards and opportunity are not the same thing. Arunima won the National Film Award for Best Direction (Non-Feature Film) for Shyam Raat Seher (Blue Dusk Dawn), her FTII diploma film. She has also contributed to popular projects like Four More Shots Please!, Jee Karda, along with directing 100+ commercials. A sharp conversation on what it really takes to keep going and why mediocrity is no longer being accepted. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction & Opening Ritual 2:03 Childhood & Early Film Influences 5:28 Decision to Attend FTII & Film School 7:24 National Award Win & Its Impact 11:29 Struggles After Film School 14:58 The Importance of Resilience 16:07 Breaking Into Advertising 19:20 Advertising vs. Long-Form Content 21:35 Learning Diplomacy & Growth 25:34 Embracing Messy Realities in Storytelling 29:35 Women's Stories & OTT Revolution 34:18 Industry Changes & Challenges 37:43 Staying Relevant Across Generations 39:43 The Role of a Director 40:35 Inner Authority & Cinematic Language 41:38 Taste, Leadership & Creative Success 43:19 Authority on Set 43:58 Advice to Young Women Directors 45:06 The Woman You've Become 46:06 Female Gaze & Collaboration 46:53 Final Thoughts & Closing

    49 min

  3. MAR 18

    Great Work Isn't Enough: Leadership, Visibility & AI ft. Lulu Raghavan

    Why do some leaders get noticed while others, equally capable, stay unseen? The real gap isn’t talent. It’s visibility and the identity behind it. In this episode of Unstoppable Woman, Lulu Raghavan unpacks a tension most leaders quietly carry: • Talent may open the door but visibility shapes the trajectory. • Doing great work isn’t enough if no one knows the value behind it. • Leadership presence isn’t natural. It’s built intentionally, strategically. Some professionals stay overlooked not because they lack capability, but because they underestimate the importance of being seen. Others learn to signal their impact, influence the room, and own their narrative. The real risk isn’t being invisible. It’s getting comfortable there. Because in leadership, silence doesn’t protect you it slowly removes you from the conversation. Visibility, when done right, isn’t self-promotion. It’s responsibility. Chapters: 00:00 Intro – Unfinished Feelings & Personal Journey 05:06 What It Means to Lead 10:01 Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone 15:01 A Life-Changing Year 20:01 Where It All Began 25:00 Inner Struggles & Reflection 30:01 Facing Yourself Honestly 35:00 Growth Through Training 40:00 The Cost of Ambition 45:02 Work-Life Balance Reality 50:00 Lessons on Discipline & Focus 55:00 Redefining Success 01:00:00 Final Thoughts & Takeaways

    1h 3m
  4. Ram Madhvani on Reputation, Reinvention & The Future of AI

    MAR 11

    Ram Madhvani on Reputation, Reinvention & The Future of AI

    Ram Madhvani is one of India’s most respected storytellers; the creative force behind films like Neerja and the acclaimed series Aarya. A legendary advertising filmmaker, he has spent decades shaping how India sees stories, brands, and human courage. But long before the awards and recognition, there was a constant reinvention. In this episode, Ram Madhvani opens up about identity, labels, reputation, and the quiet discipline of remaining a “work in progress.” Through deeply personal stories and philosophical reflections, we explore what it really means to build a creative life without being trapped by success. In this conversation, we decode: • Why Ram still calls himself a “work in progress” despite decades of success • The strange burden of reputation and perception after achieving mastery • Why he deliberately avoided wearing labels, even on his clothes • The philosophy of earning your identity instead of borrowing it • Returning to advertising with the hunger of a beginner • The creative tension between certainty and not knowing • Why true artists keep reinventing themselves long after success This episode isn’t about filmmaking. It’s about creative identity. Not fame. Freedom. Because when success starts defining you, the real challenge becomes staying unfinished. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction & Labels  3:34 - The Story of Soni Mahiwal  8:57 - Wearing Multiple Hats 16:35 - First Love of Storytelling 20:43 - Technology & Art 23:48 - Circling the Beast 28:47 - AI & Consciousness 37:34 - VR & The Bhagavad Gita Project  46:07 - The Hero's Journey  49:49 - System 360  52:51 - Quick Bites

    1h 8m
  5. 26/11 Taj Attack Survivor to Institution Builder | Rajita Kulkarni on Courage & Leadership

    MAR 5

    26/11 Taj Attack Survivor to Institution Builder | Rajita Kulkarni on Courage & Leadership

    This Women’s Day, we’re not celebrating slogans. We’re studying what strength looks like under fire. Rajita Kulkarni survived the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. But survival was not the headline of her life. What followed was harder: Rebuilding identity. Recalibrating ambition. Choosing institution over ego. Building leadership rooted in inner steadiness. From global banking to leading Sri Sri University, this is a story of a woman who did not let crisis define her - she let it refine her. In this episode, we explore: • What extreme pressure reveals about leadership • Why ambition without anchoring collapses • The discipline behind feminine power • How institutions are built by those who outgrow fear • Why inner authority matters more than outer applause This is not Women’s Day inspiration. This is Women’s Day calibration. Because unstoppable is not loud. It is stable. And when women lead from stability institutions rise. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:08:06 - Early Life and Family Influences 00:29:44 - Journey from Banking to Spirituality 00:44:50 - 26/11 Mumbai Attacks Experience 01:08:03 - Building Shri University 01:35:26 - AI, Education, and the Future 01:46:36 - Quick Bites

    1h 60m
  6. Silent at Seven. Unbreakable at Forty. (Ft. Megha Bajaj)

    FEB 25

    Silent at Seven. Unbreakable at Forty. (Ft. Megha Bajaj)

    Megha Bajaj is one of India’s most loved contemporary authors, founder of WOW (a life-skills movement for children), TEDx speaker, and a voice many turn to for faith, growth, and emotional strength. But long before visibility — there was silence. At seven, she chose to sit alone on a terrace facing the sea instead of going to school. That decision shaped her inner architecture. In this episode, we go beyond inspiration and decode: • The day she stopped going to school — and what 7 hours of silence built inside her • Growing up in a 24-member family and still feeling invisible • Discovering spirituality at 16 — rebellion or regulation? • Watching her mother battle stage-four brain cancer without losing internal grounding • Why manifestation without structure becomes self-deception • The myth of “magnetizing” without disciplined action • Turning emotional pain into structured contribution through WOW This isn’t a conversation about religion. It’s about psychological anchoring. Not positivity. Stability. Because when life destabilizes you, inner authority becomes your only leverage. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:00 - Early Years & Finding Spirituality 00:10:47 - Meeting the Guru 00:23:32 - The Miracle of Faith 00:33:11 - The Breakthrough Book 00:51:36 - Platform WOW & Life Philosophy 01:05:11 - Quick Bites

    1h 10m

  7. FEB 18

    Purpose Over Pay: Roshan Abbas on Craft, Culture & Staying Curious

    What happens when designation replaces craft? In this episode of Unstoppable Woman, I sit down with Roshan Abbas — storyteller, cultural architect, performer, and founder — for a conversation that goes far beyond career highlights. We speak about: • Why curiosity is the only real career insurance • The trap of hierarchy and title-chasing • The difference between random success and cultured success • Why Gen Z doesn’t want position — they want purpose • What mortality teaches you about reinvention • And why obsession with your dream is not optional Roshan reflects on growing up in a home of teachers, building a life rooted in words, navigating reinvention, and returning to craft when noise gets louder than meaning. This is not a biography. It’s a philosophy. If you care about creativity, culture, leadership, or building something that lasts — this conversation will stay with you. 🎧 Unstoppable Woman — where inner architecture drives outer impact. Now streaming. Introduction- 00:00 Early Career & Radio Journey - 12:48 Building Encompass & Kommune - 20:56 Heart Surgery Experience - 25:36 Life Philosophy & Values - 39:08 Creativity & Purpose - 48:06

    1h 52m
  8. Shimla to Bollywood: Priya Chauhan on Craft, Resilience & Not Quitting - Ep 8 | Unstoppable Woman S4

    FEB 11

    Shimla to Bollywood: Priya Chauhan on Craft, Resilience & Not Quitting - Ep 8 | Unstoppable Woman S4

    What does it take to keep going when the glamour fades and the work gets lonely? In this episode of Unstoppable Woman, host Shailja Saraswati sits down with actor and performer Priya Chauhan for a rare, grounded conversation about craft, resilience, and staying present in an industry built on pressure and comparison. From growing up in the stillness of Shimla to navigating the speed of big-city life, Priya reflects on how dance became her first anchor; a space where shyness dissolved and expression took over. She speaks honestly about auditions, rejection, preparation, and why looking the part is never enough to sustain a career. Through poetry, silence, song, and reflection, this episode explores: • Why glamour can distract from craft • How resilience is built through repetition, not validation • What it really means to be unstoppable not as aggression, but as the refusal to quit This is not a motivational story. It’s a grounded conversation about choosing the work again and again. 📌 Watch till the end for Priya’s definition of the unstoppable spirit Chapters: 1. Introduction - 00:00 2. Journey to Mumbai - 1:20 3. Early Passion for Dance & Performance - 2:54 4. Breaking into the Industry - 42:30 5. Loss, Grief & Personal Growth - 1:02:38 6. Mindfulness & Meditation - 1:24:57 7. Staying Connected to Roots - 1:34:59 8. Quick Bites - 1:41:23

    1h 47m
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About

Season 4 The new season expands the lens to explore the unstoppable spirit that exists beyond gender, titles, and public achievement. Adopting a gender-agnostic approach, Season 4 focuses less on what people have accomplished and more on who they become in the process—centering on inner mastery and enablement, through uncovering what it takes to stay resilience for transformation Perhaps this season also marks the beginning of what comes next from the host of the show - Shailja Saraswati Stay tuned!

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