Brand India - Beyond the myths & numbers

This is the episode that tells you what the last 75 years have really been like for India as a brand. We have been leading up to this episode all season and this is the one that ties it all together. All those Nizam of Hyderabad references, the homage to the Maharajah, the political upheaval, the c…

Beedi, Bars and Betting in India

Now cigarette smoking is injurious to health, don't drink and drive and definitely don't bet against the house (Oceans 11 lied, the house always wins). With that warning, let us dive into an episode that is a sinner's paradise, and a den of vices. What brands were we partial to, what spirits did we…

Desi Girls & Brown Munde - The NRI episode

This episode looks at the reasons why Indians leave or return and remain in perpetuity exalted or vilified as the diaspora. Over time Indians migrated in droves to countries as diverse as Japan, Uganda, the Caribbean and then predictably to establish Little Indias in suburbs like Southall and New J…

From Charles Correa to IKEA - Design in India

It is hard to capture exactly how much our lives are influenced by the cities and homes we live in and the public infrastructure we rely on but we won't let that stop us! In this episode we dive into all things decor and architecture, from the post partition refugee camps that were created for immi…

Mere Paas Generational Wealth Hai !

That India is an unequal country is unremarkable but if you want to understand exactly how wide the chasm is between the haves and the have nots or how our 1% i.e. the Tatas, Birlas and now Adanis and Ambanis are different from their American or international counterparts like the Rockefellers, Get…

Bindi to Bling: India’s Fashion Journey

From a nation of DIY beauty products to homegrown brands and marketplaces like Nykaa, Lakme, Sugar, and Colorbar we have come a long way. Looking good is now not just easier or more affordable but also something that fuels our economy (lipstick is indeed recession proof after all). Fashion has also…

Paisa Power: From Coins to Crypto

If you had a paisa every time someone said we are a value conscious country you would probably be as rich as the last Nizam of Hyderabad. In this episode we drill down to the last dime and find out how our relationship with money has evolved even as our currency has fluctuated and tried to catapult…

Entertaining India: From Vintage to Viral

It was the best and the worst of times. We had a robust, self made, independent media and entertainment industry to reflect the largest democracy in the developing world. We also had the Emergency muzzling free media and bad 80s cinema. Murphy babies were peddling irons. Maharajahs were showing us …

Gold, Gems and India's Wealth

In this captivating episode, Ramya and Rachel take you on a historical journey, starting from a time when 10 grams of gold cost just ₹88 in 1947 to the staggering ₹52,000 it costs today. For a bit of perspective, back then, a Mumbai to Delhi flight was more expensive than gold, whereas now you can …

The Great Indian Food Story

India’s relationship with food has evolved from simple home cooked meals made usually by a battalion of women slaving in the kitchen or family cooks to Michelin star chefs swinging by for a curated pop up at 41,000 rupees for a seat at the table. How did we get here and what does our predilection f…