ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Neena Gupta is a versatile actress and author, known for playing a wide range of characters. She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for 'Woh Chokri' and 'Uunchai'.

Sanjay Mishra is loved for his humour and strong comic timing. He is well known for films like Golmaal, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Total Dhamaal, and Dilwale. He has also received praise for his serious roles in films like 'Aankhon Dekhi' and 'Vadh'.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sanjay Mishra talks about being repeatedly cast in comic roles and how this typecasting has affected his career. He also shares his thoughts on changing audience tastes and why many films today feel overly loud and exaggerated.

Neena Gupta speaks about her journey from Delhi to Mumbai, describing those early days as scary and lonely. She talks honestly about her struggles in the film industry and the advice she gave her daughter, Masaba Gupta. Both actors also discuss their upcoming film Vadh 2, which releases in theatres on February 6.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
00:37 – Neena Gupta’s on-screen appearance
02:35 – Eating habits during film shoots
06:09 – Story behind ‘Vadh’ title
12:29 – Sanjay Mishra’s ‘cool’ avatar
14:57 – Neena Gupta’s viral family post
17:53 – Neena Gupta’s education at NSD
21:10 – Evolution of Hindi cinema
25:30 – Neena Gupta’s career turning point
29:27 – Art cinema vs mainstream cinema
32:03 – Late success in acting career
40:45 – Elderly care in India & abroad
43:31 – Neena Gupta’s early struggles in Mumbai
47:38 – Typecasting in Films
51:12 – Neena Gupta on Acting in ‘Gandhi’
55:58 – Initial TV Work of Neena Gupta
59:58 – Impactful Roles of Sanjay Mishra
1:05:28 – Characters in ‘Vadh 2’

UGC Regulations 2026 are witnessing protests in North India with General Category students raising concerns that these rules could increase discrimination. They also worry about weak safeguards against false complaints and unclear mechanisms for addressing their grievances.
What is the purpose and scope of the UGC Equity Regulations? Are the protests against the new regulations organic? How do the new regulations differ from the 2012 regulations?
In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dr. Vikas Divyakirti, founder and MD of Drishti IAS, answers it all.

00:00 – Introduction
02:58 – UGC 2026 Regulations
10:48 – Implicit Discrimination Concerns
13:47 – Equity Committee Structure
21:10 – Bias in Faculty Hiring
28:28 – Social Reform in Education
37:47 – General Category & Marginalised Sections
42:09 – Inequality in Indian Society
47:51 – Merit-Based Selection
55:04 – Caste & Social Bias in Education
59:60 – Explicit & Implicit Discrimination
1:03:55 – Caste Discrimination Complaints
1:09:33 – Discrimination Definition
1:15:28 – Caste Representation in Academia
1:23:12 – Political Debate on New UGC Guidelines
1:26:18 – Gen Z in India
1:41:03 – Caste Representation
1:53:38 – BJP & Upper-Caste Vote Bank
1:58:26 – Reservation Debate
2:02:20 – “Batenge to Katenge” Slogan
2:09:42 – Caste-Sensitive Politics

Rajeev Shukla is often described as one of India’s most well-connected public figures. Jokingly, many call him ‘Omnipresent’ Rajeev Shukla. Over the years, he has built friendships across political party lines and developed close ties with Bollywood stars, leading businessmen, and cricketers alike.

In a career spanning nearly four decades, Rajeev Shukla has worn many hats. He began his professional journey as a journalist in Kanpur. Today, he represents the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha. He has also served as a Minister of State in a Congress-led government, is currently the Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and has earlier been the Chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rajeev Shukla reflects on why he is often called “everyone’s friend” and how he has managed to maintain relationships across political divides. He speaks about his early days in journalism, his association with the Gandhi family, and his decision to join the Congress party. He also shares his deep love for cricket and fondly recalls his time as the manager of the Indian cricket team.

Indrani Bagchi is the CEO of Ananta Centre, a platform for dialogue, leadership, and public policy. She has many years of experience covering the Ministry of External Affairs and is known for explaining global events from an Indian point of view. Earlier, she served as the Diplomatic Editor at The Times of India.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Indrani Bagchi talks about how Donald Trump’s policies have changed America. She says the U.S. tariffs on India feel personal and explains how India should respond. She also points out that Europe has been hit the hardest by Trump’s foreign policy. According to her, the forces Trump has unleashed in America will not disappear anytime soon.

Timestamps

0:00 – Introduction
1:21 – The West vs China
6:21 – How Pakistan Balances USA and China
11:33 – China’s Influence in Asia
16:49 – Trump’s MAGA Worldview
23:01 – China’s Economic Leverage
36:57 – Why India Needs ‘MIGA’ Movement
42:02 – India as Counterbalance to China
55:08 – Indian diaspora vs Chinese diaspora influence
1:04:24 – India’s Flexible Foreign Policy
1:16:22 – India’s Long-Term Vision for US

Gaddam Dharmendra is a former Indian Foreign Service officer who joined the service in 1990. He served in senior diplomatic roles for over three decades and was India’s Ambassador to Iran from 2019 to 2023. He is known for his deep understanding of West Asia, sanctions, and regional politics.

Dr Waiel Awwad is a Syrian-born journalist based in South Asia who covers Middle East affairs. He has reported from several war zones. During the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, he was caught in an ambush while reporting from the ground and narrowly escaped execution. Also joining the podcast is ANI Director Ishaan Prakash.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the Iran crisis and the future of the Khamenei regime. They talk about possible US intervention, whether Iran’s Khamenei regime could fall, and who might take over if that happens. The conversation also examines what the people of Iran truly want and how today’s protests differ from the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

00:00 — Introduction
01:13 — Inside Iran’s Protests
12:42 — Gulf States Against US Strike Over Iran
16:35 — Trump’s Appeal to Iranian Protesters
22:09 — Iran Regime Change Soon?
25:08 — Iranian Institutions
27:50 — Iran’s Nuclear Program
37:28 — US-Iran Negotiation Talks
48:25 — The Iran–Israel Conflict
51:10 — US Sanctions on Iran
57:20 — US Media Coverage of Iran
1:06:28 — Pro-Government Rallies in Iran
1:13:45 — Iran’s Economic Crisis