Rahul Bose is an actor, director, and writer who has worked in more than 55 films in different languages. He is famous for picking meaningful roles. Movies like Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, The Japanese Wife, and Chameli show how he prefers strong and thoughtful characters.

Rahul is more than just a film personality. He was also a national-level rugby player and is currently the President of Rugby India. He is working hard to grow the sport. For him, rugby is not just a game; it’s a way to teach kids teamwork, discipline, and confidence.

In this episode of The ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Rahul talks about his 32 years in the film industry. He clears up some common myths, like the idea that Bollywood is only about glamour and big money.

More about the process behind choosing a film, the debate between theatres and OTT platforms, and whether Bollywood is lacking in content.

Timestamps

00:00 – Coming Up

01:53 – Introduction

03:10 – Story Behind Carrying His Own Chair on Sets

10:45 – Left's Influence in Bollywood

12:21 – Working with Female Directors

16:35 – Experience in South Indian Film Industry

22:35 – Process Behind Choosing a Film

26:45 – Script Improvisation

28:45 – Journey into Rugby

36:50 – Advice on Overcoming Fear

40:50 – Role of Discipline in Sports

43:43 – Rugby: A Costly Sport?

50:10 – Benefits of Playing Rugby

54:30 – Nutrition for Rugby Players

01:02:35 – Rugby vs. Films

01:04:30 – Theatres vs. Films vs. OTT

01:07:58 – Impact of OTT on Storytelling

01:13:32 – Lack of Quality in Bollywood Content?

01:17:30 – Lessons from His Parents

01:25:25 – Rahul Ever Regretted Doing a Film?

01:30:12 – Laapataa Ladies & Thappad

01:39:24 – Upcoming Projects

Tejashwi Yadav is a former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and the de facto chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. He currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the state. Before entering politics, Tejashwi was a professional cricketer. Today, he is seen as the political heir to Lalu Prasad Yadav's legacy and a key figure in shaping Bihar’s politics.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Tejashwi Yadav responds to the 'Jungle Raj' jibe made by opposition leaders, referring to the years when his father and family governed Bihar.

He says nothing has been done in Bihar under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar. He calls the Chief Minister "tired" and claims that corrupt officers are running the government. He also speaks about the caste census, the controversy over his son's name, Prashant Kishor, Chirag Paswan, and the Mahagathbandhan.

*Timestamps*

01:58 – Introduction

02:32 – Welcoming a Second Child

05:30 – BJP vs JDU in Bihar

09:44 – Development in Bihar

12:11 – Criticism of the Media

17:30 – Is Nitish Kumar Unwell?

20:08 – Who’s Really Running the Bihar Sarkar?

24:35 – Can Nitish Return as CM Again?

27:20 – INDIA Bloc’s Bihar Plan

28:50 – Chirag Paswan vs Tejashwi Yadav

30:29 – Tejashwi’s Plan for Bihar Polls

32:00 – Tejashwi’s Son’s Name Row

35:45 – RJD & Congress in Bihar Polls

37:11 – Tej Pratap’s Love Controversy

38:10 – Newcomers in RJD & Bihar Polls

41:51 – Caste Factor in Politics

42:25 – Caste Census

46:20 – Media Colleges in Patna

49:25 – Can Youth Trust Tejashwi?

53:37 – Who’s the BJP’s CM Face in Bihar?

Rajesh Kumar Singh took over as Defence Secretary in the Ministry of Defence in November 2024. He is a 1989-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre and has held several key positions in the Government of India.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the Defence Secretary clears the air around the India-Pakistan ceasefire, laying out the full sequence of events and stating that it was Islamabad that begged for a ceasefire. He also talks about Made-in-India weapons and how they turned out to be a game-changer.

Defence Secretary speaks about China’s involvement in backing Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, and highlights the gaps in India’s drone production. He also underlines the importance of reducing the defence procurement timeline from six years to two.

He shares updates on the timeline for AMCA, India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, and addresses the speculation around whether India is planning to buy the American F-35A or the Russian Su-57E.

Introduction – 00:00

Defence Secretary Job Explained – 00:40

India’s Defence Capabilities After Op Sindoor – 02:23

Planning Behind Op Sindoor – 03:50

New Normal After Op Sindoor – 05:50

International Reaction to Op Sindoor – 07:32

Pak’s Support to Terror Groups – 08:42

Impact of Op Sindoor – 10:05

How Pakistan Pleaded for a Ceasefire – 12:30

India’s Drone Strategy – 13:46

Made-in-India Weapons During Op Sindoor – 17:20

India’s Defence Budget & Push for Transparency – 18:47

Solving Delays in Defence Procurement – 23:54

Future of India’s Defence Exports – 26:23

India Buying the F-35A or Su-57E? – 31:20

India’s 5th-Gen Fighter Jet Plans & HAL’s Role – 32:52

Russia as India’s Biggest Defence Supplier – 35:47

MRCA Procurement Process – 37:30

What “Op Sindoor is On” Really Means – 40:25

Pak’s Support from China During Op Sindoor – 43:47

Asim Munir’s Meeting with Donald Trump – 46:07

What Happens in CCS Meetings? – 49:23

Working Relationship with the Three Service Chiefs – 51:09