When carefully laid plans go up in smoke, is it fate playing its hand, or the works of a silent puppet master pulling the strings? In this episode, engage in a candid conversation with Shikhar Goyal, an iron-and-steel entrepreneur with a creative streak that led him to write his debut novel Delhi Disco, a romantic thriller that crackles with chemistry and unease inside Delhi’s newest club, Kapital. He opens up about the grind, the tactics that kept him motivated, the early rejections he faced...
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When carefully laid plans go up in smoke, is it fate playing its hand, or the works of a silent puppet master pulling the strings? In this episode, engage in a candid conversation with Shikhar Goyal, an iron-and-steel entrepreneur with a creative streak that led him to write his debut novel Delhi Disco, a romantic thriller that crackles with chemistry and unease inside Delhi’s newest club, Kapital. He opens up about the grind, the tactics that kept him motivated, the early rejections he faced...
What happens when the wounds of Partition run deeper than history books will ever reveal? In this episode, Reenita Hora joins Tara to discuss her searing historical novel Vermilion Harvest, set against the haunting backdrop of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Through the fearless, curious eyes of protagonist Aruna, Reenita brings alive an often forgotten chapter of colonial brutality and the emotional legacy it left behind. They talk about the silencing of trauma, mixed-race identit...
What sets a legend apart from just another player? The answer lies in the mind. In this episode, Tara dives deep into the psychology of peak performance with Dr. Samir Parikh and Divya Jain, authors of The Champion Within. What really makes someone a champion, not just in sport, but in life and work? From game-day rituals and comeback stories to dealing with pressure, anticipatory anxiety, and failure, this episode is packed with stories and science behind how mental strength is built. You’ll...
A pepper spray in your bag is smart, but knowing your legal rights as a female citizen of India might be what truly saves your case. In this episode of Books & Beyond, lawyer and Pink Legal founder Manasi Chaudhari unpacks her debut book Legally Yours, a witty, no-nonsense guide that explains women’s legal rights in India through pop culture, quizzes, and relatable scenarios. From decoding consent in Kabir Singh to tips for protecting yourself in a live-in relationship, Manasi share...
What if the key to environmental action isn’t outrage, but observation? And what if the real climate crisis is a crisis of attention? In this powerful conversation, nature writer and activist Yuvan Aves talks about his lyrical and politically urgent book Intertidal. Set along Chennai’s disappearing coasts and wetlands, the book prompts readers to notice, remember, and reconnect with the living world around them. Yuvan shares how he teaches children to fall in love with their local ecolo...
What happens when a celebrated film journalist turns the camera inward? In this moving episode, veteran critic and author Bhawana Somaaya unpacks her memoir Farewell Karachi. Known for her decades-long career documenting Bollywood’s biggest stars like Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan, Bhawana shares the deeply personal stories behind her family’s displacement from Karachi to Mumbai during Partition. She recounts everything from her mother’s hilarious one-liners about working as a young ...
What if one secret could shatter everything you thought you knew about your family? In this episode, Bhavika Govil dives into her haunting, lyrical novel Hot Water, a coming-of-age story about the silences that pull families apart. Bhavika talks about the novel’s striking water motif and the emotional and craft challenges of writing Ashu, a 14-year-old boy and Meera, a 9-year-old girl, and trying to make them feel both real and raw. This episode takes a deep dive into understanding family dra...
Tried a fad diet and a get-rich scheme, but failed to do both? Let's talk about what actually works. Ankush Datar, the author of The Health and Wealth Paradox, breaks down the complexities of health and financial planning by getting back to the core principles. His unique approach explains how managing your health and wealth isn’t so different after all. In this episode, Tara Khandelwal and Ankush explore how first principles thinking, mental barriers, and everyday habits shape our ability to...
Lost in Translation? Or Found in the Process? In this episode, we talk to Gowri Ramnarayan and Kamalakar Bhat, two translators dedicated to bringing Tamil and Kannada texts to life in English. Gowri shares the complex challenges of translating her grandfather’s historical novel, Ponniyin Selvan, from seamlessly blending poetry into prose to interpreting the layered meanings of cultural expressions. Kamalakar opens up about his translation of Kirtinath Kurtkoti's essays, Courtesy of Critici...
What happens when the love of family feels more like a battlefield? In her debut novel Famous Last Questions, Sanjana Ramachandran explores the messy, painful, and sometimes beautiful struggle of growing up caught between parental expectations and the search for your true self. With sharp honesty and warmth, she dives into themes of rebellion, identity, and the healing power of mindfulness. Join Tara and Sanjana as they trace her journey—from getting kicked out of BITS Pilani to writing t...
Are the wrong people making the biggest decisions at your company? Tara and Michelle talk to Jennifer Sundberg—co-founder of Board Intelligence and co-author of Collective Intelligence—about why most leadership teams are flying blind. They dive into how poorly framed questions and bloated reports sabotage decision-making, why writing is thinking, and how to fix broken systems from the inside out. With examples ranging from NASA to FTSE boardrooms, this episode is a masterclass on designing cu...
Should we boycott problematic authors—or just read them with guilt? Tara and Michelle dive into the messy politics of author scandals, from cancel culture to complicity. Plus, what happens when AI writes a book? Would you read it? Should it even exist? Tune in for a no-holds-barred chat on the ethics of art, the limits of accountability, and how readers can show up for real authors in a shifting industry. They also spill on their own reading dilemmas and the murky line between loving the work...
What do a privileged student with a saviour complex and an ambitious outsider in Bollywood have in common? Debut authors Nayantara Alva and Puneet Sikka take us into two very different Indias—one set in a liberal arts college, the other on a chaotic film set. Tara and Michelle chat with the authors about their writing processes, the themes that shaped their coming-of-age novels, and how they brought their lived experiences to the page. Nayantara unpacks creative burnout, messiness in...
Tara talks to journalist and debut author Atharva Pandit, whose novel Hurda is inspired by a real-life case that briefly made headlines in 2013, and then vanished. What begins as a mystery about three missing girls from a village in Maharashtra becomes a statement on what gets remembered and what gets buried. Atharva shares how a two-page newspaper feature became the seed for a decade-long creative journey. He discusses the blurry boundaries between fact and fiction, and how he built an...
Ever wondered how translators breathe life into stories across languages? Or what it takes to bring the essence of one culture into another?In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle unravel the secrets of literary translation with two of India’s finest: Arunava Sinha, who has translated over 80 masterpieces, and Ministhy S., known for her thought-provoking translations of powerful and diverse narratives.From the untold struggles of salt farmers in Gujarat to a coffin maker’s poig...
Curious about how contemporary fiction explores women's sexuality, family, and the messy transition into adulthood?In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle sit down with Anisha Lalvani to discuss her debut novel, Girls Who Stray, a coming-of-age story set in Noida. The novel follows A, a 23-year-old literature graduate, as she navigates love, family, and a tangle of crime and self-discovery.Anisha shares how her background in publishing and television influenced her storytelling...
How do teenage years shape the way we view the world around us?In this episode of Books and Beyond, Michelle and Tara chat with 20-year-old author and philosophy blogger Saania Saxena about her debut book, Teenage Chronicles. Saania, who started her blog at just 12 to cope with school pressures, created a book that features five relatable teenage characters navigating emotions like jealousy, anger, and the complexities of friendships.Saania shares how her book combines scientific insights wit...
What do a right-wing YouTube creator and a small-town salesgirl have in common? In this episode of Books and Beyond, Michelle and Tara sit down with Prayaag Akbar, author of Mother India, to explore the intersections of identity, ambition, and the rapid transformations of urban India. Through the lives of Mayank, a right-wing YouTuber, and Nisha, a small-town salesgirl navigating Delhi’s class-driven chaos, Prayaag examines the human cost of our obsession with relevance and validation.Pr...
Curious about how fiction unravels the complexities of identity and migration?In this episode of Books and Beyond, Michelle and Tara sit down with Ammar Kalia, author of A Person is a Prayer, and Ram Murali, author of Death in the Air, to discuss their remarkable debut novels.Ammar Kalia explores the ripple effects of migration on family dynamics through the lens of Bedi’s journey from Kenya to India. Ram Murali’s Death in the Air takes readers to an Indian Himalayan spa, combining Agatha Chr...
As India rises on the world stage, what stories and narratives are we ready to share?In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle speak with author Sriram Devtha the author of Amrut: The Great Churn. Diving into the heart of Indian brands that have received global recognition with Amrut Distilleries, a brand pushing boundaries in the whiskey market. We explore the journey from its early days to becoming a major soft power player, reaching enthusiasts in Sweden. They discu...
Curious about India’s unique relationship with the environment and the often-overlooked heroes who shaped it?In this episode of Books and Beyond, Michelle and Tara welcome celebrated historian Dr. Ramachandra Guha, and talk about his recent book Speaking with Nature. Known for his extensive work on Gandhi, Dr. Guha now uncovers the lives of Indian environmentalists who, since the 19th century, championed sustainable ways of living in harmony with nature. From literary icon Rabindranath Tagore...
When carefully laid plans go up in smoke, is it fate playing its hand, or the works of a silent puppet master pulling the strings? In this episode, engage in a candid conversation with Shikhar Goyal, an iron-and-steel entrepreneur with a creative streak that led him to write his debut novel Delhi Disco, a romantic thriller that crackles with chemistry and unease inside Delhi’s newest club, Kapital. He opens up about the grind, the tactics that kept him motivated, the early rejections he faced...
