Advertise on podcast: ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Pankaj Chaudhary is the Union Minister of State for Finance, the Uttar Pradesh BJP President and a seven-time MP from Maharajganj.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the BJP’s strategy for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Yogi Adityanath’s leadership and Akhilesh Yadav’s PDA formula.He responds to questions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Election Commission’s credibility, Muslim voters, the RSS’s role in elections and growing dissatisfaction among young voters.*Timestamps*00:00 - Introduction00:59 - Inflation & Unemployment06:46 - SIR Controversy10:57 - Deletions from Electoral Rolls14:36 - BJP Losing Young Voters?17:07 - Upper Castes & UGC Rules18:20 - CJP Protests and Congress19:51 - BJP’s 2024 UP Setback24:04 - BJP Workers Being Rewarded?27:19 - Akhilesh’s PDA Formula29:06 - Third Front in UP Politics?29:51 - AI Videos and Personal Attacks31:30 - Mayawati’s Declining Influence32:38 - Why Did BJP Lose Ayodhya?33:43 - Yogi vs Akhilesh in Ayodhya?34:36 - Ram Mandir Donation Theft35:31 - Election Freebies36:52 - BJP–RSS Relations38:15 - Rahul Gandhi’s Attacks on RSS39:35 - BJP’s Ticket Distribution44:40 - Entry into Politics48:43 - Gorakhpur’s Deputy Mayor Battle57:31 - First Lok Sabha Election01:00:35 - Muslim Voters & Owaisi01:05:05 - UP’s Bureaucracy01:05:52 - Firing Outside His Home01:10:05 - Defending Party Workers01:12:44 - How Modi and Shah Plan Elections01:16:50 - When PM Modi Walked to His Gorakhpur Home01:20:07 - Managing Stress and Family Time01:21:15 - Closing Remarks

Bhupender Yadav is the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and a senior BJP leader. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Bhupender Yadav discusses the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, questions over the Election Commission’s credibility and concerns about genuine voters’ names being deleted. He responds to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of vote theft, questions about the CJP protests and allegations of foreign funding. *Timestamps*0:00 - Introduction2:01 - SIR Process Transparency9:15 - Deletion of Genuine Voters’ Names11:36 - Foreign Nationals in Bihar13:52 - Bengal’s Voter Deletions18:02 - Cong 89 Lakh Complaints in Bihar21:18 - Changes to Form 624:58 - Pilibhit’s Muslim Voter Controversy27:12 - EC Not Addressing Media30:31 - Supreme Court on Form 632:08 - Dissent Within the EC35:10 - Why BJP Defends EC38:10 - Was SIR Rushed?39:57 - SIR “NRC in Disguise”?40:45 - “Regime Change” Charge42:16 - Foreign Funding Allegations45:22 - Election Boycott by Opposition46:20 - Annamalai on Foreign Forces Narrative49:40 - Young Protesters Jailed52:56 - Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation Demand55:57 - BJP Becoming Arrogant?57:21 - Protests at Govt Buildings1:00:18 - Detention of Protesters & Journalists1:02:37 - Rahul Gandhi’s Conduct1:05:40 - Democratic Dissent vs Anarchy1:07:01 - Political Pressure on India’s Institutions1:08:10 - Closing Remarks

Meera Shankar is India's former Ambassador to the United States and Germany. She has decades of diplomatic experience and a deep understanding of India's relations with major world powers.Dr Zorawar Daulet Singh is a foreign policy analyst, historian and author whose work focuses on India's foreign policy, the balance of power in Asia and the changing world order.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Meera Shankar and Zorawar Daulet Singh discuss India-US relations, Trump's foreign policy, trade tensions and allegations of American interference in Indian politics. They also talk about the Iran war, India's relations with China and Russia, the H-1B visa debate and the challenges India faces in making its own foreign policy decisions in a changing world. *Timestamps*0:00 – Introduction2:11 – How Does America See India?8:19 – Why Trump Targets India11:20 – US Pressure on India’s Politics17:49 – India’s Dependence on the US20:57 – Elon Musk, Ambani, Polymarket22:54 – India–US Trade Deal24:53 – America During the Obama Years25:44 – Trump & American Diplomacy26:44 – India’s Brain Drain30:40 – H-1B Crackdown33:01 – West Asia Security Outlook37:41 – China’s Confrontation with the US42:00 – How Iran Surprised the World48:36 – India’s Strategic Autonomy52:27 – Jaishankar on India–China Tensions55:33 – Future India–China Ties1:02:21 – Europe’s Energy Crisis1:04:15 – Can BRICS Challenge the US-Led Order?1:06:31 – Dollar, Sanctions & Financial Systems1:11:44 – Marco Rubio’s India Visit1:16:21 – India’s Leverage over American Tech Giants1:21:08 – India’s Own Digital Infrastructure1:23:01 – Future of India–US Ties1:26:34 – India’s Global Leverage1:29:27 – Indian Foreign Policy1:32:22 – Trade Corridors & Regional Connectivity1:32:55 – New World Order1:35:11 – Closing Remarks

M. Farook Sait is an attorney at law who moved to America from India in 1963, at the age of 23. He served as Special Counsel to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1972 to 2012. Over the past six decades, he has witnessed some of the most defining moments in American history. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Farook Sait discusses his early years in America, his experiences with racism, and the realities of the American Dream. He also talks about the H-1B visa debate and how life in America has changed for the Indian diaspora. For more information on PILOT's initiatives to support girls' education, visit https://impilot.org/ 00:00 – Introduction 01:02 – Moving to the U.S. in 1963 04:04 – Discrimination in America 08:42 – Studying in Alabama 15:04 – Life in Segregated American South 18:54 – Love Story with Yvette 33:24 – Elvis Presley Fan 39:14 – John F. Kennedy’s Assassination 48:11 – The Watergate Scandal 50:22 – The 9/11 Attacks 54:05 – H-1B Visas 58:29 – Indian American Community 1:01:51 – ANI Documentary on ‘Indian Muslims Abroad’ 1:06:32 – Indian Diaspora’s Challenges Abroad 1:14:18 – Memories of Bangalore 1:17:18 – India’s Progress Over the Decades 1:23:07 – A Childhood Story from 1947

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, senior journalists Neerja Chowdhury, Rasheed Kidwai and Nistula Hebbar discuss the BJP’s strategy, the CJP protest, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach, the SIR controversy and the challenges facing the NDA government.They also examine whether the opposition can turn public anger into votes and what the road ahead looks like for the BJP.*Timestamps*00:00 – Introduction01:40 – BJP on Protests06:36 – NEET vs SIR Protests12:26 – BJP Losing the Plot?16:56 – SIR Controversy19:49 – Indira Gandhi and Protests22:32 – BJP’s Political Response23:06 – SIR vs Mandal25:59 – BJP’s Protest Strategy29:24 – What Should CEC Do?30:58 – INDIA Bloc’s Strategy35:10 – Rahul Gandhi’s Spies Claim40:34 – Social Media’s Power42:51 – Rahul Gandhi’s Impact44:47 – Is BJP Scared?46:00 – Vote Bank Politics48:01 – SIR in UP50:49 – Akhilesh vs Congress54:30 – Social Media and Voting55:48 – New Blood in Congress1:03:34 – Mamata’s National Ambitions1:09:15 – Owaisi’s Vote Strategy1:12:21 – Goa Politics1:14:34 – Punjab Polls 20271:17:20 – BJP’s Punjab Strategy1:24:13 – Rahul Ignoring State Polls?1:26:29 – BJP Nervous About UP?1:31:08 – BJP’s Biggest Challenge1:33:50 – Reshuffle and Modi’s Successor1:37:16 – Amit Shah as Deputy PM?

Pramod Sawant has been the Chief Minister of Goa since 2019. An Ayurvedic doctor by training, he succeeded Manohar Parrikar and led the BJP to victory in the 2022 Goa Assembly election. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the Goa SIR controversy, allegations of voter roll manipulation and the BJP’s chances in the 2027 polls. He also responds to questions about expensive holidays, the taxi ‘mafia’, drugs, jobs and rising land prices in Goa. The conversation covers Rahul Gandhi, his RSS background and how Goa can grow while protecting its local culture and identity. *Timestamps* 00:00 - Introduction 01:20 - BJP’s Goa CM Face in 2027 03:30 - Manohar Parrikar’s Influence 06:30 - Goa SIR Controversy 11:10 - Rahul Gandhi’s Protest 13:00 - Opposition Alliance in Goa 17:10 - Free Electricity for Goans 18:10 - Corruption Allegations Against the CM 19:30 - Jobs and Unemployment 21:40 - Ease of Doing Business in Goa 22:30 - Industries, Shipbuilding and Education 24:00 - Mining and Environmental Protection 24:50 - Foreign Tourists 26:10 - Negative Stories About Goa 27:20 - Goa vs Thailand and Vietnam 29:40 - Public Transport and Expensive Taxis 30:30 - Why No Ola or Uber in Goa? 32:00 - Power Cuts in Tourist Areas 33:00 - Beach Cleanliness and Lifeguards 33:40 - Stray Dogs and Cattle 34:30 - Land Mafia Allegations 36:00 - Rising House Prices 37:00 - Protecting Goan Culture 38:00 - Migrant Workers and Local Jobs 39:30 - Goa’s Anti-Narcotics Action 41:40 - Foreigners Running Businesses 44:30 - Ayurveda and Politics 46:00 - Sawant’s RSS Background 47:00 - Rahul Gandhi, RSS and Minorities 50:40 - Sawant’s Vision for Goa 52:30 - Pothole-Free Goa and Tourist Safety 53:40 - Message to Tourists 54:20 - Closing Remarks

Shehzad Khan is an actor best known for his role as ‘Bhalla’ in the cult classic ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ and is the son of legendary actor Ajit.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about his father Ajit’s journey from hero to iconic villain, his friendship with Dharmendra and bond with Salim Khan.Shehzad also looks back at his career in Bollywood and why Ajit never wanted him to use his name or influence to get work.*Timestamps*0:00 – Introduction0:32 – Role of ‘Bhalla’ in ‘Andaz Apna Apna’9:27 – Father Ajit’s Rules for Shehzad16:21 – ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ Story22:23 – Why ‘Razia Sultan’ Flopped26:25 – Ajit & Salim Khan’s Bond31:17 – Bollywood’s Iconic Villains35:28 – Ajit’s Entry Into Films38:25 – Love Story of Ajit43:43 – Ajit’s Early Retirement47:52 – Screenwriting of Salim-Javed52:03 – Working in ‘Tirangaa’ Movie54:13 – Unpaid Bollywood Projects

Lieutenant General K.J.S. ‘Tiny’ Dhillon is the former Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency and has commanded the strategically important 15 Corps in Kashmir. Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor is the former Commandant of the National Defence Academy and has extensive experience in air operations, training and strategic affairs. Together, they have written Nobody’s War, Everybody’s War. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, they discuss the FlyDubai incident, the radicalisation of professionals and how drones are changing modern warfare. They also explain what India can learn from the Iran war, China’s growing military power, threats to India’s energy security and why the country must strengthen its indigenous defence manufacturing. *Timestamps* 00:00 – Intro 03:10 – FlyDubai Incident 07:44 – Brave Passengers 11:19 – Civilian Bravery 18:51 – Hijack Codes 23:56 – Teaching Children Safety 30:04 – Drone Warfare 35:05 – More Drones for India? 37:58 – Iran’s War Preparations 40:52 – US War Goals 45:53 – Fighting Terrorism 46:59 – Drones vs Soldiers 49:55 – Op Sindoor & Defence Industry 53:58 – China Arms Pakistan 55:08 – Maritime Chokepoints 56:34 – Oil & Gulf Security 58:15 – China Gains from War? 59:19 – War Room Decisions 1:06:39 – India Ready for Next Crisis? 1:07:50 – India’s Economic Challenges 1:11:16 – India–China & Third Parties 1:17:38 – India’s Military Power 1:20:14 – Politics & National Security 1:24:03 – Why They Wrote the Book 1:25:49 – Advice for Youth 1:30:35 – Manufacturing in India 1:33:42 – Closing Remarks

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

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?

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

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

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

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’

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