Samrat Choudhary is the first BJP leader to serve as the Chief Minister of Bihar. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he speaks about the Bankipur election result, Prashant Kishor, migration and jobs in the state. He also discusses the alcohol ban, reservation, infrastructure, the revival of sugar mills, and what his government plans to do next.

00:00 – Introduction

00:36 – Bihar Floods

4:08 – Water Treaty with Bangladesh

11:05 – Women’s Employment Scheme

17:23 – Jobs in Bihar

23:31 – Bihar’s Education System

27:29 – Skill Development

31:48 – Migration

35:50 – Alcohol Ban

36:50 – NDA Alliance

43:00 – BJP’s Bankipur Defeat

50:15 – Reservation

53:40 – Road and Bridge Collapses

Rasika Dugal is known for her performances in films and streaming series such as Mirzapur, Delhi Crime, Manto, Qissa and Out of Love. A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India, she is best known for playing Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur, a role that brought her widespread recognition.

In this ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Dugal discusses why she initially feared she was not right for Mirzapur and shares her experience of working with Pankaj Tripathi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. She also remembers Irrfan Khan and explains what he taught her about being a good co-actor. Dugal speaks about how streaming platforms have transformed her career, the challenges women-led stories face, and the patriarchal expectations placed on women in the entertainment industry.

*Timestamps*

0:00 – Introduction

0:34 – Acting Style

3:05 – Family's Reaction to Acting

4:12 – Moving to Mumbai

6:58 – Studying at FTII

9:49 – Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur

15:07 – Intimate Scenes in Mirzapur

22:17 – Working With Kulbhushan Kharbanda

26:28 – Role in Delhi Crime

29:03 – Long-Form Storytelling

31:51 – Working With Irrfan Khan

34:15 – Working in Manto

37:25 – Scrutiny on Women Actors

42:17 – Importance of Small Details

44:11 – Violence in Mirzapur and Delhi Crime

46:09 – Creative Freedom on Sets

52:29 – Beena Tripathi’s Revenge in Mirzapur

54:49 – Working With Saif Ali Khan

59:07 – Being an Outsider

1:03:07 – Women’s Stories in Indian Cinema

1:04:13 – Working With Male and Female Directors

1:09:07 – How AI Can Help Filmmakers

1:12:43 – Conclusion

Lobsang Sangay served as the democratically elected Sikyong, or President of the Central Tibetan Administration, from 2011 to 2021. He became its top political leader after the Dalai Lama gave up his political authority. Born in 1968, Sangay grew up in a Tibetan refugee settlement near Darjeeling, India. He studied at Delhi University and Harvard Law School before becoming an American citizen.

In this ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sangay discusses the Nepal–Tibet floods and questions why China failed to issue a timely warning that could have saved hundreds of lives. He also alleges that Beijing censored videos and controlled the information coming out of Tibet. Sangay also speaks about Xi Jinping’s health, the purges within the PLA, China’s plans for Tibet, the Dalai Lama’s succession and the risk of China weaponising water.

0:00 – Introduction

1:34 – Tibet–Nepal Flash Floods

2:24 – Internet Shutdown in Tibet

4:17 – Could China Have Warned Nepal?

6:51 – Why China Is Hiding the Truth

9:02 – The Real Death Toll in Tibet

10:58 – China Blocks Journalists and Scientists

12:18 – Melting Glaciers and 2030 Warning

15:06 – Dams, Earthquakes and AI Data Centres

23:51 – Nepal’s Rescue Efforts

28:12 – China’s Information-Control Playbook

30:16 – International Water-Sharing Laws

34:38 – China’s Mega-Dam on Brahmaputra

36:52 – India–China Ties and Tibet

39:17 – China’s Claims Over Arunachal

43:15 – Purge of PLA Generals

46:00 – Xi Jinping’s Health

48:23 – Xi Jinping’s Succession Problem

52:12 – China’s Ethnic Unity Law

56:12 – Chinese Police Station

58:31 – Dalai Lama’s Succession

1:02:32 – Will There Be Two Dalai Lamas?

1:12:17 – Chinese Pressure on Nepal

1:14:59 – Tibet’s Future

1:22:29 – Nepal Rejects Foreign Rescue Teams

1:25:27 – The Human and Economic Cost

1:27:05 – Conclusion