The Pooja Bhatt Show

iHeartPodcasts

Join iconic actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt as she takes you behind the scenes of the Indian film industry. A new weekly podcast, where she sits down with some of the most remarkable people from Bollywood and beyond, sharing inspiring stories and rare insights, through conversations with directors, actors, musicians, producers, stylists, singers and more.  From the highs and lows of her journey to the remarkable tales of those shaping Indian cinema, this show offers an authentic glimpse into the heart of the entertainment industry culture and her life - reflections, both reel and real.  Nothing is off-limits. Love. Loss. Addiction. Healing. Fame. Failure. Everything will be on the table. She and her guests will talk about it all, with honesty and vulnerability, stories you’ve never heard before

  1. 2D AGO

    A Conversation With Dino Morea

    In this revealing episode of The Pooja Bhatt Show, Dino Morea strips away the 'heartthrob' veneer to reveal the grit and vulnerability behind the glamour.He retraces his roots to his childhood in Bengaluru, where his foundation was built on discipline, etiquette and the importance of being a team player.  Early lessons that served as the anchor that kept him steady through the later turbulence of the film industry.He candidly discusses finding his feet in the world of modelling and landing his first acting break, only to be met with a crushing silence afterward. In an industry where stalled momentum is often considered a 'death sentence,' Dino talks about navigating the quiet until the phenomenon of Raaz exploded, forever rewriting his destiny.Dino describes the disorientation of being reduced to a public 'fantasy' at the peak of his fame. He reflects on the profound loneliness of that pedestal and the disquieting moment when the image began to crack, finally forcing him to look at the man underneath the stardom.He discusses the intense physical training he underwent during Holiday to set a new standard for dance in the industry, showcasing a level of dedication that defines his work ethic.Reminiscing on their time as co-producers, Pooja and Dino discuss their defiant decision to cast Sunny Leone - not a mere business move, but  a deliberate act of rebellion intended to break the rules of a rigid industry. Dino expresses deep gratitude for this 'Hands On' education, where he learned how to handle people and manage the chaos of a set, transforming from an actor into a seasoned professional.He details a period of  'ego stripping' by  going back to acting school, dropping the nice guy facade and finally stopping the exhausting pursuit of wanting to be liked by everyone. This internal shift and return to basics paved the way for his powerhouse resurgence in heavy-hitting roles like Tandav and The Empire.The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Dino discusses the passing of his father - the charismatic Ronnie Morea. He reframes the loss not as a tragedy, but as a friendship that has evolved into its most profound, spiritual form. Amidst this reflection on legacy and connection, Dino opens up about a deep personal longing to start a family, seeking roots and a future beyond the screen.Listen to this episode to discover a new, authentic dimension of Dino Morea - a rare autopsy of fame, self-discovery, and the power or re-invention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    54 min

  2. FEB 11

    A Conversation With Theia Tekchandaney

    In this episode, Pooja unpicks the seams of cinematic style with Theia Tekchandaney - a quiet powerhouse whose understated brilliance has shaped the iconic aesthetics of J**m, Paap and Neerja, to name a few.Theia joins Pooja to reveal how she uses fabric and fit to broadcast a character's soul before they ever speak a line of dialogue.They journey through the creation of Bipasha Basu's sultry, noir elegance, and the bold style risks that birthed John Abraham’s signature 'suits-and-chappals' look in J**m. From there she maps the transition to the 'Ethereal Himalayan' spirit of Paap where all her technical expertise garnered in NIFT came to the fore.Theia also shares the high-stakes reality of life on set - from the grit of aging costumes for 120 Bahadur to the adrenaline of crafting Arshad Warsi's Munna Bhai M.B.B.S wardrobe overnight, and recounts literally stapling herself to Priyanka Chopra to save a live performance.Beyond the glamour, Theia opens up about the discipline behind the craft, emphasizing a work ethic rooted in humility and a restless curiosity.  She discusses why she insists her assistants approach every job with a beginner's mind, ensuring that ego never gets in the way of discovery.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    55 min

  3. FEB 4

    A Conversation With Gunjan Augustine Sah

    What does cinema sound like when we truly listen? In this episode of The Pooja Bhatt Show, Pooja talks to sound maestro Gunjan Augustine Sah who pulls back the curtain on the invisible force that shapes our movie-going experience. From his nomadic childhood as an army kid where a life on the move taught him to listen to India’s unique rhythm to the high-stakes sets of Gully Boy and A Suitable Boy, Gunjan traces a journey defined by the discovery that the best sound is often the kind you don't hear, but deeply feel. Pooja and Gunjan dive deep into the evolution of Indian soundscapes, the technical battle for "clean" audio in a noisy world, and why silence is often the most powerful tool in a filmmaker's kit. As AI begins to reshape the industry, Gunjan reflects on why the human ear - and the human heart - remains the ultimate storyteller. It’s a conversation about the soul of cinema, the profound power of listening to your own Inner Voice and simply paying attention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    56 min

  4. JAN 28

    A Conversation With Shagufta Rafique

    What happens to a writer when the Film Industry stops listening? In this stark & achingly honest episode, Pooja sits down with screenwriter Shagufta Rafique, whose words once powered some of Hindi cinema’s most successful films - Aashiqui 2, Murder 2, Jannat 2, Raaz 2 & 3, J**m 2, Awarapan, and many more.  This is not a victory lap. It is a survival story. Shagufta speaks of a life built from lived experience - of wanting to be the 'good daughter' and supporting her mother by becoming a bar dancer. Of learning the language of pain early and of writing not from theory, but from the body. She reflects on what it means to be labeled “Irrelevant” and a "Has Been" in a system that constantly replaces memory with speed, instinct with metrics, and listening with noise. The conversation moves through the quiet erasures of the modern film Industry: how corporate gatekeeping reshapes classic storytelling, how female writers are sidelined, how simplicity is mistaken for weakness, and how algorithms now decide what deserves to be heard. What remains constant is her refusal to be silenced or disappear.This is a conversation about dignity and endurance.It is about the cost of speaking your truth when the room grows deaf. About writing - not to be celebrated, or even be read, but to simply remain alive.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    58 min

  5. JAN 21

    A Conversation With Meet Ashar

    In this forthright and informative episode of The Pooja Bhatt Show, Pooja sits down with Meet Ashar - lawyer, animal rights advocate, Legal Advisor & Director of Cruelty Response at PETA India. Ashar reminds us of something very basic: life matters. Not just human life - all life.He emphasizes that animals are not problems to be managed, but lives to be protected, and why the manner in which we treat animals is the clearest mirror of who we are.Ashar breaks down the ramifications of the honourable Supreme Court's orders and reinstates why sterilisation, vaccination, and adoption - not removal - are the only humane solutions going forward.Pooja and Meet highlight the undeniable link between animal abuse and human violence, and how cruelty rarely stays contained.This conversation is not only about animals. It is about justice. About responsibility. It is about who we have been.And who, we still have a chance to become. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 6m

  6. JAN 14

    A Conversation With Faraz Arif Ansari

    Human suffering is the womb of great art.And sometimes, grace arrives disguised as grief. This conversation between Pooja Bhatt and award-winning filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari is not assembled for comfort. Not shaped to soothe. But to awaken. What unfolds on this episode of The Pooja Bhatt Show is not grief revisited, but life awakened—a meeting where pain has already done its work. Where loss no longer numbs, but sharpens perception. Where silence is allowed to speak before language intervenes. There is love here without possession.Faith without certainty.Identity without defence.Art not as expression, but as responsibility. Faraz believes that stories change the world—not loudly, not instantly, but by altering the inner weather of those who listen. By making us more available to truth. Every pause carries weight.Every word knows where it comes from. This conversation understands something essential: suffering is not an interruption to life—it is the moment life becomes conscious of itself. Empathy is not softness, but courage. To stay awake in a fractured world is itself an ethical act. Nothing is resolved.Nothing is softened. And yet, something opens. Don’t listen to this episode to feel better.Listen to feel truer. Some conversations don’t offer answers.They alter your posture toward living.This is one of them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 5m

  7. JAN 7

    A Conversation With Vicky Ratnani

    Some conversations don’t leave you impressed. They leave you nourished. This episode of 'The Pooja Bhatt Show' feels like coming home — to a warm meal, familiar aromas, and stories that sit gently with you long after they’re told. Pooja sits down with Chef Vicky Ratnani — chef, author, television personality — not to dazzle, but to listen, remember, and reflect. The journey begins in a Sindhi home in Shivaji Park, with the comforting tang of Sindhi Kadhi — food as memory, as belonging. From there, it travels quietly to the decks of the Queen Elizabeth 2, where Vicky once cooked for Nelson Mandela — a moment held not as spectacle, but as gratitude. They talk about the unseen heart of food: service as care, kitchens as communities, and why simplicity often carries the deepest flavour. Vicky speaks with honesty about choosing sobriety, about clarity and discipline, and how that inner alignment reshaped his work and life. There is space too for the harder truths — the toll the hospitality world takes on bodies, relationships, and time. The conversation widens to the evolution of Indian cuisine on the global stage, the responsibility that comes with representation, and the quiet worry of traditions slipping away under the weight of trends. And, as all meaningful conversations do, it circles back home — to nostalgia, to memory, to the food that shapes who we are. Like the best meals, this conversation doesn’t try to impress — it simply stays with you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1 hr

  8. 12/31/2025

    A Conversation With Marijke Desouza

    In this intimate conversation, Pooja Bhatt sits down with producer Marijke Desouza to explore a career shaped as much by mentorship as by quiet perseverance. What emerges is the portrait of a filmmaker who learned her craft from the ground up—by observing, absorbing, and carrying forward knowledge passed down through experience rather than formal instruction.Marijke reflects on her journey from prop shopping as a production design assistant and being production manager on films with tight budgets to producing large-scale films like Brahmastra, offering insight into how guidance, trust, and responsibility move organically across film sets. The conversation sheds light on the industry’s most unseen labour: the delicate balance between creative ambition and financial reality, the changing scale of crews, and why production—often mistaken for mere logistics—is, in fact, central to bringing stories to life.Alongside these professional reflections are moments of personal vulnerability—navigating grief, learning from loss, and understanding when to lead, when to lean on others, and when to step back. It becomes a conversation about staying aligned with one’s inner compass while quietly supporting those around you—reminding us that mentorship is rarely announced; it is practiced.The episode is less about spectacle and more about substance—a thoughtful reflection on growth, resilience, and the quiet grace of those who hold the framework steady, allowing others the freedom to dream. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    59 min
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3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Join iconic actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt as she takes you behind the scenes of the Indian film industry. A new weekly podcast, where she sits down with some of the most remarkable people from Bollywood and beyond, sharing inspiring stories and rare insights, through conversations with directors, actors, musicians, producers, stylists, singers and more.  From the highs and lows of her journey to the remarkable tales of those shaping Indian cinema, this show offers an authentic glimpse into the heart of the entertainment industry culture and her life - reflections, both reel and real.  Nothing is off-limits. Love. Loss. Addiction. Healing. Fame. Failure. Everything will be on the table. She and her guests will talk about it all, with honesty and vulnerability, stories you’ve never heard before

Information

  • Channel
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Creator
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    2026 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    The Pooja Bhatt Show
  • Provider
    iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc

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