In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we are joined by Lt. Col. Pavithran Rajan, a former intelligence officer, academic, and tech entrepreneur, and Ambassador Anil Trigunayat, a former Indian Foreign Service officer and Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation.

Together, they discuss India’s narrative war against Pakistan and why winning this battle is crucial. Should India’s armed forces have a dedicated team to counter Pakistani propaganda in real time? Why does India still lack a strong and organised information-warfare system? How can India protect its global image?

They also examine how Western think tanks publish anti-India reports that shape global opinion, and how India should respond.

00:00 – Introduction

01:17 – India vs Pak: Information Warfare

07:06 – India vs Pak: Social Media Battle

11:57 – India’s Fact-Checking System

18:34 – Information Warfare: What Should India Do?

23:10 – India vs Pak Narrative During War

27:24 – Red Fort Attack & GPS Spoofing

33:00 – Sanchar Saathi App & Surveillance Concerns

40:54 – Phone Tapping

44:56 – How Terror Networks Avoid Detection

46:23 – Freedom of Speech vs National Security

50:24 – Open-Source Intelligence and Data Leaks

53:13 – National Security Rules for Tech Companies

56:10 – Disinformation During Operation Sindoor

01:00:18 – Western Media Bias Against India

01:03:48 – Rise of Anti-Drone Systems

01:06:28 – India’s Drone Challenge

01:13:06 – Gaps in Internal Security

01:16:01 – Grey-Zone Tactics & Diplomacy

01:17:33 – Role of AI in Information Warfare

01:22:36 – Need for a Unified Tech Framework

01:26:29 – Hybrid Warfare Challenges with Pakistan

01:28:19 – Possibility of Operation Sindoor 2?

01:31:26 – Public Trust & Security Strategy

Bina Ramani is a fashion designer, author, and entrepreneur. She pioneered India’s boutique culture, played a key role in shaping Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village, and was a key witness in the Jessica Lal case.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Bina Ramani recalls memories of the Kapoor family, including Raj Kapoor, and speaks about her romantic association with Shammi Kapoor. She also talks about her friendship with Rekha and her role in introducing her to Mukesh Agarwal.

Bina Ramani shares anecdotes from her interactions with Indira Gandhi, including gifting her jewellery. She also reflects on her encounters with global icons such as Jackie Onassis and Yoko Ono.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:29 – Breaking Years of Silence

02:37 – 'Bird in a Banyan Tree' & the Night of 1999

08:02 – The Jessica Lal Murder Case

17:42 – Allegations of Evidence Tampering

21:31 – Tihar Jail and the Reopening of the Case

24:15 – How Fame Turned into Public Backlash

26:25 – Media Trial & ‘No One Killed Jessica’ Movie

28:49 – When Bollywood Sidelined Bina Ramani

31:17 – Life Inside Tihar Jail

36:44 – Ram Jethmalani and the Turning Point

44:43 – The End of ‘Page 3’ Culture

49:52 – Early Life & Raj Kapoor

56:28 – Relationship with Shammi Kapoor

01:06:16 – Why Shammi Kapoor Lived for His Audience

01:08:27 – Binatone: A Product Named After Bina Ramani

01:11:32 – Marriage, Affairs, and Turmoil

01:19:37 – Her Career with the Taj Group

01:22:12 – The Man Bina Ramani Connected with the Most

01:36:11 – Who Was Pamela Bordes?

01:44:06 – What Made Asha Puthli a Global Icon?

01:51:46 – Interviewing Indira Gandhi

01:58:24 – Chandraswami and Spiritual Scams

02:08:06 – Money Laundering and the FBI Probe

02:13:28 – Rekha’s Marriage to Mukesh Agarwal

02:23:06 – What Led to Mukesh Agarwal’s Suicide?

02:26:56 – Battling Cancer and Finding ‘Malabar Secrets’

Taran Adarsh is a leading film trade analyst and renowned critic. With decades of experience, he is considered one of the most trusted voices on box office trends and reviews.

Bhawana Somaaya is an Indian film journalist, critic, author and historian. She was conferred the Padma Shri in 2017. She has written over 13 books on Hindi cinema and iconic Bollywood personalities.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Taran Adarsh exposes how social-media armies and personalised PR machinery are creating a new kind of burden on Hindi cinema. He explains how actors’ ‘big’ egos and reduced director control are hurting Bollywood today.

Bhawana Somaaya talks about writing on Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini, showing how stars bounce back from setbacks. She shares untold stories about Dharmendra and Yash Chopra and reflects on how Bollywood has changed since the 1970s.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:00 – PR Culture in Bollywood

06:23 – Hema Malini–Dharmendra’s Marriage

12:58 – Rajshri Films & ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ Review

17:31 – Inside Raj Kapoor’s RK Studios

22:01 – Generational Changes in Bollywood

27:25 – Jaya Bachchan and the Paparazzi

31:54 – Books on Amitabh Bachchan

37:43 – Box Office Truths

41:27 – ‘Saiyaara’ Review

42:01 – Honest Reviews vs Actor ‘Ego’

46:02 – Evolution of Film Reviews

52:02 – Influencers & Media Credibility

57:42 – Impact of AI and Social Media on Film Criticism

1:02:19 – Modern Trend of Entourages

1:05:39 – Evolution of Audience Preferences

1:14:04 – Theatre Experience vs OTT Viewing