Himani Shivpuri is famous for playing motherly and memorable character roles in Hindi Cinema. She has acted in many hit films like Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Hero No. 1, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Bandhan, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Himani Shivpuri shares fun stories about Govinda. She talks about special moments from the sets of Hum Aapke Hain Koun and recalls behind-the-scenes memories from DDLJ.

She also speaks about the reality of theatre. She says that Hindi theatre pays very little, which is why actors often need other jobs. In comparison, Marathi and Gujarati theatre have stronger audiences and pay much better.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:12 – From Theatre to Cinema

02:45 – Hum Aapke Hain Koun & DDLJ Breakthrough

10:34 – 'Humrahi' on Doordarshan

20:00 – Working with YRF, Karan Johar & Sooraj Barjatya

22:42 – Why Actors Quit Hindi Theatre

25:48 – Govinda on Set

32:33 – Hero vs Heroine Stardom

42:28 – Schooling in Doon

45:11 – Adopting Bhatwadi Village in Uttarakhand

49:03 – Working with Shyam Benegal

52:42 – Art vs Commercial Cinema

54:51 – Dream to Work with Aamir Khan

On 10th November 2025, a terror blast near the Red Fort shook the capital. For the first time in over a decade, Delhi witnessed an attack in the heart of the city. Early investigations pointed to Pakistan-backed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. The attackers were doctors and engineers.

Is this the rise of white-collar terrorism in India? Was the Delhi blast a retaliation by Pakistan after India struck Jaish’s headquarters during Operation Sindoor? Was this an intelligence failure, or did Indian agencies actually manage to limit the damage?

In this edition of The ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we are joined by Sushant Sareen, Senior Fellow at ORF, who is known for his sharp and unfiltered analysis of Pakistan and its security establishment. Ashok Chand, a former Delhi Police officer who investigated major terror cases, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the Red Fort attack in 2000 and the Jama Masjid blast.

This episode is a deep dive into India’s security challenges, Pakistan-backed terror networks and why India cannot afford complacency.

00:00 – Introduction

01:48 – Red Fort 10/11 blast

06:59 – Intelligence Networks vs Terror Modules

10:25 – Psychology of Dr. Umar Nabi

15:42 – The Red Fort 2000 Attack

22:47 – Afzal Guru’s role in Parliament attack

27:47 – The Ammonium Nitrate Case Study

31:35 – ‘White-Collar’ Terrorism in India

38:26 – Dr Shaheen’s Role as Jaish recruiter

47:51 – Delhi Car Blast: Retaliation for Op Sindoor?

57:11 – Online Radicalisation

1:01:46 – Delhi Blast: Suicide Bomber or Panic Blast?

1:08:56 – What Drives a Suicide Bomber

1:12:01 – 2010 Jama Masjid attack

1:16:51 – Crime Scene Protocols After Terror Attacks

1:20:41 – Poverty Creates Terrorists?

1:25:29 – Judicial Hurdles in Terrorism Trials

1:37:57 – Cross-Border Influence on Kashmiris

Arun Kumar is Associate Editor of the Hindustan Times, with over three and a half decades of experience covering Jharkhand and Bihar. Ravi Upadhyay is a Senior Journalist who has worked with the news agency UNI for several years in Chandigarh and Patna.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, senior journalists break down the latest opinion polls, voter trends and ground realities from across the state.

They analyse the Bihar elections to see who was ahead - Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav, or how Prashant Kishor’s strategies influenced voters.

They also talk about how women voters, youth participation, and high voter turnout shaped the Bihar elections, along with how media coverage might have influenced the results.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:35 – PK’s Influence in Bihar

05:10 – Nitish’s Options Post-Election

07:47 – Tejashwi vs Tej Pratap

12:25 – Will Nitish Kumar Be Bihar CM Again?

18:18 – Women Voters & High Turnout

25:23 – Rahul Gandhi's Influence on Gen Z

31:26 – ‘Jeevika’ Scheme

33:53 – Bihar’s Unique Caste Politics

38:27 – Social Media’s Role in Bihar Elections

41:38 – Role of Jeevika Didis

42:43 – Nitish Kumar's Health

46:04 – Tejashwi’s Public Image

48:57 – Muslim Voting Patterns