ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Get ready for the much-awaited episode of the 'Real' Samosa Caucus! Edition 6.0 is here, and it’s all about raw, uncensored, no-holds-barred discussions. Joining the panel are: Sushant Sareen, Senior Fellow at ORF Tehseen Poonawalla, TV personality and political analyst Anand Ranganathan, author and scientist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies This episode dives into some heated topics, including Operation Sindoor and the new normal, India’s foreign policy challenges in 2025, ANI’s side of the story in the copyright debate, Elon Musk vs Donald Trump, and Rahul Gandhi’s “Narender Surrender” jibe at PM Modi. 00:00 - Coming up 03:07 - Introduction 07:23 - ANI's Copyright Case 48:57 - India Gets Invitation for G7 Summit 01:01:33 - Operation Sindoor & Pak's narrative war 01:26:50 - India-Pak Ceasefire 01:28:05 - Hitting the Nur Khan airbase 01:39:45 - Rahul's 'surrender' jibe at PM Modi 02:02:35 - Trump-Musk fight 02:17:11 - Caste Census 02:19:20 - All-Party Delegation for Op Sindoor 02:25:20 - Congress vs Shashi Tharoor 02:26:25 - Mann’s ‘Sindoor’ Dig at Modi 02:37:53 - Trump vs Harvard 02:47:15 - Journalists writing books on Op Sindoor

Sonali Bendre began her career as a model before transitioning into the Indian film industry. She made her debut at the age of 19 with the film Aag. Over the years, she has acted alongside top stars like Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan. Known for her roles in films like Major Saab and Hum Saath Saath Hain, Sonali Bendre remains one of the most familiar and beloved faces in Bollywood. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sonali opens up about her acting journey and her book release, 'A Book of Books'. She talks about her marriage to Goldie Behl, becoming a mother, and her brave battle with cancer. Sonali also shares stories of working with the three Khans, welcoming Michael Jackson to India, and taking Dakota Johnson to temples. She addresses the viral video from an event with Raj Thackeray and sets the record straight. A passionate animal lover, Sonali also speaks about her new podcast centred around animals and her bond with them. Audio Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:26 - Sonali Bendre's Book 07:50 - Importance of Reading 10:50 - Bucket List 11:34 - Battle with Cancer 16:57 - Family Support during Cancer 18:58 - Acting with Khans 22:22 - Sabbatical after childbirth 26:18 - Stories from 'Hum Saath Saath Hain' Set 30:48 - Favourite Co-stars 33:15 - Salman Khan as a co-star 35:33 - Relation with Ajay & Kajol 36:25 - Working on Sarfarosh 43:43 - Working on Films in Different Languages 46:20 - First Meeting with Husband 01:00:29 - Bollywood's pay disparity 01:04:30 - Dakota Johnson Visiting India 01:06:03 - Welcoming Michael Jackson 01:11:31 - Voicing Up for Stray Dogs 01:17:57 - Friendship in Bollywood 01:19:10 - Sonali’s Ultimate Dream Movie

Lieutenant General PC Nair is a retired officer of the Indian Army with a career spanning over four decades. He served as the Director General of the Assam Rifles, India’s oldest paramilitary force, where he played a crucial role in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East region. Lt. Gen. Nair (Retd) has extensive expertise in dealing with insurgency, tribal dynamics, and border security. He is also recognised for his in-depth understanding of India’s internal security challenges, particularly in volatile regions such as Manipur, Nagaland, and the North East. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Lt Gen PC Nair (Retd.) discusses the proposed Rakhine Corridor in Myanmar, which has sparked political and military tensions in Bangladesh. He explains how China is expanding its influence through the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and why the US seeks to increase its foothold via humanitarian aid in Myanmar. He also explores why Bangladesh’s interim government chief, Muhammad Yunus, is delaying elections and the growing rift with Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman. He also discusses the impact of militancy along the Myanmar border and how growing Chinese influence in Bangladesh affects India. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 01:50 – Power Game in Myanmar’s Rakhine 06:30 – China’s Ties with Myanmar’s Arakan Army 11:57 – ‘Humanitarian Corridor’ in Rakhine 14:00 – Yunus’s Interest in Rakhine Corridor 19:27 – American Presence in Bangladesh 23:17 – Muhammad Yunus vs Army 27:16 – Kaladan Multimodal Project 32:28 – Challenges on the Indo-Myanmar Border 35:38 – Bangladesh's ‘Two Chicken Necks’ 41:43 – Revival of Lalmonirhat Airbase 46:36 – Jamaat-e-Islami Comeback in B'desh 48:54 – Myanmar’s Rare-Earth Mining 51:43 – Militant Groups in Myanmar 57:33 – India-Bangladesh Relations

Rajpal Yadav began his acting journey with television before making a mark in films like Shool (1999) and Jungle (2000). Rajpal has delivered iconic performances in films such as Hungama, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Chup Chup Ke and Bhool Bhulaiyaa series, among others, where he impressed audiences with his blend of humor and comic timing. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rajpal Yadav opens up about his iconic comic roles and his views on nepotism in Bollywood. He highlights how actors from non-film backgrounds carve their path in the industry. He also discusses his time at the National School of Drama (NSD), and the lifelong friendships he formed with fellow actors who went on to achieve success in Bollywood. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 00:45 – Love for Theatre 02:42 – Typecast in Comic Roles 06:05 – Boundaries of an Artist 08:53 – Playing Multiple Characters 16:08 – Insecurity Among Actors 23:11 – Turning Point of Career 31:50 – Bollywood and its Audience 36:54 – PR Companies in Bollywood 42:07 – Family Background 44:14 – Nepotism Debate 47:39 – Iconic Comic Roles 52:00 – Roles in Sequel Movies 54:23 – Rapport with Actors 57:04 – Bonding with Directors 1:01:40 – Life After NSD Days 1:05:26 – Upcoming Projects 1:06:55 – Quitting Politics 1:13:07 – Directorial Venture

Shashi Shekhar is the founder of AI for India, an initiative focused on building a strong ecosystem for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in the country. He is also the former CEO of Prasar Bharati, India’s public broadcaster. In this episode of the Podcast with Smita Prakash, Shashi Shekhar talks about the battle of narratives surrounding Operation Sindoor and how false narratives against India are often amplified in the West through misinformation and fake news. He highlights the role of AI platforms in this ongoing narrative warfare. He also discusses the outreach efforts by the all-party delegation on Operation Sindoor and stresses the importance of strong engagement and clear communication of India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. Shashi Shekhar further explains why the global Indian diaspora, along with film celebrities, sports personalities, and spiritual leaders, must take a moral stand and speak up in support of India’s narrative. Audio Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 02:08 - Narrative wars of Operation Sindoor 08:37 - Fighting Fake Narrative 17:23 - Balakot: Facts vs Bias 24:56 - J-10 Hype & Narrative Building 31:08 - Religious Spin by Western Media 34:53 - The Karachi Bombing Confusion 39:18 - Social Media’s Impact on Conflict 46:44 - Indian-Origin Billionaires 01:02:41 - US-Pakistan Relations and Propaganda 01:06:21 - Does Public Opinion Affect Govt? 01:10:23 - Why Film Industry Quiet on India-Pak War?