x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Media Room

Join Vanita Kohli-Khandekar as she takes you through a unique behind the scenes look at the inner workings and machinations of the media and entertainment business. She will speak to experts, film makers, media barons, broadcasters, publishers, platforms, media analysts, and more, to give you insights on the intersection of storytelling, money, technology and communication in this rapidly evolving space.

news business news

All Episodes

00:44:40

Will AI Liberate or Colonise Storytelling? | Ram...

The Media Room ·

2025/11/24

In this episode of The Media Room, host Vanita Kohli-Khandekar sits down with filmmaker Ram Madhvani (Neerja, Aarya, Equinox Virtual) and producer Vikram Malhotra (Abundantia Entertainment – Airlift, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Shakuntala Devi; aiON AI studio) to explore how artificial intelligence, VR and data are reshaping Indian cinema and the business of content. From Ram’s vision of “making your temple the theatre” through immersive VR films at destinations like Tirupati, Shirdi and Ajanta–Ellora,

en

00:22:42

AI, Apps, and Addictive Stories: How Two-Minute Shows...

The Media Room ·

2025/11/07

In this episode of The Media Room, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks with Vivek Couto, Executive Director of Media Partners Asia, about the rise of microdramas — the two-minute serials that have become a $8 billion global phenomenon. Couto breaks down how China built the world’s largest microdrama market, with 830 million viewers and an ecosystem tightly woven across tech, payments, and storytelling. He explains why women in smaller cities are driving this boom, how AI is reshaping content creation, and

en

00:50:51

From KBC to Gandhi: Sameer Nair on Three Decades of...

The Media Room ·

2025/10/24

In this episode of The Media Room, Vanita Kohli-Khandekar sits down with Sameer Nair, CEO of Applause Entertainment and one of India’s most influential media executives. From shaping Indian television in the 2000s with Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kaun Banega Crorepati, to leading India’s streaming revolution with Scam 1992, Tanaav, and Gandhi, Nair reflects on three decades of transformation in entertainment. He explains why quality, not affordability, is the key to scaling India’s

en

00:38:17

Inside Vikatan’s 100-Year Journey: Storytelling...

The Media Room ·

2025/10/10

In this episode of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks with B. Srinivasan, Managing Director of Vikatan Group, about how one of India’s oldest and most beloved media brands continues to reinvent itself after more than a century. Srinivasan reflects on Vikatan’s evolution from its print legacy to television, digital platforms, and new ventures in events, wealth management, and election surveys. He explains why the company walked away from its 22-year partnership

en

00:33:39

OML CEO Tusharr Kumar on Managing 100+ Creators,...

The Media Room ·

2025/09/29

In this episode of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to Tusharr Kumar, CEO and Director of Only Much Louder (OML), one of India’s most influential media and entertainment companies. Once known as an indie music promoter, OML has shapeshifted into a multi-pronged business spanning talent management, branded content agencies, and long-form content production. Today, it manages more than 100 creators across comedy, beauty, food, and travel; runs three agencies

en

00:45:30

Why Dish TV Is Betting on Gadgets, OTT, and Shopping

The Media Room ·

2025/09/19

In this episode of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to Manoj Dobhal, Group CEO of Dish TV India, about how the country’s oldest DTH brand is reinventing itself for the digital age. From the launch of a smart TV with built-in DTH and OTT, to the rapid growth of its Watcho and Flix platforms, Dobhal explains why Dish TV is leaning on its distribution strength rather than chasing expensive content bets. He takes us inside the company’s pivot into shopping and

en

00:42:20

SonyLIV’s Danish Khan on Building a Profitable...

The Media Room ·

2025/08/29

In this episode of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to Danish Khan, Business Head for Digital Business StudioNEXT & Network Channels Licensing, about how SonyLIV has built a distinctive, profitable niche in India’s crowded OTT landscape. From the breakout success of Scam 1992 to acclaimed series like Rocket Boys and Maharani, Khan explains why SonyLIV has chosen a research-driven, subscription-first approach instead of chasing scale through cash burn. He

en

00:35:13

Aamir Khan’s Bold Move On OTT: The Sitare Zameen Par...

The Media Room ·

2025/08/08

Aamir Khan takes a bold step in defying OTT platforms for his film Sitare Zameen Par, sharing his vision for the future of cinema. In this insightful conversation, Aamir talks about the changing landscape of film distribution, why he’s championing the pay-per-view model, and how digital shifts like UPI and internet penetration are reshaping the industry. He opens up about his personal journey, the risks of bypassing OTT deals, and the evolving role of traditional theatres in a post-pandemic world

en

00:48:19

Vikram Mehra on the Business of Music in the Age of...

The Media Room ·

2025/08/01

In Episode 15 of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar talks to Vikram Mehra, Managing Director of Saregama, one of India’s oldest and most iconic music labels, about how the business of music is evolving in the digital age. From reviving nostalgia with the Carvaan to investing in generative AI with IIT Bombay, Mehra outlines how Saregama is balancing tradition and innovation to stay culturally relevant and commercially competitive. He unpacks the shifting economics of

en

00:45:15

What’s Holding Back Indian Cinema

The Media Room ·

2025/07/19

In Episode 14 of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar talks to Jyoti Deshpande, President of Media & Content Business at Reliance Industries Ltd (which includes Jio Studios) and an influential figure in India’s media and entertainment sector, about the evolving dynamics of the Indian film business. From building one of the country’s most ambitious studio slates at Jio Studios to navigating the fragmented world of OTT distribution, Deshpande shares how she’s

en

00:21:45

Cars, Phones & Cinemas: Dolby’s India Play

The Media Room ·

2025/07/07

In Episode 13 of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar talks to John Couling, Senior Vice President at Dolby Laboratories, about the future of cinema, the rise of immersive storytelling, and why India is central to Dolby’s global growth plans. From the opening of the first Dolby Cinema in Pune to the company’s deepening relationships with Indian creators like S.S. Rajamouli, Couling explains how Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision are changing both how films are made and how

en

00:55:25

A Legacy Publisher’s Digital Playbook

The Media Room ·

2025/06/27

In Episode 12 of The Media Room, media journalist and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar talks to Anant Goenka, Executive Director of The Indian Express Group about the future of legacy media in a digital-first world. From competing with influencers for attention to holding ground in an algorithm-driven landscape, Goenka shares what it takes to stay relevant without losing credibility. He opens up about the need for domain expertise in journalism, the promise and pitfalls of first-party data, and why The

en

00:48:32

How Marketers Leverage Alternate Media Ecosystems

The Media Room ·

2025/06/13

In Episode 11 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar is joined by Shubha Pai (Head of Sales & Solutions in India at YouTube), Anand Bhaskaran (Head of Marketing at BigBasket) and Aakash Chopra (Commentator and YouTube Content Creator) to unpack the evolving world of digital advertising. With the IPL in focus, the panel dives into the rise of short-form and connected TV content, how creator-driven storytelling is powering brand campaigns, and why shoppability and

en

00:49:12

Why the Future of Cinema Needs Writers First with...

The Media Room ·

2025/05/30

In Episode 10 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar is joined by Sidharth Jain, Founder and Chief Storyteller at THE STORY INK. They talk about the urgent need to nurture original voices, the pitfalls of data-driven decision-making, and why India needs more patrons and fewer proposals. Jain breaks down the challenges of being a writer in today's film economy, the importance of instinct over analytics, and why real change will only come when creators—not corporates—are

en

00:36:26

Mission Impossible? What does the global cinema...

The Media Room ·

2025/05/16

In Episode 9 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to David Hancock, Chief Analyst, Media and Entertainment at Omdia and a leading expert on the global film and cinema market. They talk about the supply and demand dynamics of the film market, why theatres are still relevant as a revenue stream, how streaming services and theatres can co-exist, the finer details of the trump tariff on film productions and much more. Tune in for insights into the future of the film

en

00:49:30

Media Tech Start Ups - Made In India, For The World

The Media Room ·

2025/05/02

In Episode 8 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to Frammer's co-founder and CEO, Suparna Singh. Frammer is an AI-based video tool that ingests hours of video, and then edits and packages it into bite sized videos and snippets for social media. She also talks to Mandar Natekar, co-founder and CEO of Neural Garage, which offers a visual dub technology that can lip sync voice dubs for other languages. Tune in for insights into the work of some of the most

en

00:32:16

The Cloud Backbone for Global Media Giants with...

The Media Room ·

2025/04/26

In Episode 7 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to Amagi's co-founder and CEO, Baskar Subramanian. Amagi is a company that deals with cloud-based content management providing the backend to 60% of the top 100 media brands in the world such as NBC, Comcast, Sinclair, WarnerMedia Discovery, Fox, A&E, BBC, and ITV to name a few. In this episode and the next, Tune in for insights into the work of some of the most cutting edge media tech startups in India.For

en

00:43:34

The Shifting Landscape of The Indian Media and...

The Media Room ·

2025/04/24

In Episode 6 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to Ashish Pherwani, EY India’s Media & Entertainment Leader. With the recent release of the FICCI-EY Media & Industry Report, they discuss some of the changes happening in film, TV, print, animation, music and other segments. Tune in for insights on the current landscape of the Indian media and entertainment business.For more of our coverage check

en

00:48:38

The Shape of the Influencer Economy

The Media Room ·

2025/03/15

In Episode 5 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to 2 experts, Harikrishnan Pillai co-founder and chief executive officer of digital marketing agency The Small Big Idea as well as Kalyan Kumar, co-founder and CEO of influencer marketing platform KlugKlug. They discuss the influencer economy, how marketing campaigns utilise influencers, the duopoly of Meta and Google, breaking down parameters and levels within the ecosystem and the effect of recent events on

en

00:49:31

Radio's Battle For Relevance

The Media Room ·

2025/02/28

In Episode 4 of The Media Room, media expert and author Vanita Kohli-Khandekar speaks to 2 experts, Yatish Mehrishi, Chief Executive Officer for Entertainment Network India Limited (which owns Mirchi, India’s largest radio brand) as well as Shrikant Shenoy, Associate Vice President at the Interpublic Group to discuss how Radio in India has been boxed in by regulation, the reach and impact radio has today and what are some of the changes the industry is now seeing. Tune in for insights on why the

en

24 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS News

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci