Inside Hyderabad’s Pub & Live Music Bussiness | Moonshine Project x Kaushik & CoIn this episode of Kaushik & Co., we sit down with Hemender Reddy, co-founder of Moonshine Project — one of Hyderabad’s most influential live music venues.From a small café idea to a cultural landmark, Hemender reflects on how Moonshine grew into a home for independent artists, original music, and community-driven culture. This conversation traces the thinking, risks, and people-first choices that shaped a decade-long journey.This isn’t just a story about a pub.It’s about building culture, sustaining creativity, and running a business rooted in trust.---What to Expect• How Moonshine became a hub for indie bands and original music• The Milange Café beginnings and how it started it all• Building a venue before Instagram shaped discovery• Treating staff and artists as long-term collaborators• Ten years of challenges, growth, and creative decisions• Honest lessons from entrepreneurship and leadership• Supporting Telugu and regional independent music• The next chapter: Creative Square and Aroma of Dakshin---Key Discussion Points• Moonshine as a cultural space, not just a pub• Building community before scale• Live music ecosystems in Hyderabad• Cost structures and break-even realities in F&B• Risk, failure, and long-term thinking• Money, relationships, and personal values---Time Stamps00:00 – Intro01:43 – Moonshine wall of bands01:54 – The beginning of Moonshine07:56 – Favourite drink08:23 – Moonshine as a cultural venue10:14 – The original idea behind Moonshine26:54 – Milange Cafe31:48 – Learnings from engineering33:01 – Regional music and representation39:18 – Toughest moments40:27 – Prior experience in the field41:55 – Staff challenges43:32 – Gentleman’s agreement with Capricio band (B-roll)48:56 – Moonshine during COVID54:38 – How to start an F&B or club business56:14 – Does architecture cost a bomb for clubs?58:06 – Why owners should know how to run the venue1:00:17 – Starting an F&B business the right way1:03:49 – Average time to break even1:04:48 – No.1 criteria in F&B1:09:32 – Why people spend so much on drinks1:11:54 – Learning the business before starting1:13:55 – Should this be a full-time business?1:16:23 – Games Part1:19:02 – Building a community1:22:43 – Bhaitak Project1:26:42 – Number of events hosted1:29:54 – Relationships that began at Moonshine1:30:27 – Then vs now in event culture1:33:29 – Never having asset issues1:34:04 – NH7 Weekender1:35:23 – Event cost structures1:35:53 – Mentorship for the next generation1:38:05 – Crab mentality1:39:10 – Live music scene today1:42:59 – A.R. Rahman concert and where we lag1:44:20 – Telugu stand-up comedy1:47:25 – Aroma of Dakshin1:49:34 – Lessons from Moonshine applied to Aroma of Dakshin1:54:50 – Pre-Instagram vs today1:57:55 – Most in-demand food or drinks at Moonshine1:58:12 – Cocktails2:00:00 – Cocktail naming philosophy2:01:00 – Sensible drinking2:06:00 – CreativeSquare.altplay2:11:00 – What’s next2:13:33 – Biggest learnings from 15 years2:14:15 – Relationship with money2:16:05 – Relationship with father2:17:36 – Where risk-taking comes from2:18:28 – Building a legacy2:19:44 – Dealing with failure2:21:11 – Audio business2:22:15 – Which business has the biggest future potential---Tags#KaushikAndCo #MoonshineProject #HyderabadMusic#IndependentMusicIndia #LiveMusic #CreativeEntrepreneurship#TeluguMusic #CulturalSpaces---Presented by: Kathanika MediaVenue Partner: The Moonshine Project / EXT

In this episode of Kaushik & Co., we sit down with National Award–winning singer and composer PVNS Rohit for an honest, unfiltered conversation about his journey.He talks about the early years of constant eliminations, the night his voice transformed, and the inner shift that shaped the artist he is today.This is a story of doubt, discipline, faith, music, and the courage to stay committed when the world keeps saying no.Timestamps00:00 – Introduction01:35 – Clubhouse & Ludo, National Award04:17 – Arijit Singh & Rohit04:48 – Child labour days of Rohit10:21 – SPB 11:25 – Rohit’s first teacher14:36 – Rohit’s school – Harvard or Howard16:14 – Rohit’s recognition & decision to become a singer17:12 – SP Sailaja18:14 – Rohit’s voice changeover19:52 – Hema Chandra & Karunya20:52 – About SPB & Rohit23:01 – Rohit song “Kaatuka Kallakettinaave”23:59 – Vishal Dadlani25:05 – Rohit’s Padutha Teeyaga experience29:00 – Rohit’s favourite SPB songs30:25 – Sudden decision to join Indian Idol & quitting engineering37:54 – Rohit’s interest in movies39:59 – Favourite movie – Interstellar41:32 – If Rohit makes a movie, who will be the music director?45:48 – Sonu Nigam & Rohit51:07 – Indian Idol journey55:15 – Why Rohit calls himself a self-critic1:00:14 – Message to younger self1:02:38 – Dealing with insecurities1:04:31 – Being a different person on the mic1:05:28 – Playback singing1:06:43 – MM Keeravani & Rohit1:07:11 – “Premistunna” song from Baby1:07:13 – “Bandhameyle” song1:09:23 – Love for IPL and RCB1:09:58 – Cousin Sinjith Yerramilli – Little Hearts composer1:10:16 – Rohit sings a Sonu Nigam song1:12:24 – Kaushik admits jealousy of singers1:14:13 – Self-doubt1:14:44 – Playback singing1:16:10 – His songs being replaced1:17:46 – Songs he thinks would sound nice if he sang them1:18:20 – How he listens to movie songs – singer or listener1:20:23 – Pattern for hit songs1:22:54 – Why “Kolaveri Di” is a hit1:23:54 – Technicalities vs emotional connection1:25:12 – Independent music1:27:13 – Sonu Nigam’s song composition1:28:54 – Mass validation & selective validation1:30:08 – Best playback singer award1:31:13 – A song kept unreleased for 5 years1:33:02 – Rohit’s first song & writing1:37:15 – Western music1:37:29 – “Lazy Song” & “Count On Me”1:37:43 – Charlie Puth – Voice Notes1:40:21 – Rohit’s wishlist1:40:59 – Process of composing1:44:06 – Rohit’s mom felt happy hearing his song1:45:31 – Languages he speaks1:45:46 – Mind shifting1:47:23 – Rohit is an introvert1:48:52 – Arunachalam’s impact1:53:10 – Spiritual or religious1:56:37 – Astrology1:58:13 – What is God to you?1:58:26 – Equation with God2:01:12 – Recommending Arunachalam2:01:46 – Ramana Maharshi2:03:04 – Fame2:04:39 – Books2:05:15 – Discovery of Ramana Maharshi2:06:26 – Friend introducing Arunachalam2:07:49 – Family surprised by his mind shifting2:08:40 – Rohit’s marriage2:09:58 – “Do your work & disappear”2:11:25 – Peace in temples2:13:50 – Nazar2:15:33 – Favourite genres2:15:50 – Favourite singers2:16:59 – Fun session2:18:40 – Telugu no BGM2:19:36 – Cover songs2:20:42 – Next big song2:21:59 – Collaboration2:23:02 – Arijit Singh show in Hyderabad2:23:47 – Ramachari sir batch get-together2:25:26 – Payroll of singers2:27:07 – Did the National Award open new doors?2:28:52 – “Kahani Meri” Telugu song2:29:47 – Conclusion---Tags#pvnsrohit #kaushikandco #kathanikamedia #nationalawardwinner #indiansinger #musicjourney #playbacksinger #indianmusic #tollywood #arunachalam #inspiration #telugumusic ---LinksNC Kaushik (Host) – instagram.com/kaushikncKaushik & Co. – instagram.com/kaushikandcoshowKathanika Media – instagram.com/kathanikamedia---Presented by: Kathanika MediaVenue Partner: Columbus Coffee – The Cosy Eatery

In this episode of Kaushik & Co., we sit down with Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan — doctor, former IAS officer, reformer, and one of India’s most respected public thinkers.He reflects on his journey from MBBS to UPSC, his lifelong commitment to questioning authority, and his experiences during the 1975 Emergency.This conversation explores his belief that science, logic, and rational optimism are the pillars for shaping India’s future.What to Expect• How questioning authority shaped his worldview• Why he shifted from medicine to the IAS• His foundation of optimism rooted in science and evidence• The meaning of politics: balancing freedom and collective responsibility• First-hand reflections on the Emergency and the ADM Jabalpur case• India’s rapid social and technological transformation• Why strengthening local government matters• How our perception of time evolves with ageKey Discussion Points• Questioning Authority – Standing up for moral clarity• Career Shift – From MBBS to IAS to address systemic public health issues• Optimism Through Logic – Science, technology, and evidence-based thinking• Defining Politics – Individual rights vs. collective good• The Emergency (1975–77) – Personal observations and historical context• Doctor/Engineer Approach – Diagnosis, logic, and structured solutions#kaushikandco #podcast #jayaprakashnarayana #jploksatta #kaushiknc #politics #telugupolitics TimeStamps00:00 – Introduction01:50 – About Sports02:22 – Happy Teachers Day02:56 – Maharashtra & Childhood05:26 – Telephone06:44 – First time he saw a mobile phone (1995–96)09:27 – Getting a new phone in the 1990s10:36 – Chess Game11:08 – How Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan became an eternal optimist15:11 – Importance of reading anthropology16:40 – World population20:02 – Holding grip on optimism21:20 – Why he chose medicine24:06 – Ragging26:22 – Caste28:03 – The unseen side of Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan30:25 – Confidence32:10 – BBC34:15 – Do you miss radio?35:12 – What the Emergency really looked like37:02 – 1974 student protests37:47 – Government’s lack of creative response39:25 – Richard Nixon39:56 – Watergate40:33 – 12th June 197548:04 – The Habeas Corpus Case49:30 – Hans Raj Khanna50:24 – George Fernandes51:02 – Sanjay Gandhi52:10 – 21st March 1977 – Election result53:44 – How the moral sense of right and wrong reached the public59:30 – The man who inspired him01:00:27 – UPSC preparation01:03:08 – MBBS graduate who became a Collector01:07:48 – Dang Wang book01:10:56 – Why IAS?01:11:12 – About UPSC and competitive exams01:18:21 – People are happy with only 30% development01:20:06 – “Contentment is a continuous feast”01:22:36 – Letting go of simple societal pleasures01:27:45 – Political switch01:29:07 – Pulok Chatterji01:35:22 – Coffee making01:39:44 – About coffee01:40:55 – Perception of time01:43:39 – Definition of politics01:47:17 – Reconciling contradictions in politics01:54:07 – Direct elections for the CM01:55:22 – One nation, one election01:58:05 – Political engagement02:00:14 – Local government02:04:10 – Is the Constitution still relevant?02:05:03 – Sahakara Sangala Swayam Prathipati policy02:06:02 – Sharad Joshi02:07:48 – Do people need to know the Constitution?02:09:05 – Civic sense
NC Kaushik (Host) – instagram.com/kaushikncKaushik & Co. – instagram.com/kaushikandcoshowKathanika Media – instagram.com/kathanikamedia