Supreme Court's notice to Karnataka regarding the Cauvery keeps both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on the edge, but was the media coverage a little too hyperbolic? Also, is 'Why no pellet guns?' a justified question? RSS generated heat with Kerala over festival myths and caused a debate over what precisely is the nature of Onam. Indian Express did superb investigative reporting (once again) on Jan Dhan One-Rupee Trick. Indian media showered all their attention on Aam Aadmi Party, Pakist...
Sep 16, 2016•72 hr 54 min
This week, Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen leapfrog from critically-acclaimed documentary, Placebo, to the pulpy Freaky Ali.There's little agreement between the two of them on the film front, but when it comes to the new music released this week, there's complete consensus. Find out what they have to say about the "Bolo Har Har" from Shivaay and the first new release from Mother Monster herself, Lady Gaga. And then there were the advertisements. Sen and Pal have a lot to say about the ...
Sep 14, 2016•28 hr 47 min
A Manchester United nut and a Liverpool fanatic bring you all the premier league action that unfolded over the weekend. Samar Khan tells you why he thinks there is no best tennis player in the world right now, following all that happened in the US open. Rahul Puri on why the BCCI’s bullying ways will do no favours to cricket. Also the duo don't hold back on why England cricket captain Eoin Morgan has displayed the most un-captain-like behaviour and he might as well stay home for good. Lots more ...
Sep 13, 2016•97 hr 10 min
Ramachandra Guha is an historian, but really, he is essentially a philosopher who makes history relevant to current events. He has authored multiple books on history, cricket and the environment. Newslaundry uploads Guha's recent lecture at the Raza Foundation about the problems of freedom of expression in India. There a few men who can combine intellectualism with wit while addressing the currency of the times. Guha is one of them. He uses Bollywood actor Johnny Walker's 50-50 paradigm on ...
Sep 12, 2016•26 hr 58 min
We move our focus to the South of the Vindhyas this week as columnist T S Sudhir, Hyderabad-based journalist & author, joins us on this episode of NL Hafta. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are at it again — the Cauvery dispute has escalated again, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu accepted a special package instead of a special status from the Centre, while in Kerala, the Rashtra Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) and Communists are at loggerheads. We also discuss mixed reactions to Mother Tere...
Sep 09, 2016•71 hr 49 min
Is "unauthorised" basically leave to speculate? Seems that way from Yasser Usman, who has written Rekha - The Untold Story, a gossipy, breezy read. Amitabh Bachchan's letter to his granddaughters on Teacher’s Day raises a number of questions. Is it just a PR stint to promote his upcoming movie, Pink? Speaking of Pink, we've found the best part of the film: Qurat-ul-Ain Baloch's beautiful rendition of the song "Kaari Kaari". There's a lot of beautiful music in this episode, and there's MSG - Sher...
Sep 08, 2016•26 hr 6 min
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal fired MLA Sandeep Kumar when an ‘objectionable cd’ showing Kumar having sex surfaced, but should Kumar have been fired? And why is the media getting its knickers in a twist? There was a naked Jain monk in the Haryana assembly preaching misogyny, Rahul Gandhi came out as less of a wuss in his case against the RSS. Mihira Sood, a Supreme Court lawyer joins this episode of NL Hafta to discuss backlash against the conviction of Mahmood Farooqui...
Sep 03, 2016•36 hr 3 min
From arty films on urban life to lesbians in Indian cinema and Karan Johar's new film, there's a lot that Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen have on their minds this week. Listen up as Pal offers an explanation for why Aishwarya Rai Bachchan chose Jazbaa (and not ADHM) as her comeback film. Sen takes you through two new web series, The 'Other' Love Story and Tripling. There's also their review of Island City by Ruchika Oberoi, which won an award and acclaim at last year's Venice Film Festival and ...
Aug 31, 2016•73 hr 47 min
Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi's opinion that paternity leave will just be a 'holiday' for men brought out unexpected sides to all our panellists, particularly Anand Ranganathan. We discuss OP Jaisha's Rio experience and how Big Media made primetime pantomime out of it. Over in France, the police's crackdown on burkinis has everyone up in arms. Madhu Trehan raises the most important question surrounding the Scorpene submarine leaks.Did the recent JNU rape cas...
Aug 26, 2016•11 hr 51 min
In this week’s episode, Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen discuss Chetan Bhagat’s #BeatPeBooty dance, his new novel, One Indian Girl & we even read out some parts from the book. Rohit Shetty directed Return of Ranveer Ching ad & Anouk’s Bold is Beautiful ad both leave us with one question - what on earth was going on? Spending so much money on celebrities and production value and still not making any sense? We tell you how ad campaigns by beauty products are getting the basic idea of femi...
Aug 24, 2016•26 hr 5 min
The PMO deleted tweets, which was new, and the PM brought up Balochistan in his Independence Day Speech, which was not new. The Amnesty issue escalated as did Arnab's temper on Newshour. Meanwhile, athletes like Sakshi Malik shone despite the gloom and doom that is sports infrastructure in India. Consulting editor, Anand Ranganathan unleashed his philosophical side about death. Madhu Trehan, Abhinandan Sekhri Deepanjana Pal & Manisha Pande stayed down-to-earth while discussin...
Aug 19, 2016•32 hr 22 min
Did your last week go by watching uber patriotic videos that made your chest swell up to 56-inch with pride and nationalism and drove you out on the streets to celebrate the Independence Day? No, right? It went pretty much the same for Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen. In this episode, listen to them talk about the videos which did the rounds on the internet giving the occasion of Independence Day their own zing- the funny Kangana Ranaut starring 'Love Your Country' music video, a colonially hun...
Aug 17, 2016•23 hr 29 min
Is it now Modiji vs the gau rakshaks? Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence and came down heavily against the increasing violent attacks by gau rakshaks . But did he answer the question raised in the last episode of NL Hafta — should the fringe be taken seriously? Why are the TV news channels not paying any heed to #ChaloUna, the Dalit march that's taking place right now in solidarity with those who were attacked by gau rakshaks a few weeks ago? Consulting editor, Anand Ranganathan goes...
Aug 12, 2016•65 hr 7 min
In this week’s episode, Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen jump on the bandwagon to discuss what the world cannot stop talking about- Olympics! Dipa Karmakar wins hearts and prayers while American athletes set camp on a ship. Freaky Ali promises to educate Bollywood about golf while The Great Indian Penis Survey hits below the belt (see what we did there?) with enlightening and amusing results. Oh also, there’s a quiz question at the end to help you keep up your pop culture game.Write to us at con...
Aug 10, 2016•12 hr 35 min
Our two consulting editors, Anand Ranganathan and Kishalay Bhattacharjee, join the Hafta panel this week. In Delhi, the big question is, where does the AAP-led government stand after Delhi High Court rooted for Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung over Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal? Madhu Trehan has some provocative ideas about rape, when she points to sexual frustration as its source. Should the fringe be taken seriously? What happened in Kokrajhar, Assam, where the security forces opened fire in the middle of ...
Aug 06, 2016•94 hr 16 min
It's the only podcast that goes fearlessly from arty Death in the Gunj to pulpy Mamta Kulkarni. Listen up as Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen talk about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the newly-launched TV channel FYI, cheer for the new Ghostbusters, salute Mamta Kulkarni, analyse the furore over Melania Trump’s photos in New York Post. Plus, there’s a quiz question at the end. Write to us at contact@newslaundry.com with your answers and comments.For reference links visit www.newsla...
Aug 04, 2016•30 hr 23 min
In this special segment, Kishalay Bhattacharjee, journalist, author & consulting editor with Newslaundry, joins Madhu Trehan, Anand Ranganathan, Deepanjana Pal & Abhinandan Sekhri to discuss Michelle Obama, Donald Trump & Hillary Clinton’s speeches at the Democratic National Convention. We take a shot at guessing who the next President of the United States of America may be and explore that one important question: Is America really the greatest country in the world?For reference link...
Jul 29, 2016•70 hr 35 min
After the apex court allowed a rape survivor to terminate her pregnancy post the mandated 20 weeks, we asked our panel: Shouldn’t abortion be a woman’s prerogative? Is it Barkha vs Arnab or the media vs Arnab? What led Irom Sharmila to break her 16-year-long fast? Why Prime Ministers, from Nehru to Modi, have continued with Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA)? Why are AAP and BJP always at loggerheads? Kishalay Bhattacharjee, journalist, author & consulting editor with Newslaundry, jo...
Jul 29, 2016•98 hr 17 min
Did you miss Comic-Con in America? Don’t worry, we have it covered for you. What is right or perhaps wrong with Tata Salt’s campaign #NamakKeWaastey? In this week’s episode, Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen review Kabali, Wonder Woman’s new trailer, Sherlock Holmes Season 4 & a lot more. Plus, there’s a quiz question at the end. Write to us at contact@newslaundry.com with your answers and comments.For reference links visit www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan Hosted on Acast. See a...
Jul 27, 2016•84 hr 38 min
Should the media be blamed for Kashmir unrest? How should journalists report conflict? Who ordered the gag on media in Kashmir? Why have so few women politicians come out in support of Mayawati? Are Indians blind to Dalit oppression? Is Twitter a good place for sensible debates? We discuss all this and a lot more on this episode of Hafta. And, of course, we have a song, this time dedicated to Arvind Kejriwal.For reference links visit www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan Hosted on Acast...
Jul 22, 2016•86 hr 4 min
Have you wondered what Pokemon Go is doing to the way you see the world? Why does Qandeel Baloch deserve serious respect from all of us? In this week's episode, Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen contemplate these questions, sex objects, Tam-Brahm boys, and more. Plus, there's a quiz question at the end. Write to us at contact@newslaundry.com with your answers and comments. For reference links visit www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...
Jul 20, 2016•20 hr 24 min
Why is Kashmir simmering? Was Burhan Wani a terrorist or a militant? How was militancy in Punjab different from what is happening in Kashmir? Was Rajdeep Sardesai caught on the wrong foot (again) with Sania Mirza? Who exactly is a thulla? Was Arunachal Pradesh another loss for the BJP after Uttrakhand? Will there be a case against Zakir Naik? Will Priyanka Gandhi be able to revive Congress, if given a chance? We discuss all this and a lot more on this episode of Hafta. And, of course, we have a ...
Jul 15, 2016•80 hr 49 min
Project #JanaGanaMana#ValueIndependenceFor more details, visit: http://www.newslaundry.com/project-janaganamana/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 14, 2016•20 hr 49 min
Who tames the Indian male? Can Sid Mallya act his pants off? Is there an ad that you should watch? From films, books, ads, magazines, to YouTube videos, Deepanjana Pal and Rajyasree Sen bring you their picks from the world of culture in The Awful and Awesome Entertainment Wrap. Sen is a consulting editor at Scoopwhoop and a longstanding member of the Newslaundry family. Pal is our managing editor. You've read them both on Newslaundry and now, you can hear them too.In the first episode, Pal and S...
Jul 13, 2016•13 hr 57 min
Cabinet reshuffles, who was promoted and who was demoted? Why big media loves to hate Smriti Irani? Has The Telegraph crossed the line with their ‘Spinderella’ headline? Does the government have any business in running the media? Urmilesh, former executive editor of Rajya Sabha TV, joins us for this episode of NL Hafta. The team also discusses Ravish’s open letter to M J Akbar and terror attacks in Bangladesh. Is Zakir Naik being made a scapegoat? All this and a lot more on this episode of Hafta...
Jul 08, 2016•7 hr 17 min
Communism, capitalism or socialism – what has worked? Or is it time we look beyond isms? Is Arnab Goswami above & beyond journalism? Why would China let India into NSG? M K Venu, founding editor, TheWire.in, joins us for this episode of NL Hafta to discuss these issues. The team also discusses big media houses’ decision to block content for ad block users. Did Essar tapes get due coverage in the media and have we forgotten the Radia tapes? Listen to find out. We also have a song dedicated to...
Jul 01, 2016•98 hr 30 min
What will be more damaging? Rexit or Brexit? Why is BJP not able to control Swamy? Is it ok for politicians to block certain media houses? What forced Aveek Sarkar to resign? Ashok Malik, an accomplished columnist, joins us for this episode of Hafta to discuss these issues. The team also discusses the recently-announced FDI in defence. Did FDI in defence get less coverage than Rexit? We also discuss why no channel other than India Today is talking about Essar tapes. And finally, pros and cons of...
Jun 24, 2016•43 hr 18 min
Who is a liberal? Was Gandhi a liberal? What is happening in Kairana? Is it mass exodus or mass hysteria? Rohan Venkataramakrishnan, News Editor, Scroll, joins us for this episode of NL Hafta as we discuss the news of the week. The team also talks about Kejriwal’s latest attack on PM Modi, The Indian Express’ accidental scoop and Orlando shooting. Bonus: a bad-jokes competition between Ranga Uncle and Abhinandan, three letters from our listeners and a song for our dear subscribers. For reference...
Jun 17, 2016•41 hr 25 min
Tune into this week's NL Hafta to listen to the "khula sandh" of Indian journalism, Hartosh Singh Bal. He trashes everyone (reasonably) from AAP to BJP and little congresses of political parties in between. Mathura-returned Ishan Kukreti offers his laterally-heard scoops from the land of saints and thugs, and the panel also finds the time to dissect the anatomy of foolishness that is the CBFC in the Udta Punjab case. Oh and also,you guys sent us stings! Thank you for that and everyone can hear t...
Jun 10, 2016•36 hr 41 min
Tanmay Bhat's Snapchat video on Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar opened up the doors to the topic that we love to debate, but fall short on following it to a T. Do we have the freedom to exercise freedom of speech or is that too much for India to handle? As the news broke earlier this week of Robert Vadra buying property in London through a proxy, three news organisations claimed that they were the ones to 'break' the news. Who can really lay claim to the story and does it really matter? Spe...
Jun 03, 2016•20 hr 19 min
