ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Asian News International (ANI)
  • 4.7 (93)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash gets eminent people from different walks of life to talk about issues that impact you and society at large. Join Smita Prakash as she brings important voices from the field of politics, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. Dive in for a great listening experience brought to you by India’s largest news agency.

  1. 4d ago

    EP-454 | Nimrat Kaur on Losing Her Father to Terrorism, Military Life, Dhurandhar & Bollywood

    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 Lunchbox. She also opens up about losing her father to terrorism in Kashmir, her mother’s strength, working in Hollywood, social media pressure and her life away from the screen. 00:00 – Introduction 01:22 – Success After The Lunchbox 04:20 – How Homeland Happened 05:27 – Avoiding Typecasting 10:35 – Working with Irrfan Khan 13:14 – Being Raised by a Single Mother 15:53 – Her Father’s Kidnapping and Assassination 20:01 – Filming Homeland 24:38 – Indian vs International Film Sets 26:31 – Paparazzi and Social Media 31:14 – PR Agencies 34:15 – Breaking the ‘Sanskari’ Image 40:00 – Growing Up in a Military Family 41:45 – Do Men Feel Intimidated by Thinking Actresses? 43:43 – Working with Amitabh Bachchan 45:42 – Spirituality, Solitude and Staying Grounded 49:22 – Dealing with Impostor Syndrome 52:14 – Artificial Intelligence in Filmmaking 54:24 – Body Image and Changing Perceptions 55:19 – Playing a Spy in The Family Man 55:38 – Akshay Kumar and On-Set Prank Stories 58:23 – Friendships in the Film Industry 1:00:08 – Auditions and Screen Tests 1:02:20 – Indian Actors and Hollywood 1:04:36 – Dhurandhar and Authentic Spy Films 1:09:50 – Role Models and Her Acting Dream 1:11:56 – Relationships and Staying Authentic 1:14:50 – Conclusion

    EP-454 | Nimrat Kaur on Losing Her Father to Terrorism, Military Life, Dhurandhar & Bollywood

  2. 6d ago

    EP-453 | Untold Secrets of Dawood, Chhota Rajan, Haji Mastan & D-Company | Vivek Agrawal

    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, the relationship between the underworld and Bollywood, and how extortion and traditional criminal networks evolved into real estate and business operations. *Timestamps* 0:00 – Introduction 1:22 – Chhota Rajan’s Origin Story 6:24 – Haji Mastan, Karim Lala & Varadarajan Mudaliar 11:05 – Rise of Dawood Ibrahim 20:35 – Chhota Rajan vs Dawood 30:04 – Arun Gawli-Dawood Gang War 32:11 – 1993 Bombay Bombings 47:48 – Sanjay Dutt’s TADA Case 53:00 – Crime Reporting 56:00 – Dawood’s Portrayal in Bollywood 1:00:06 – D-Company at Present 1:01:23 – Karachi Module Uncovered 1:02:58 – Ajit Doval’s Covert Operations 1:07:21 – If Dawood Returns, Who Gets Exposed?

    EP-453 | Untold Secrets of Dawood, Chhota Rajan, Haji Mastan & D-Company | Vivek Agrawal

  3. Sep 23

    EP-452 | Biswajit Chatterjee on Kishore Kumar, Rekha, Dharmendra, Raaj Kumar & Bollywood’s Golden Era

    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 “Kajra Mohabbat Wala.”At 89, he sits down with Smita Prakash on the ANI Podcast to look back on his career, his life and his loves. Timestamps0:00 – Introduction3:26 – Dharmendra’s Last Film8:42 – Playing Different Roles11:27 – Meeting Guru Dutt16:07 – First Bollywood Film18:50 – Guidance From Uttam Kumar21:08 – Evergreen Songs21:31 – Working With Waheeda Rehman22:52 – Entering Bollywood27:44 – Raaj Kumar Stories31:45 – Acting With Kishore Kumar33:12 – Forgotten Actors of Yesteryear40:45 – The 70s and the Fall of Romantic Heroes47:14 – Working With Mumtaz and Pran49:34 – Dealing With Fame49:44 – Kiss Controversy With Rekha50:56 – Music Journey53:20 – Dev Anand’s Son’s Debut Film54:14 – Sunil Dutt’s ‘Rocky’55:20 – Bangladesh Documentary58:40 – His Son Prosenjit Chatterjee59:31 – Meeting Shah Rukh Khan1:02:03 – Bengali Film Industry vs Bollywood1:07:14 – K. Asif, Bimal Roy and ‘Madhumati’1:11:18 – Making Films Today

    EP-452 | Biswajit Chatterjee on Kishore Kumar, Rekha, Dharmendra, Raaj Kumar & Bollywood’s Golden Era

  4. Sep 19

    EP-451 l Mahatma Gandhi, India’s History, Leftist Historians, Savarkar & Tipu Sultan | Vikram Sampath

    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’s history remains centred around Delhi and discusses how NCERT textbooks have shaped our understanding of the past. He speaks about Mahatma Gandhi, Veer Savarkar and Tipu Sultan, and challenges the influence of Leftist historians on India’s historical narrative. This episode explores how India can reclaim and rewrite its history. 00:00 – Introduction 1:15 – History Textbooks in India 4:51 – Cholas, Ahoms and Marathas 10:09 – Narrative of Indian History 14:36 – India’s Cultural Geography 18:18 – Historical Research Projects 23:24 – Bias in Historical Writing 29:37 – Mahatma Gandhi’s Legacy 35:23 – Ancient Texts & Language Barriers 40:36 – History of Buddhism 52:21 – Religious Conversion 58:00 – Forgotten Women in Indian History 1:04:12 – Kashmir’s Historical Documentation 1:10:51 – Portrayal of History in Movies 1:16:10 – Future of History Education 1:25:19 – India’s Musical Heritage

    EP-451 l Mahatma Gandhi, India’s History, Leftist Historians, Savarkar & Tipu Sultan | Vikram Sampath

  5. Sep 16

    EP-450 | Raj Kapoor, Dawood Ibrahim & Bollywood’s Secrets: Mandakini Reveals All

    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 – Introduction 0:51 – Story Behind 'Ram Teri Ganga Maili' 9:53 – Working With Raj Kapoor 11:04 – From Yasmeen to Mandakini 12:41 – Working With Rajiv Kapoor 14:02 – Controversial Scenes 18:16 – Raj Kapoor’s Vision 21:53 – Bollywood: Then vs Now 25:16 – Rumoured Links to Dawood 28:07 – Performing Live Shows Abroad 31:48 – Gunshot Controversy 35:17 – Why Mandakini Quit Films

    EP-450 | Raj Kapoor, Dawood Ibrahim & Bollywood’s Secrets: Mandakini Reveals All

  6. Sep 13

    EP-449 I “India Looks So Poor”: Manu Joseph on Broken Cities, Gen Z, Jobs, CM Vijay & PM Modi

    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 civic sense. He also speaks about Noida versus Gurugram, Vijay’s rise in Tamil Nadu politics, freedom of expression, privilege, merit and why India “looks so poor”. 0:00 – Introduction 1:13 – Life in Gurugram 2:33 – Village–City Divide 3:55 – Civic Order vs Social Order 5:47 – Why India Looks So Poor 6:57 – Swanky Airports and Broken Cities 10:51 – India’s Obsession With Useless Issues 14:24 – Leaving Gurugram 18:22 – Bengaluru Has Become a Hellhole 19:36 – Why Indian Cities Are Unliveable 22:30 – Is Goa India’s Most Cosmopolitan Place? 29:30 – What’s Wrong With Kerala? 33:42 – Kerala’s Healthcare 35:58 – Kerala Mothers 40:06 – Indian Parents and Education 47:19 – North India vs South India 52:51 – Servility, Saluting and Class in India 55:10 – How Indians Treat Salespeople 55:48 – How Indians Treat Waiters 1:02:59 – Why the Poor Don’t Kill Us 1:03:22 – The Attention-Span Crisis 1:08:35 – Cockroach Janata Party 1:13:11 – Why Gen Z Is Screwed by Equality 1:13:52 – India’s Employability Crisis 1:26:53 – Unemployment Among Educated Women 1:31:54 – Exam Leaks and Student Protests 1:35:42 – Freedom of Expression in India 1:40:25 – “Vijay Was My Classmate” 1:42:57 – Mani Ratnam and Tamil Cinema 1:44:45 – Vijay’s Political Rise 1:55:13 – Caste and Public Toilets 1:59:46 – Manu Joseph’s Stand-Up Film 2:04:48 – Left-Wing vs Right-Wing Politics 2:09:11 – Why Ancient History Is Unreliable 2:12:43 – Leaving Journalism and Writing Fiction 2:15:50 – His Take on ‘Godi Media’

    EP-449 I “India Looks So Poor”: Manu Joseph on Broken Cities, Gen Z, Jobs, CM Vijay & PM Modi

  7. Sep 9

    EP-448 | Samrat Choudhary on Bankipur, Migration, Alcohol Ban, Reservation, Jobs & Bihar’s Infra

    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 – Bihar Floods 4:08 – Water Treaty with Bangladesh 11:05 – Women’s Employment Scheme 17:23 – Jobs in Bihar 23:31 – Bihar’s Education System 27:29 – Skill Development 31:48 – Migration 35:50 – Alcohol Ban 36:50 – NDA Alliance 43:00 – BJP’s Bankipur Defeat 50:15 – Reservation 53:40 – Road and Bridge Collapses

    EP-448 | Samrat Choudhary on Bankipur, Migration, Alcohol Ban, Reservation, Jobs & Bihar’s Infra

  8. Sep 6

    EP-447 | “I Thought I Wasn’t Right for Mirzapur Role”: Rasika Dugal on Bollywood, OTT & Patriarchy

    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 Mirzapur and shares her experience of working with Pankaj Tripathi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. She also remembers Irrfan Khan and explains what he taught her about being a good co-actor. Dugal speaks about how streaming platforms have transformed her career, the challenges women-led stories face, and the patriarchal expectations placed on women in the entertainment industry. *Timestamps* 0:00 – Introduction 0:34 – Acting Style 3:05 – Family's Reaction to Acting 4:12 – Moving to Mumbai 6:58 – Studying at FTII 9:49 – Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur 15:07 – Intimate Scenes in Mirzapur 22:17 – Working With Kulbhushan Kharbanda 26:28 – Role in Delhi Crime 29:03 – Long-Form Storytelling 31:51 – Working With Irrfan Khan 34:15 – Working in Manto 37:25 – Scrutiny on Women Actors 42:17 – Importance of Small Details 44:11 – Violence in Mirzapur and Delhi Crime 46:09 – Creative Freedom on Sets 52:29 – Beena Tripathi’s Revenge in Mirzapur 54:49 – Working With Saif Ali Khan 59:07 – Being an Outsider 1:03:07 – Women’s Stories in Indian Cinema 1:04:13 – Working With Male and Female Directors 1:09:07 – How AI Can Help Filmmakers 1:12:43 – Conclusion

    EP-447 | “I Thought I Wasn’t Right for Mirzapur Role”: Rasika Dugal on Bollywood, OTT & Patriarchy
See All (454)

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
93 Ratings

About

ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash gets eminent people from different walks of life to talk about issues that impact you and society at large. Join Smita Prakash as she brings important voices from the field of politics, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. Dive in for a great listening experience brought to you by India’s largest news agency.

Information

  • Creator
    Asian News International (ANI)
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    454
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Asian News International (ANI)
  • Show Website
    ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

You Might Also Like