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Welcome to India’s No. 1 book podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover the stories behind some of the best-written books of our time. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, and insecurities to publishing journeys. And how these books shape our lives and worldview today.
Tune in every Wednesday!
Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Get in touch with us at connect@boundindia.com.
183 Episodes
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Would you keep writing if your agent told you "not yet" for ten straight years? In this episode of Books & Beyond, Tara sits down with NYT bestselling author Alka Joshi to discuss her latest novel, Six Days in Bombay. Alka reveals the incredible decade-long journey behind her debut, The Henna Artist, from a relentless agent who kept saying the book wasn’t ready, through years of tireless revisions, to the "perfect timing" that landed her in Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club. But for Alka, ...
You don't need a playbook to become a leader, your instincts are your guide. In the latest episode of Books & Beyond, Roopa Kudva, author of Leadership Beyond the Playbook, joins Tara to challenge the formulaic approach to leadership. Instead of giving you a 10-step plan, Roopa hands the steering wheel to you. They dive into why true leadership can’t be squeezed into neat frameworks and why the real growth happens when you start looking inward. Roopa shares her own evolution, from askin...
Ever wondered what it takes to go from crunching numbers to creating worlds that millions of readers dive into? In the latest episode of Books & Beyond, Amish Tripathi shares the ups, downs, and behind-the-scenes of his journey from the 9-to-5 grind to bestselling author. From juggling a full-time job while writing Immortals of Meluha, to being one of the few authors in India who can write full time, he spills it all. Get a peek into his unique writing process: constant reading, letting...
Ever wished you had an extra hour each day? (Spoiler: you don’t need one!) In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara chats with Apekshit Khare, HR professional and author of The Time Energy Toolkit, about why the problem isn’t our 24 hours, it’s how we use our energy. Apekshit breaks down the very real time struggles we face in India, from social expectations to nonstop notifications, and shares small, doable shifts that actually work. Think: finding your purpose, setting chill social media...
How does mythology change when we look at them through women’s lives? In this episode, Tara chats with P. Lalita Kumari, also known as Volga, one of the most influential feminist voices in Indian literature, and Purnima Rao, the translator of On the Banks of the Pampa, Volga’s retelling of Shabari’s story from the Ramayana. Volga shares how the idea for Shabari’s story first took shape, reflecting on the many women in mythology whose voices have been silenced. She talks about nature, womanh...
What dangerous secrets lie beneath the "comforting newborn smell" of one of the most trusted companies in the world? In this explosive episode, Pulitzer Prize-nominated NYT journalist Gardiner Harris pulls back the curtain on Johnson & Johnson's history, detailed in his book No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson. Gardiner reveals J&J's systemic deception, from knowingly selling asbestos-contaminated baby powder for seven decades to marketing drugs as cancer cures th...
Can a vision board help you design your dream life? In this episode, Pushkar Anand, author of Manifest Your Infinite Riches and founder of the Centre for Infinite Riches, discusses what it truly means to manifest the life you want, beyond material wealth. Pushkar shares his journey from a corporate career to pursuing an MBA at Cambridge and founding the Centre for Infinite Riches. He highlights actionable steps such as the Primary Vision Tool and the JJ Method for manifesting goals, while emp...
How do you rebuild your life when one moment changes everything? In this episode, Tarini Mohan, the author of the memoir, Lifequake shared the raw and honest story of suffering a traumatic brain injury and waking up from a coma with lifelong disabilities. She details the disorienting early days of recovery, how she fought her way back to pursue her MBA at Yale, and the simple cup of coffee that reminded her where joy resides. Tarini also discusses the incredible discipline behind writing her ...
What happens when the ghosts you see are more reliable than the people you know? In this episode, Daisy Rockwell, the internationally acclaimed, Booker Prize-winning translator and author, takes us inside the unique world of her latest novel, Alice Sees Ghosts, a family story where a young woman sees her grandfather’s ghost, who nudges her to unearth buried family secrets. Daisy shares how she began translating Hindi and Urdu literature and what inspired her to write her own fiction. She s...
What if the person your ex-husband fell for was your doppelganger? In this episode, Sanjena Sathian takes us inside her new novel Goddess Complex, exploring one of the most personal choices a woman can make. Step into the world of Sanjana Satyananda, a woman navigating life after a challenging period in her life, grappling with themes of motherhood, fertility, divorce, and absurdly enough, a doppelganger with a cult following. With a protagonist who almost shares her name, Sanjena reveals how...
When carefully laid plans go up in smoke, is it fate playing its hand, or the works of a silent puppet master pulling the strings? In this episode, engage in a candid conversation with Shikhar Goyal, an iron-and-steel entrepreneur with a creative streak that led him to write his debut novel Delhi Disco, a romantic thriller that crackles with chemistry and unease inside Delhi’s newest club, Kapital. He opens up about the grind, the tactics that kept him motivated, the early rejections he faced...
The goodbye you can't miss! Michelle returns to the mic with Tara for a special, unfiltered conversation you won’t want to miss. From a sneak peek into her upcoming novel to never-before-told stories about starting Books & Beyond, this episode is part milestone, part behind-the-scenes tell-all. They relive their very first author interview, reveal the moments that put the show on the map, and spill on their favorite guests. Plus, a candid look at how life, books, and the literary world ...
What happens when two women find themselves in the midst of horrendous crimes? Join us as Tara and Michelle speak to two avid thriller writers– Devashish Sardana and Nidhi Upadhyay. In this episode, Devashish discusses his book “The Girl with Broken Dreams”, a story of a feisty CBI investigator who finds herself in a quest for the truth behind a string of suicides, while battling her own demons. And Nidhi Upadhyay talks about her book “I Hear You”, a story of a woman trapped in an abu...
Ever wondered what it’s like to live with a disability? Or how writing can help navigate the toughest of life’s challenges? In this episode of Books and Beyond, Michelle and Tara chat with Abhishek Anicca, author of Grammar of My Body, a creative memoir about his life with VATERS syndrome, a condition affecting multiple parts of his body. Abhishek dives into his experience of living with chronic illness and disability in India, sharing his journey of vulnerability, humor, and breaking s...
What happens when the wounds of Partition run deeper than history books will ever reveal? In this episode, Reenita Hora joins Tara to discuss her searing historical novel Vermilion Harvest, set against the haunting backdrop of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Through the fearless, curious eyes of protagonist Aruna, Reenita brings alive an often forgotten chapter of colonial brutality and the emotional legacy it left behind. They talk about the silencing of trauma, mixed-race identit...
What sets a legend apart from just another player? The answer lies in the mind. In this episode, Tara dives deep into the psychology of peak performance with Dr. Samir Parikh and Divya Jain, authors of The Champion Within. What really makes someone a champion, not just in sport, but in life and work? From game-day rituals and comeback stories to dealing with pressure, anticipatory anxiety, and failure, this episode is packed with stories and science behind how mental strength is built. You’ll...
A pepper spray in your bag is smart, but knowing your legal rights as a female citizen of India might be what truly saves your case. In this episode of Books & Beyond, lawyer and Pink Legal founder Manasi Chaudhari unpacks her debut book Legally Yours, a witty, no-nonsense guide that explains women’s legal rights in India through pop culture, quizzes, and relatable scenarios. From decoding consent in Kabir Singh to tips for protecting yourself in a live-in relationship, Manasi share...
What if the key to environmental action isn’t outrage, but observation? And what if the real climate crisis is a crisis of attention? In this powerful conversation, nature writer and activist Yuvan Aves talks about his lyrical and politically urgent book Intertidal. Set along Chennai’s disappearing coasts and wetlands, the book prompts readers to notice, remember, and reconnect with the living world around them. Yuvan shares how he teaches children to fall in love with their local ecolo...
What happens when a celebrated film journalist turns the camera inward? In this moving episode, veteran critic and author Bhawana Somaaya unpacks her memoir Farewell Karachi. Known for her decades-long career documenting Bollywood’s biggest stars like Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan, Bhawana shares the deeply personal stories behind her family’s displacement from Karachi to Mumbai during Partition. She recounts everything from her mother’s hilarious one-liners about working as a young ...
What if one secret could shatter everything you thought you knew about your family? In this episode, Bhavika Govil dives into her haunting, lyrical novel Hot Water, a coming-of-age story about the silences that pull families apart. Bhavika talks about the novel’s striking water motif and the emotional and craft challenges of writing Ashu, a 14-year-old boy and Meera, a 9-year-old girl, and trying to make them feel both real and raw. This episode takes a deep dive into understanding family dra...
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very informative...thanks for your work Tara and Michelle....love you guys...God bless you!
really enjoyable informative and realizebul