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.
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Parikshit Sahni is one of Indian cinema’s most respected veteran actors, known for his memorable performances in Kabhi Kabhie, Tapasya, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, and PK. The son of legendary actor Balraj Sahni, he has carried forward a remarkable cinematic legacy with grace and depth. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Parikshit Sahni takes us through the golden era of Bollywood, sharing stories of working with icons like Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and R...
Saurabh Shukla is one of India’s most talented and loved actors, known for his roles in Satya, Jolly LLB, and Barfi. A National Award winner, he is admired for his natural acting and brilliant comic timing. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Saurabh Shukla talks about what acting really means, how he perfects his timing in comedy, and how he keeps his characters real and consistent across films. He shares interesting stories about working with greats like Amrish Puri and Shek...
In this episode, real estate magnate Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani offers an optimistic vision for India, addressing how the nation can transform global trade challenges into opportunities for self-reliance. He shares insights into the transformation of Mumbai's real estate, the importance of fostering entrepreneurship, and the urgent need to revamp education and vocational training to bridge the skill gap and solve unemployment. Dr. Hiranandani also touches upon healthcare challenges and defends wealth creators' role in national development.
Kazem Samandari is the Executive Chairperson and Co-Founder of L'Opéra, one of India’s most prominent French bakery operations. Christine Samandari-Hakim, his wife and co-founder, played a key role in developing the bakery’s concept and brand identity. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Kazem and Christine Samandari share their experiences as Baha’is in pre-revolutionary Iran, and the challenges their families faced during the Islamic Revolution. They also talk about how thei...
In her first-ever podcast, Bollywood veteran Rani Mukerji candidly discusses her recent National Award win for "Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway," a role deeply connected to her mother. She delves into her philosophy on privacy, balancing family life with a demanding career, and navigating industry changes. Mukerji also shares insights on reinventing herself, working with top directors, and her dedication to portraying strong, empowered Indian women on screen.
Dr. Ramakanta Panda is a renowned cardiac surgeon and Chairman of the Asian Heart Institute, a leading cardiac care hospital in Mumbai. He has performed over 30,000 successful cardiac surgeries. Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010, Dr. Panda has operated on several top Indian leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tarun Gogoi. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr Panda discusses the rising cases of heart attacks among young people. He ad...
Sardar Tarlochan Singh is a former Rajya Sabha member and ex-Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities. He has spent his life fighting for Sikh causes, human rights, and keeping the Punjabi language alive, while promoting Sikhism around the world. At 92, Tarlochan Singh has seen it all, from India’s Partition to the rise of India as a major power in South Asia. In Part 2 of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Tarlochan Singh talks about Rajiv Gandhi’s Cold War with President Giani Zail ...
Cyrus Broacha is a comedian, political satirist, podcaster, and author. He is best known for MTV India’s Bakra and his popular satirical show The Week That Wasn’t, which ran on television for over 17 years. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Cyrus shares behind-the-scenes stories from The Week That Wasn’t and MTV Bakra, along with his experience on Bigg Boss. He also talks about sitcoms and reality shows, the Parsis of Bombay, and opens up about crushes, colleagues, marriage,...
Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma is the titular King of Tripura and the founder of the Tipra Motha Party. His party runs the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council and is also an ally of the BJP at the state level, making him one of the key voices from the Northeast. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Pradyot talks about infiltration from Bangladesh, his demand for a separate state called Greater Tipraland, and why he feels the Northeast is facing a crisis of identi...
Lobsang Sangay served as the Tibetan Prime Minister in exile from 2011 to 2021. He was the first person without a monastic background to hold this post. Born in 1968 in a refugee community in Darjeeling, India, he studied law at Delhi University. Later, he went to Harvard University to study international law and democracy, and is now an American citizen. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about how China interferes in the local affairs of South Asian countries, incl...
Pavneet Singh is an author, teacher, and content creator who makes videos on geopolitics, foreign affairs, and international relations. Over the years, he has carved a niche for himself by simplifying geopolitics into layman’s terms, making it easy for everyone to understand. He also runs a popular YouTube channel called SpyGamesPavneet. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Pavneet discusses how governments are being toppled in South Asia, with Nepal serving as the latest examp...
Amod Kanth is a former IPS officer who served in the Delhi Police and is known for handling some of India’s most high-profile and sensitive cases. He was the investigating officer in the Jessica Lal murder case and played a key role in probing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Kanth also headed the Crime Branch and later founded Prayas, an NGO working for children and youth. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Amod Kanth speaks about the motive behind Ra...
Milind Deora is a former Union Minister of State and prominent Mumbai politician who joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena after spending over two decades in the Congress. Known for his candid views on governance, democracy, and Mumbai’s development, Deora has often been at the centre of key political debates. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he opens up on Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, why he left the Congress, and discusses Trump’s tariffs on India. He also speaks about dem...
How does the Opposition make its strategy to counter the ruling government in Parliament? Who is responsible for running the House? Why was the Monsoon Session of Parliament completely washed out? What led to Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden exit? Why has the Opposition made the ‘Vote Chori’ row its main weapon against the government? Was there really a BJP vs. BJP fight in the Constitution Club polls? To answer these questions and give you the inside scoop, this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita P...
Sardar Tarlochan Singh is a former Rajya Sabha member and ex-Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities. He has spent his life fighting for Sikh causes, human rights, and keeping the Punjabi language alive, promoting Sikhism around the world. He has seen it all, from Partition, Nehru and Indira Gandhi’s rule, the rise of Bhindranwale, Operation Blue Star, Rajiv Gandhi, to Modi’s government. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about Sikhism, what the Sikh commu...
Kalli Purie is the Vice Chairperson & Executive Editor-in-Chief of the India Today Group. She studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University, UK. She is a core member of the team that created a modern newsroom designed for today’s multimedia and multi-device world. In this episode of the ANI Podcast, Kalli Purie talks about the kind of political pressure news channels face from governments and how they handle it. She explains why every channel calls itself “number one,” and ...
Tilak Devasher is an author and a former member of India’s National Security Advisory Board. Sushant Sareen is a Senior Fellow at ORF and an expert on Pakistan and security issues in the region. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss how India can defeat Pakistan in its global propaganda war, the shortcomings in media and narratives during Operation Sindoor, and why Trump appears to be choosing Pakistan over India. They also delve into the psyche of Pakistan Ar...
Priyanka Chaturvedi is a Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (UBT) and the party’s Deputy Leader in the Upper House. She has been active in politics for over a decade, after starting her career in media and communications. She is known for her articulate debates in Parliament and on news platforms. Representing Maharashtra, she is regarded as one of the well-known women parliamentarians in India. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she speaks about Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of 'vot...
Pankaj Saran is a well-known figure in Indian diplomacy, having served as Ambassador to Russia and Bangladesh, Deputy National Security Adviser, and in the PMO under Dr Manmohan Singh. He has also been posted at the Indian mission in Washington, D.C. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about Trump’s tariffs on India. He explains how India can protect its interests and sovereignty. He shares his views on the Russia–Ukraine war and the chances of a ceasefire. Ambassador...
Sanjaya Baru is a former journalist, author, political commentator, policy analyst, and was media advisor to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. His book 'The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh' created quite a stir in India’s political circles. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about his latest book, 'Secession of the Successful: The Flight Out of New India'. The book explores why wealthy Indians are moving abroad, the brain drain th...
Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen is the Ambassador of Denmark to India. Ambassador Kristensen has previously served as Denmark’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and ASEAN from 2017 to 2020. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ambassador Kristensen speaks about supporting a rules-based order rather than one where big powers dictate to smaller nations, while addressing Trump’s 50% tariff on India. He reaffirms the EU’s stance against support for Russia’s war ...
Priya Kaushal is a forensic psychologist who supported the legal defense team of Lt Col. Prasad Purohit with forensic and procedural insights. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she exposes critical lapses in the 2008 Malegaon blast investigation. She highlights the challenges of evidence, justice, and coercion in the case. She explains how forensic protocols were ignored at a heavily contaminated crime scene, raising serious concerns about investigative bias, concerns later ...
Suhel Seth is a brand guru, author, columnist, and television pundit who can speak without pause on almost any topic. Omesh Saigal is an IITian who joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1964. He has served at every level of governance, from Block Development Officer to Chief Secretary of Delhi and Secretary in the Central Government. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the real reasons behind the crumbling infrastructure in Indian cities. Floods, traff...
Ajeet Bharti is a YouTuber, author, and journalist known for his outspoken views on the BJP and its policies. Pradeep Bhandari is the national spokesperson of the BJP, a psephologist, and a former journalist. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the two discuss a common allegation: Is the BJP becoming the new Congress? They also discuss what the Modi government has achieved in the last 11 years, and whether life has actually become easier for India’s middle class. The conversat...
Samir Saran is the President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India’s leading think tank based in New Delhi. He is a well-known voice in the field of diplomacy and is also the curator of the Raisina Dialogue. Samir has written several books and focuses his research on global governance, climate policy, and India’s foreign relations. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he explains how India should deal with US President Donald Trump. He also talks about Operation Sind...
Ami Ganatra is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA). Her books 'Mahabharata Unravelled' and 'Ramayana Unravelled' present the epics as they were originally written, without modern retellings or fictional twists. She explains their lessons and meanings in a clear, accessible manner, allowing readers of all backgrounds to understand and appreciate these ancient texts. In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ami Ganatra discusses the war lessons India can draw...
Pappu Yadav is an independent MP from Bihar’s Purnia. He has been elected to the Lok Sabha six times and has been active in politics since the 1990s. He spent 12 years in jail in the Ajit Sarkar murder case, but was later acquitted. In 2015, he launched his party, the Jan Adhikar Party, which was merged into the Congress in 2024. He is known for his ‘Robinhood’ image, often seen helping the underprivileged and giving financial aid to those in need. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita P...
Nishikant Dubey is a member of the BJP representing Godda constituency in the Lok Sabha. He is known for his fierce criticism of the opposition and his outspoken, no-nonsense style. In Parliament, he is seen as one of the most vocal and assertive voices from the BJP benches. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Nishikant Dubey discusses Prime Minister Modi’s succession plan and the role of the RSS in selecting the next BJP chief. He also addresses his controversial remarks abou...
Between May 6 and May 10, India set a new benchmark in Asia’s war strategy. In a bold and unprecedented move, New Delhi struck Pakistan-backed terror infrastructure and targeted air bases and radar sites deep inside the country. This podcast offers a detailed analysis of the events leading up to Operation Sindoor, from the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of innocent civilians, to the geopolitical dynamics involving the United States, the use of Chinese weaponry, and how Indian f...
Jibesh Kumar is currently serving as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing in the Government of Bihar. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the impact of Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bihar ahead of the upcoming polls, the role of the INDIA alliance, and Tejashwi Yadav's "tired" claims about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.The conversation also touches on key urban issues such as metro rail projects, waterlogging during the monsoon, the Smart City Mission, and overal...
