A chest cut open, a heart repaired, and a bottle left behind. Does a taste of death ignite a passion for life?

In this episode Pooja sits across Kaustav Narayan Niyogi, a man who lived the fast-paced life of an advertising "alchemist" before life forced him to slow down. From becoming India’s youngest creative director at age 29 to becoming one of its "oldest debutant" film directors at 50 with Cabaret, Kaustav’s path has been anything but linear.

Beyond the director’s chair, Kaustav possesses a rare, haunting gift for song writing, crafting lyrics and melodies that served as the pulse of Cabaret.

Life has knocked on his door twice: first with a battle with the bottle that he conquered to finish his debut film, Cabaret, and later with a hammer-blow to his physical heart. Having stood at the threshold where his chest was literally cut open for repair, he now answers the starkest of questions: will this brush with mortality hurl him into the spring of his life where he finally blooms? Or will he continue to seek out the exit points?

Join us for a raw, profound conversation about recovery, the weight of the "almost," and the delicate art of surviving oneself.

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In this episode, Pooja Bhatt sits down with Aadhya Anand for a conversation that traces the journey of a young actor coming of age in the glare of an industry that rarely pauses. From her early years in Singapore to stepping into the volatile, demanding world of Indian cinema, Aadhya reflects on the experiences that shaped her instinct, resilience, and sense of self.

Thrust into the deep end with Bombay Begums, Aadhya speaks about portraying Shai, a character layered with rebellion, confusion, and quiet fragility. What the audience saw as performance, she experienced as immersion - navigating themes far heavier than her years, while learning to hold her ground amid the noise of attention and expectation. For Pooja, it marked a return after decades; for Aadhya, it was an initiation. Between them lies a shared understanding of what it means to grow under scrutiny.

As the two relive the controversy that followed Bombay Begum, Aadhya explains how important having a supportive family to fall back on has been for her. She admits that not everyone is lucky enough to have a support system around them and sometimes outside noise can really get under the skin.

As the conversation deepens, Aadhya opens up about the pressures of social media, the illusion of validation, and the quiet discipline required to remain authentic. She speaks of mental health not as a trend but as a necessity, and of learning to trust her own voice in a world that constantly projects alternatives.

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In this episode, Pooja Bhatt sits down with producer Ronnie Lahiri for a conversation that traces the journey of a true cinematic nomad. From his early years in Shillong - surrounded by music, nature, and quiet observation - to navigating the dynamic landscape of Indian filmmaking, Lahiri reflects on the experiences that shaped both his worldview and his storytelling voice.

They trace Lahiri’s upbringing in the Northeast - where nature, sound, and solitude created a language of observation that continues to define his cinematic lens. Raised in an army household, he reflects on a childhood of shifting landscapes and perspectives, where real-world experience became his greatest education. From football fields to film sets, he speaks about the unlikely threads that connect discipline, collaboration, and creativity.

Pooja and Ronnie revisit his early years in advertising, where the grammar of filmmaking first took shape, and the leap of faith that led him toward independent cinema. Together, they examine the challenge of representing Northeast India with authenticity, and the responsibility of telling stories that hold emotional truth over commercial expectation.

As the conversation deepens, Lahiri reflects on risk, patience, and the cyclical nature of both cinema and life itself. Films like Vicky Donor, Pink, October, and Sardar Udham emerge not as milestones, but as expressions of conviction. Ronnie confesses that for him it’s not the film collection that determines success but it’s the number of lives it touched.

With a character forged on the football field, Lahiri brings a sportsman’s grit to the producer’s chair. He is a man who remains remarkably unaffected by success, staying grounded even when his films soar. He understands that a producer's true power lies in the capacity to claim both the hit and the flop with equal composure—backed by a radical faith that says, “If it doesn't work, I’ll sell my house.”

In this episode, Pooja Bhatt doesn’t tell the story of a nomad, she simply travels with him.

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