Books and Beyond with Bound

Bound Podcasts
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Welcome to India’s No. 1 book podcast where Tara Khandelwal uncovers the stories behind some of the best-written books of our time. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, and insecurities to publishing journeys. And how these books shape our lives and worldview today. Tune in every Wednesday! Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Get in touch with us at connect@boundindia.com.

  1. 9.6 Forget the Pandavas, Satyavati Ran the Show! ft. Rupeen Popat

    1D AGO

    9.6 Forget the Pandavas, Satyavati Ran the Show! ft. Rupeen Popat

    What if the most powerful character in the Mahabharata was a boatwoman? In this episode of Books & Beyond, Tara sits down with debut author Rupeen Popat to explore his novel Satyavati, a bold retelling of the Mahabharata’s origin story through the eyes of a woman history forgot. Satyavati begins as a ferrying boatwoman, but her courage and resilience transform her into the queen who steered the fate of kingdoms. Rupeen takes us behind the scenes of his lifelong fascination with Indian epics, sharing his research process, stepping into the shoes of Satyavati, and deep dives that brought this book and the morally complex world of Hastinapur to life. From Bhishma’s unbreakable vows to Ganga’s enigmatic actions, the episode explores the conflicts, morally grey areas, and leadership lessons these timeless stories hold for readers today. He also opens up about his publishing journey with Jaico, what makes Indian mythology different than Western, and hints at the next books in the series that will shine a light on other overlooked characters. If you’ve ever wondered what really shapes history, or simply love epic storytelling, you won’t want to miss this episode. Books and TV shows mentioned in the episode: Mahabharat (1988)Game of Thrones (2011)The Lord of the Rings (Film trilogy)How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie  Imagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    44 min
  2. 9.5 Welcome to the Internet. It Sucks. ft. Anurag Minus Verma

    FEB 17

    9.5 Welcome to the Internet. It Sucks. ft. Anurag Minus Verma

    Be honest. When was the last time you logged off because you wanted to, not because your battery died? In this brand new episode of Books & Beyond, Tara sits down with Anurag Minus Verma, influencer, writer, and podcaster, to trace how the Indian internet went from cyber cafes and Orkut scraps to algorithms that know us better than we do. From going down random rabbit holes and getting emotionally invested in strangers we’ve never met, to collectively losing our minds over the next big controversy, it all points to the same question: when did being online become the default setting, and what has it done to us in the process?   Talking about his book The Great Indian Brain Rot, Anurag and Tara get into the TikTok ban and the madness around it, the influence of Sushant Singh Rajput, and why influencer fame doesn’t always mean anything outside the app. He also talks about why so many creators want to shift to film or TV, and how podcasts have suddenly become the format everyone wants in on. If your day starts and ends with a screen, and “just five minutes” never means five minutes, this episode is for you! So press play. Then maybe, just maybe, touch some grass. Books and Documentaries mentioned in the episode: Never Logged Out: How the Internet Created India's Gen Z by Ria ChopraMorality TV and Loving Jehad by Paromita Vohra (2007)Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia TolentinoMother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati RoyThe Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran DesaiKasapa by Manohar Shyam Joshi  Imagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    1h 3m
  3. 9.4 Mumbai Meri Jaan, But at What Cost? ft. Sidharth Bhatia

    FEB 10

    9.4 Mumbai Meri Jaan, But at What Cost? ft. Sidharth Bhatia

    Is Mumbai still a city for everyone, or just for those who can afford it? In this episode of Books & Beyond, Tara sits down with veteran journalist and author Sidharth Bhatia to discuss his latest book, Mumbai: A Million Islands. The book is not about the history of Marine Lines or the Gateway of India, but the thing that actually builds this city... PEOPLE! Tara and Sidharth explore the bubonic plague of 1896, the transformation of Parel’s textile mills into high-end malls, and what it’s like for 28 families to build a rooftop community, hauling groceries, furniture, and even dead bodies up by rope. They discuss displacement of both slum and middle-class communities, the stories of activist Gauri Sawant and Kanthibai of Kamathipura, and how walking across the city reveals the hidden lives and stories that often go unnoticed. Whether you’re a lifelong Mumbaikar or a curious outsider, this episode is a love letter and a critique that will make you question what it truly means to belong in Mumbai today. Books and Documentaries mentioned in the episode: Bachelor Girls by Shikha Makan (2016)Manto: Selected Short Stories by Saadat Hasan MantoNight in Bombay by Louis Bromfield  Imagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    42 min
  4. 9.3 More Than Just Chick-lit ft. Deepanjana Pal

    FEB 4

    9.3 More Than Just Chick-lit ft. Deepanjana Pal

    What if the most important love story in your life isn’t romantic at all? In our brand new episode, journalist and author Deepanjana Pal talks about her novel, Lightning in a Shot Glass. It’s a witty, radical look at two Mumbai flatmates navigating love, life, and ambition on their own terms. Tara and Deepanjana dive into why female friendships are often the real love stories of our lives and how having chosen family keeps us grounded. They challenge the notion of genre hierarchies while showing that love stories can be smart and fun. Deepanjana also gets candid about the messier parts of life, from workplace politics and abuse of authority to age-gap and interfaith romance. By bringing these real-world messes into the conversation, she proves that fiction can be both joyful and deeply authentic at the same time. If you’re looking to dive into something that's as smart and fun as it is unapologetically real, this episode is for you! Books and TV Shows mentioned in the episode: Younger (2015)Four More Shots Please! (2019)Call Me Bae (2024)Fleabag (2016)The Family Man (2019)A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent by Marie BrennanBeowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana HeadleyThe Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana HeadleyThe Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran DesaiCat's Eye by Margaret AtwoodImagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    56 min
  5. 9.2 Coding Ourselves Into a Future We Can’t Control ft. Akshay Chopra

    JAN 27

    9.2 Coding Ourselves Into a Future We Can’t Control ft. Akshay Chopra

    What happens to “us” when we’re no longer the smartest beings on the planet? In our brand new episode, technologist and global innovation leader Akshay Chopra discusses his debut novel After Us, exploring a world transformed by SUI, a self-aware, benevolent superintelligence that questions the very definition of life and humanity. Tara and Akshay dive deep into the fascinating (and often terrifying) intersections of science and fiction, from the "Longevity Escape Velocity" that could grant us 400-year lifespans to why humans may never truly understand an AI’s motives, and how Akshay conceived SUI not as an invention, but as a fallible, evolving being. The conversation goes on to explore why science fiction remains largely untapped in India, despite its wealth of technologists and storytellers, and how our fear of AI may stem from humanity’s own history of driving other species to extinction. Akshay also shares his journey of publishing his novel through Jaico and his shift from a "pretentious" writing style to a simplified narrative. By stripping away the jargon, he makes the looming reality of our future impossible to ignore. If the AI takeover keeps you up at night, this episode is just for you! Books, Movies, and TV shows mentioned in the episode: Frankenstein by Mary ShelleyBlack Mirror (2011)Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah HarariHer (2013)Star Trek (2009)Children of Time by Adrian TchaikovskyThe Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin SharmaAutobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa YoganandaRubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Omar KhayyamA Sound of Thunder by Ray BradburyChildhood's End by Arthur C. ClarkeRendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. ClarkeInterstellar (2014)2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)  Imagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    52 min
  6. 9.1 We’re Curating Kala Ghoda Arts Festival!

    JAN 20

    9.1 We’re Curating Kala Ghoda Arts Festival!

    What does it take to actually curate a literary festival? We’re back! Season 9 of Books & Beyond kicks off with Tara and Aishwarya spilling the tea on their latest project: curating the Literature Section for the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2026!   This episode is a deep dive into the madness of curation. Why is Aishwarya obsessed with color-coded Excel sheets? Why is Tara picking out "apples" for a festival? And how many "healthy skirmishes" does it take to build a schedule from scratch? From the magic of reading Kafka in Marathi to the courage it takes to launch a debut novel, tune in for an exclusive peek into the heart of a mammoth arts festival!  Imagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    48 min
  7. 8.25 Alka Joshi: The "Overnight Success" That Took a Decade to Write

    12/16/2025

    8.25 Alka Joshi: The "Overnight Success" That Took a Decade to Write

    Would you keep writing if your agent told you "not yet" for ten straight years? In this episode of Books & Beyond, Tara sits down with NYT bestselling author Alka Joshi to discuss her latest novel, Six Days in Bombay. Alka reveals the incredible decade-long journey behind her debut, The Henna Artist, from a relentless agent who kept saying the book wasn’t ready, through years of tireless revisions, to the "perfect timing" that landed her in Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club. But for Alka, the story started much earlier. She shares her personal journey of navigating prejudice as an Indian in America; an experience that once forced her to leave her heritage behind, until she finally chose to embrace it all to tell her mother’s story. She also takes us behind the scenes of her new book; how she purposefully traveled to cities like Prague, Paris, and Florence to "live" the world of her novels before meticulously reconstructing the 1937 world portrayed in Six Days in Bombay. Tara and Alka also dive into their shared love for historical fiction, their top book recommendations, and the real-life incredible women who inspired her most beloved characters. Tune in now to hear firsthand about Alka Joshi’s fascinating road to publishing and her life as a storyteller! Books Mentioned in the Episode: The Joy Luck Club by Amy TanA Fine Balance by Rohinton MistryRed Azalea by Anchee MinPachinko by Min Jin LeeStories from TagoreThe Color Purple by Alice WalkerThe Inheritance of Loss by Kiran DesaiAll the Light We Cannot See by Anthony DoerrThe Covenant of Water by Abraham VergheseRailsong by Rahul BhattacharyaSmall Things Like These by Claire KeeganImagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    1h 9m
  8. 8.24 Roopa Kudva: The Anti-Formula Leader; Write Your Own Playbook!

    12/09/2025

    8.24 Roopa Kudva: The Anti-Formula Leader; Write Your Own Playbook!

    You don't need a playbook to become a leader, your instincts are your guide. In the latest episode of Books & Beyond, Roopa Kudva, author of Leadership Beyond the Playbook, joins Tara to challenge the formulaic approach to leadership. Instead of giving you a 10-step plan, Roopa hands the steering wheel to you. They dive into why true leadership can’t be squeezed into neat frameworks and why the real growth happens when you start looking inward. Roopa shares her own evolution, from asking for a career-changing role to her transition into becoming the CEO of Crisil. They also explore leadership styles, authentic vs. inauthentic communication, and the science of resilience, including how to build it within yourself and across your organisation. Whether you’re taking your first step up or navigating a major transition, this episode is an empowering reminder that you are in the driver’s seat and get to decide the leader you want to be. Books mentioned in the episode: Personal History by Katharine GrahamAuthors mentioned in the episode: P.G. WodehouseAgatha Christie  Imagine spending five days of uninterrupted creativity in a serene, century-old Indo-Portuguese villa. Join an exclusive group of twelve writers for a transformative writing retreat. 5 seats left, apply now! Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/annual-writers-retreat Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/46rhn7hz ‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

    52 min
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Welcome to India’s No. 1 book podcast where Tara Khandelwal uncovers the stories behind some of the best-written books of our time. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, and insecurities to publishing journeys. And how these books shape our lives and worldview today. Tune in every Wednesday! Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Get in touch with us at connect@boundindia.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Bound Podcasts
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    189
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Books and Beyond with Bound
  • Show Website
    Books and Beyond with Bound

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