Pooja sits down with the ever-unassuming yet endlessly fascinating Avtar Gill—a man who insists he’s “ordinary” despite a career spanning 350 films.

In this episode, filled with sardonic humour and candid reflections, Avtar looks back at the quiet strength of his truck driver father, jokes about being labelled Mahesh Bhatt’s third wife, and reflects on the lessons he has absorbed from greats like Dilip Kumar, Pran and Hrishikesh Mukherjee.

Along the way, he regales Pooja with stories—of the time Rishi Kapoor pranked him at midnight by pretending to be Steven Spielberg, why Sanjay Dutt pushed for a Sadak remake, when he wrote his own dialogues in Rangeela and the time he witnessed Mithun Chakraborty eat rice and salt water in a hotel suite in Malaysia.

Avtar also reveals how he has managed to look the same for decades, why he calls himself an also-ran, why he has no ego in asking for work and how, despite nearly five decades of work in the industry, he remains a labourer at heart.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Pooja sits down Rahul Bose - actor, director, writer, activist, sportsman, sports administrator and dear friend.

In a conversation marked by candid admissions, warm banter and thoughtful reflections, the two revisit the Bombay they grew up in and what it means to embrace singledom. Rahul speaks openly about the arc of his life: the early hunger for money, success and fame, and the slow shift toward quieter pursuit of service and cutting out negativity. He recalls the night Anurag Kashyap phoned him at 2 AM to praise his directorial debut, Everybody Says I Am Fine; his overwhelming encounter with the generosity of Zakir Hussain; and why he believes the lines between arthouse and mainstream cinema have largely dissolved. Along the way, the two remember a series of moments from their shared past—Rahul scribbling poetry for Pooja on a tissue in the middle of the 'Ghetto' and breaking a traffic signal for a shot.

Rahul also reflects on why marriage holds no particular fascination for him and why he’s content being an eternal bachelor. He talks about the time he kissed Pooja on screen, the bewilderment he felt when he saw his friends’ mothers cooking instead of their fathers, and the deep sense of gratitude that anchors him today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Pooja talks with Jayesh Sheth, who has spent over four decades chronicling the industry and its stars by bringing his sense of spontaneity and soul into his photographs.
From being a wedding photographer to being chosen to shoot Richard Gere, Jayesh takes Pooja through his journey marked by vivid encounters with India’s biggest stars. He recalls Rishi Kapoor’s first lesson to him in showbiz, why Zeenat Aman was as fierce as a ‘tigress’ in their first photoshoot after her eye injury, how a laughter-filled accident got him an iconic shoot of Rekha, and the time he coaxed Jagjit Singh into donning a pair of jeans for a photo shoot.
From napping while Shahrukh Khan waited in his studio, to why he thinks actor Raj Kumar was the toughest actor to shoot with, Jayesh shares what it was like to capture an industry over decades, where every star had their own aura.
Together, Pooja and Jayesh look back on a time before filters and followers and why Jayesh wants young artists to “chase the light and not the likes.”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Pooja meets Shreya Dhanwanthary, actor, author and someone who believes in seeking validation within, and holding onto your true self. Shreya, best-known for her roles in Scam 1992, The Family Man and Chup, opens up about how she navigates lean times and keeps the fire burning, despite it all. Shreya tells Pooja why travel keeps her rooted, and why failure still scares her. The two crack up about the time a director assumed Shreya’s wit came from ChatGPT, which she calls “the plastic surgery of vocabulary”. They both discuss embracing singledom in an age where the fear of loneliness is driving people into loveless relationships, with Pooja noting that slavery comes in attractive packages. An episode that will nudge you to own your journey, be true to yourself and stand up for your choices. Honest, funny and fiercely real—episode has it all. Listen to it now.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pooja sits with writer-filmmaker Suhrita Das, a woman who had to lose everything she was before she could finally become who she is. Das, the director of Tu Meri Poori Kahaani, and Pooja speak of the price of awakening —a motherhood lived in absence, a marriage left behind, a body changing before the world was ready to see her, and a film born through fire instead of applause. Two women —no masks, no posturing —holding space for the truth that: sometimes a life is not built, it is survived into. Not achievement. Rebirth.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Pooja sits down with Afroz Shah — lawyer, activist, UN Champion of the Earth, and friend — whose quiet determination transformed a one-man beach clean-up into a global movement for change. Shah has led what the UN calls the world’s largest beach clean-up, steering it with unwavering commitment for over 550 weeks and counting.

Afroz shares why action matters more than compassion, how our lives of convenience are harming the planet, and the small but powerful steps we can take to heal it. From cleaning alongside Amitabh Bachchan, to discussing marine pollution with Vladimir Putin, being introduced by Mark Ruffalo to a New York audience, and mourning the loss of friends like actor Irrfan Khan, Shah reflects on the grit, grief, and grace that have fuelled his journey — a story of community, patriotism, and finding purpose — and love — even in garbage.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Pooja has a heartfelt conversation with Anu Malik, one of the most prolific music composers of the Hindi film industry, a man with nearly 300 Hindi films and a National Award under his belt. In an industry where you are crowned one day and crucified the next, Anu has relentlessly pursued his craft for over nearly five decades and is the genius behind the music of films like Border, Baazigar, Phir Teri Kahaani Yaad Aayi, Refugee among countless others. Yet, this episode isn’t about his films, it’s the story of how he got here. From poignant childhood memories of his family’s struggles to heartbreaking recollections of his musician father Sardar Malik, to his own setbacks. Along the way, Anu also reveals why he once got his own hoardings taken down.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, film-maker and writer Tanuja Chandra takes Pooja through the many lives she’s lived in cinema and beyond it. From facing down a mob to creating films that broke new ground, she opens up about the making of Tamanna and Zakhm, sharing behind-the-scenes stories with MM Kreem, Anand Bakshi, and Kajol. She reflects on the lessons learned from failure, making Dushman, the quiet wisdom of Irrfan Khan, the soulful making of Sur with Lucky Ali and the learnings from Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha. Along the way, Pooja and she concur that longevity matters more than going viral and laugh over the time a bartender ducked at the sight of Sanjay Dutt.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.