Host Mallika Kapur sits down with some of the world’s most celebrated storytellers to revisit the works that define them. They return to abandoned drafts, imagine alternate endings, and explore one enduring question:

If you could do it again, what would the next edition hold?

Because a story is never truly done.

Host Mallika Kapur sits down with some of the world&rsquo;s most celebrated storytellers to revisit the works that define them. They return to abandoned drafts, imagine alternate endings, and explore one enduring question:
If you could do it again, what would the next edition hold?
Because a story is never truly done.

Hosted by journalist Mallika Kapur, The Next Edition dives headfirst into the glorious creative mess that lies behind every masterpiece.

We explore the discarded drafts, alternate endings and deleted scenes and reveal what writers, filmmakers, journalists, and artists are itching to add to the next edition of their iconic creations.

The most compelling chapter of a story might not be the one we know, but the one that’s yet to be told. 

Because a story is never truly done.

Hosted by journalist <a href="https://mallikakapur.com/">Mallika Kapur</a>, The Next Edition dives headfirst into the glorious creative mess that lies behind every masterpiece.
We explore the discarded drafts, alternate endings and deleted scenes and reveal what writers, filmmakers, journalists, and artists are itching to add to the next edition of their iconic creations.
The most compelling chapter of a story might not be the one we know, but the one that&rsquo;s yet to be told.&nbsp;
Because a story is never truly done.

The Next Edition with Mallika Kapur

Trailer Season 2

Vietnamese author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai writes about war through the lives of those forever altered by it. In this conversation, she reflects on The Mountains Sing and Dust Child, the women and children caught in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, and the enduring impact of trauma across generations.

Prologue:
From traveling across Vietnam interviewing survivors to conversations with families still searching for loved ones decades after the war, Quế Mai reflects on the delicate balance between history and imagination in her writing.

The Women of Vietnam:
Quế Mai discusses the women who inspired her unforgettable characters, from the strength and sacrifice of Grandma Diệu Lan in The Mountains Sing to mothers in Dust Child forced to survive abandonment, shame, poverty, and impossible choices in the aftermath of war.

Bụi Đời (The Dust of Life):
Quế Mai speaks about the Amerasian children born during the war, the discrimination they faced, and the real-life reunions and heartbreak that inspired Dust Child.

Writing Without Fear:
From growing up in poverty and selling goods on the street to becoming an internationally acclaimed writer, Quế Mai reflects on vulnerability, censorship, courage, and why meaningful storytelling requires confronting both history and your own deepest fears.

Featured Clips in this episode:
50 years ago: CBS News report from Vietnam sparked U.S. outrage
Hanoi Hannah Radio Broadcast
“Life is cheap in the Orient” - Hearts and Minds Documentary

Credits:

Host: Mallika Kapur

Mallika Kapur is an award-winning journalist and seasoned interviewer with over two decades of experience in television and live journalism. Across three countries and various impactful roles at CNN and Bloomberg, she has reported on major global events, including the London train bombings, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Mumbai terror attacks. She also moderates news making panels at global forums, leading insightful conversations with the world’s top figures in business and culture.

Reach out on Instagram and LinkedIn

This is a Maed In India Production

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas
Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome
Sound Designer & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni
Producer: Rachna Sukuru
Assistant Producer: Karan Solanki
Sound Engineer: Nihar Temkar
Artwork: Alika Gupta

Vietnamese author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai writes about war through the lives of those forever altered by it. In this conversation, she reflects on The Mountains Sing and Dust Child, the women and children caught in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, and the enduring impact of trauma across generations.
Prologue: From traveling across Vietnam interviewing survivors to conversations with families still searching for loved ones decades after the war, Quế Mai reflects on the delicate balance between history and imagination in her writing.
The Women of Vietnam: Quế Mai discusses the women who inspired her unforgettable characters, from the strength and sacrifice of Grandma Diệu Lan in The Mountains Sing to mothers in Dust Child forced to survive abandonment, shame, poverty, and impossible choices in the aftermath of war.
Bụi Đời (The Dust of Life): Quế Mai speaks about the Amerasian children born during the war, the discrimination they faced, and the real-life reunions and heartbreak that inspired Dust Child.
Writing Without Fear: From growing up in poverty and selling goods on the street to becoming an internationally acclaimed writer, Quế Mai reflects on vulnerability, censorship, courage, and why meaningful storytelling requires confronting both history and your own deepest fears.
Featured Clips in this episode: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0AmOw06lA0">50 years ago: CBS News report from Vietnam sparked U.S. outrage</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RUijp9WN6M">Hanoi Hannah Radio Broadcast</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9vFzN5MbFk">&ldquo;Life is cheap in the Orient&rdquo; - Hearts and Minds Documentary</a>
Credits:
Host: <a href="https://mallikakapur.com/">Mallika Kapur</a>
Mallika Kapur is an award-winning journalist and seasoned interviewer with over two decades of experience in television and live journalism. Across three countries and various impactful roles at CNN and Bloomberg, she has reported on major global events, including the London train bombings, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Mumbai terror attacks. She also moderates news making panels at global forums, leading insightful conversations with the world&rsquo;s top figures in business and culture.
Reach out on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mallika.kapur/?hl=en">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mallika-kapur-a288b4131">LinkedIn</a>
This is a <a href="http://www.maedinindia.in">Maed In India</a> Production
Creative Director: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a> Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a> Sound Designer &amp; Mix Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a> Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachnasukuru">Rachna Sukuru</a> Assistant Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hdudjdbskssjsb?igsh=MXN4c3QxenlvN2llYg%3D%3D&amp;utm_source=qr">Karan Solanki</a> Sound Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nihar_temkar?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D">Nihar Temkar</a> Artwork: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/capefoxalix/">Alika Gupta</a>

Who Gets to Tell Vietnam’s Story? Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai on Dust Child, The Mountains Sing and Reclaiming the Narrative

Alka Joshi, author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Henna Artist, reflects on a body of work that feels like a personal tribute to her heritage. She opens up about the circumstances that led to her beloved trilogy and gives us a glimpse into what’s next for the author whose writing has become a love letter from India to the world.

A Life Reimagined:
At the heart of The Henna Artist lies a deeply personal question: what would Alka Joshi’s mother’s life have looked like, had she not gotten married at eighteen? She reflects on her relationship with her mother, with India in the 50s and 60s, and versions of her characters that never saw the light of day.

The Cultural Ambassador:
Alka was nine when she left India for America. For years, as she assimilated to life in the west, she kept one part of her identity quiet. Until she didn’t. India is front and center of her novels. Today, she stands as a cultural and historical ambassador for the country of her birth, and she's proud to show the world an India that's far more alive than the one a global audience usually gets to see.

Fragrance and Memories:
Alka talks about her third book in the trilogy, and why she chose to center it around perfumery. She takes us through a trip down memory lane, invoking memories through fragrances.

The Pivot:
A career in advertising. Then, full-time writing in her 60s. Alka reflects on this pivot, and how her age and experience aided the transition. And, how, if not for Reese Witherspoon, the book might not have seen global success.


Featured Clips in this episode:
1,000,000 Indians On The Move (1947)
Teesri Manzil Original Soundtrack by Saregama
Reese and Alka LIVE on @reesewitherspoon

 

Credits:

Host: Mallika Kapur

Mallika Kapur is an award-winning journalist and seasoned interviewer with over two decades of experience in television and live journalism. Across three countries and various impactful roles at CNN and Bloomberg, she has reported on major global events, including the London train bombings, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Mumbai terror attacks. She also moderates news making panels at global forums, leading insightful conversations with the world’s top figures in business and culture.

Reach out on Instagram and LinkedIn

This is a Maed In India Production

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas
Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome
Sound Designer & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni
Producer: Rachna Sukuru
Assistant Producers: Karan Solanki, Aditi Sutar
Sound Engineer: Nihar Temkar
Artwork: Alika Gupta

Alka Joshi, author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Henna Artist, reflects on a body of work that feels like a personal tribute to her heritage. She opens up about the circumstances that led to her beloved trilogy and gives us a glimpse into what&rsquo;s next for the author whose writing has become a love letter from India to the world.
A Life Reimagined: At the heart of The Henna Artist lies a deeply personal question: what would Alka Joshi&rsquo;s mother&rsquo;s life have looked like, had she not gotten married at eighteen? She reflects on her relationship with her mother, with India in the 50s and 60s, and versions of her characters that never saw the light of day.
The Cultural Ambassador: Alka was nine when she left India for America. For years, as she assimilated to life in the west, she kept one part of her identity quiet. Until she didn&rsquo;t. India is front and center of her novels. Today, she stands as a cultural and historical ambassador for the country of her birth, and she's proud to show the world an India that's far more alive than the one a global audience usually gets to see.
Fragrance and Memories: Alka talks about her third book in the trilogy, and why she chose to center it around perfumery. She takes us through a trip down memory lane, invoking memories through fragrances.
The Pivot: A career in advertising. Then, full-time writing in her 60s. Alka reflects on this pivot, and how her age and experience aided the transition. And, how, if not for Reese Witherspoon, the book might not have seen global success.
 Featured Clips in this episode: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ClIajkFSuc">1,000,000 Indians On The Move (1947)</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2rL9nmkDwo&amp;t=574s">Teesri Manzil Original Soundtrack by Saregama</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=996gpTxgHUU">Reese and Alka LIVE on @reesewitherspoon</a>
&nbsp;
Credits:
Host: <a href="https://mallikakapur.com/">Mallika Kapur</a>
Mallika Kapur is an award-winning journalist and seasoned interviewer with over two decades of experience in television and live journalism. Across three countries and various impactful roles at CNN and Bloomberg, she has reported on major global events, including the London train bombings, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Mumbai terror attacks. She also moderates news making panels at global forums, leading insightful conversations with the world&rsquo;s top figures in business and culture.
Reach out on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mallika.kapur/?hl=en">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mallika-kapur-a288b4131">LinkedIn</a>
This is a <a href="http://www.maedinindia.in">Maed In India</a> Production
Creative Director: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a> Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a> Sound Designer &amp; Mix Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a> Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachnasukuru">Rachna Sukuru</a> Assistant Producers: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hdudjdbskssjsb?igsh=MXN4c3QxenlvN2llYg%3D%3D&amp;utm_source=qr">Karan Solanki</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aditisutar_?igsh=eDMzeHE1eDYxczIx">Aditi Sutar</a> Sound Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nihar_temkar?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D">Nihar Temkar</a> Artwork: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/capefoxalix/">Alika Gupta</a>

Alka Joshi on The Henna Artist and The Love Letter That Became a Trilogy

What happens when Death tells a story about life? Twenty years after the publication of The Book Thief, Markus Zusak revisits the novel that transformed his career and became one of the defining works of contemporary fiction. He reflects on language, imagination, history, and the unlikely creative decisions that gave the book its singular voice and lasting impact.

A 20 year Legacy:
Markus Zusak was just twenty-seven when he began writing The Book Thief–young enough to be fearless, bold enough to take creative risks. The story he wrote remains relevant and draws new audiences even today.

The Tradesman:
Markus Zusak does not consider himself to be a literary genius. For him, writing is less about having a great imagination, and more about solving problems. He opens up about how family memories, wartime anecdotes, and fragments of real lives were woven together to create unforgettable characters.

Death, The Messenger:
One of literature's most distinctive narrators was almost abandoned. Markus recounts the long journey to finding Death's voice—from a dark, cynical observer to a character haunted by human beings and their capacity for both cruelty and beauty.

The Failurist:
Markus explains why he proudly embraces failure as part of the creative process. He reflects on how every version of The Book Thief that didn't work ultimately paved the way for the version that did—and why success is often built on a foundation of countless mistakes.

Featured Clips in this episode:

The Book Thief (2013) Official Trailer

The failurist: Markus Zusak at TEDxSydney 2014

Credits:

Host: Mallika Kapur

Mallika Kapur is an award-winning journalist and seasoned interviewer with over two decades of experience in television and live journalism. Across three countries and various impactful roles at CNN and Bloomberg, she has reported on major global events, including the London train bombings, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Mumbai terror attacks. She also moderates news making panels at global forums, leading insightful conversations with the world’s top figures in business and culture.

Reach out on Instagram and LinkedIn

This is a Maed In India Production

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas
Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome
Sound Designer & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni
Producer: Rachna Sukuru
Assistant Producer: Aditi Sutar
Sound Engineer: Nihar Temkar
Artwork: Alika Gupta

What happens when Death tells a story about life? Twenty years after the publication of The Book Thief, Markus Zusak revisits the novel that transformed his career and became one of the defining works of contemporary fiction. He reflects on language, imagination, history, and the unlikely creative decisions that gave the book its singular voice and lasting impact.
A 20 year Legacy: Markus Zusak was just twenty-seven when he began writing The Book Thief&ndash;young enough to be fearless, bold enough to take creative risks. The story he wrote remains relevant and draws new audiences even today.
The Tradesman: Markus Zusak does not consider himself to be a literary genius. For him, writing is less about having a great imagination, and more about solving problems. He opens up about how family memories, wartime anecdotes, and fragments of real lives were woven together to create unforgettable characters.
Death, The Messenger: One of literature's most distinctive narrators was almost abandoned. Markus recounts the long journey to finding Death's voice&mdash;from a dark, cynical observer to a character haunted by human beings and their capacity for both cruelty and beauty.
The Failurist: Markus explains why he proudly embraces failure as part of the creative process. He reflects on how every version of The Book Thief that didn't work ultimately paved the way for the version that did&mdash;and why success is often built on a foundation of countless mistakes.
Featured Clips in this episode:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMVa2bMhro4">The Book Thief (2013) Official Trailer</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-_8QIdm4hA">The failurist: Markus Zusak at TEDxSydney 2014</a>
Credits:
Host: <a href="https://mallikakapur.com/">Mallika Kapur</a>
Mallika Kapur is an award-winning journalist and seasoned interviewer with over two decades of experience in television and live journalism. Across three countries and various impactful roles at CNN and Bloomberg, she has reported on major global events, including the London train bombings, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Mumbai terror attacks. She also moderates news making panels at global forums, leading insightful conversations with the world&rsquo;s top figures in business and culture.
Reach out on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mallika.kapur/?hl=en">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mallika-kapur-a288b4131">LinkedIn</a>
This is a <a href="http://www.maedinindia.in">Maed In India</a> Production
Creative Director: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a> Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a> Sound Designer &amp; Mix Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a> Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachnasukuru">Rachna Sukuru</a> Assistant Producer: Aditi Sutar Sound Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nihar_temkar?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D">Nihar Temkar</a> Artwork: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/capefoxalix/">Alika Gupta</a>

Trailer Season 2

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