This Changed My Life

Valentine’s Day special: ‘Kalyanamalai’ Mohan on wedding trends and modern love

Long before Sima Aunty and dating apps, Tamil Nadu had one matchmaker — ‘Kalyanamalai’ Mohan.From the rise of television to changing ideas of love and marriage, this OG Tamil matchmaker looks back on his rich 26-year experience of playing Cupid and facilitating over 6.5 lakh weddings.In this Valentine’s Day special interview with The Hindu, Mohan talks about matchmaking, marriage trends, love and how decision making have evolved over decades — from horoscopes to modern expectations.

Soundarya Rajinikanth interview | With Love | Kochadaiyaan

Soundarya Rajinikanth returns to Tamil cinema as a producer with With Love, starring Abishan Jeevinth and Anaswara Rajan. In an interview with ‘The Hindu’ for the 'This Changed my Life' podcast, she chats about her comeback, why she took a long break and what she plans to do now. She also revisits Kochadaiyaan, her 2014 animation film starring her father and Tamil superstar, Rajinikanth, and talks about her lessons from that experience. The producer also reflects on animation’s future in India, re-releases like Padayappa, and whether Kochadaiyaan could return in a new avatar. Reporter: Srinivasa Ramanujam Recorded and edited by: Shivaraj S and Naveen Kumar V

How blind women in Tiruchi are weaving success | The RCBW story

For 50 years, the Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Women (RCBW) in Tamil Nadu has empowered visually impaired women through skill training. From tailoring bedspreads and weaving baskets to baking fresh goods, the centre helps women earn a livelihood and live independently. Founded in 1975 by Dr. Joseph Gnanadhickam, RCBW continues to transform lives with free training and support for education. Discover how touch, resilience, and creativity shape their journey.

Arvind Kashyap: Flying drones to shooting magnum opuses

Description: Cinematographer Arvind Kashyap, who worked in the pan-India blockbuster 'Kantara: Chapter 1', directed by Rishab Shetty, talks about his life-altering moment in The Hindu's 'This Changed My Life' podcast. Arvind opens up on learning the tricks of the trade in the indie Kannada psychological thriller 'Lucia' (2013) and how his career evolved from being a drone flyer in marquee movies to shooting big projects across industries. Reporting: Vivek MV Editing: Ravichandran N

Dushyant Sridhar interview: On collaborations and spirituality | Margazhi

Popular vedic speaker and harikatha exponent Dushyant Sridhar is busy this Margazhi season. Through his collaboration with singers and dancers, he is blending music and storytelling during this season to draw younger listeners and take classical discourse beyond traditional spaces. In an interview to ‘The Hindu’, 39-year-old Dushyant talks about the essence of spirituality, how he cites modern examples when he talks about ancient scriptures and his journey as a storyteller so far. He also explains why he appears on advertisements, and why he walked the ramp during a recent fashion event in Chennai that celebrated classical musicians. Dushyant also talks about the trips he puts together for yatris; in 2026, he has Kerala, Cambodia and Egypt on the list. Reporter: Srinivasa Ramanujam Video: Johan Sathyadas, Thamodharan B Edit: Johan Sathyadas