Bollywood superstar Anupam Kher will speak with India’s most influential people about the culture and politics of Bharat – the traditional Hindi name for India preferred by those who want to see their country develop away from the condescending lectures of its old colonial rulers.
Exploring India’s endurance, tolerance, and IQ with Oscar-winning composer MM Keeravani
In this episode of Let’s Talk Bharat, Anupam Kher is joined by accomplished composer MM Keeravani. His renowned composition “Naatu Naatu” won an Oscar at the 95th Academy Awards for “Best Original Song,” and not only captivated Western audiences but also conveyed a poignant message – as the chart-topping song eloquently defends Bharat’s dignity and self-respect in the face of colonial oppression. Keeravani considers Bharat to be an extended family in a multipolar world and seeks to celebrate the young nation’s endurance, religious tolerance, and high IQ. A lover of short stories, he liberally quotes from Russian writer Leo Tolstoy’s “The Lion and The Dog,” as the mortality tale rekindles him every time he reads it. Keeravani also dispels claims of the imminent threat of artificial intelligence to the global music industry.
India is about universal brotherhood and spirituality - Sonu Nigam
On this episode of Let’s Talk Bharat, Anupam Kher is joined by one of India’s leading playback singers, Sonu Nigam. The singing sensation opens up about handling stardom and fighting the tests of “jealousy, greed, and insecurity.” Nigam lauds India as a great civilization at the fountainhead of spirituality with roots in the melodious ragas of Hindustani classical music. He cherishes India’s core values like universal brotherhood and, unlike in the West, its aversion to colonization and imposition of cultural hegemony. Nigam also believes the world will soon witness Bharat’s moment in the Sun.
India to reap demographic dividends – Ashish Kumar Chauhan
In this episode of Let’s Talk Bharat, Anupam Kher is joined by Ashish Kumar Chauhan, the head of the National Stock Exchange and chancellor of the University of Allahabad. The technocrat is optimistic about Bharat’s growth story over the next 40 years because of its large young population as compared to a graying Europe and the US. He feels confident that for the first time in his lifetime, the nation controls the circumstances and not the other way around. He cites inclusive growth as a case in point as a bulk of the country’s rural population is enjoying the benefits of technological advancements such as the mobile phone revolution that has transformed their daily lives.
A strong India challenges Western hegemony – Mahes Jethmalani
In this episode of Let’s Talk Bharat, Anupam Kher is joined by leading criminal lawyer and constitutional law expert Mahesh Jethmalani. He prioritizes national self-interest over diplomatic outreach, exemplified in Kashmir’s formal integration into India, which was achieved through legal reclassification in August 2019. Jethmalani lauds Bharat as a nation “on the move” while weighing in on India’s friendship with Russia since “time immemorial.” He sees Bharat emerging as a formidable economic and military force, and harbors optimism for the years up to 2047, which will mark centenary celebrations for India’s independence from colonial rule.
Pride in being unapologetically Indian - Anupam Mittal
In this episode of Let’s Talk Bharat, Anupam Kher is joined by the pioneering entrepreneur Anupam Mittal, who reshaped the dynamics of digital connectivity with Shaadi.com, a matchmaking portal that was established before the dotcom boom. Mittal has become one of the leading Indian voices in antitrust allegations against US tech giants such as Google, which has removed several Indian apps from its Play Store due to a payment dispute over service fees. He emphasizes the growing sense of national pride for Indians, which is reflected in the country’s passport ranking, diplomatic position, or soft power, and the shift away from Western customs to embracing Bharat’s identity unapologetically.
Bharat’s quest for justice – Satish Maneshinde
In this episode of Let’s Talk Bharat, Anupam Kher is joined by ace criminal lawyer Satish Maneshinde. The legal eagle recounts some memorable cases from his illustrious career, including defending film star Sanjay Dutt for possession of illegal arms. Bollywood’s most preferred legal mind singles out Prime Minister Narendra Modi for doing away with one British colonial-era law at a time and for getting rid of English as a medium of instruction in courtrooms, along with other path-breaking judicial reforms. Explore Bharat’s quest to deliver justice as Maneshinde charts the country’s jurisprudence, in this edition of Let’s Talk Bharat.