MICAST The Official Podcast Of MICA Ahmedabad

From Challenges to Solutions: Our newest episode with Vaibhav Munjal, Co-founder of ChalChitra Talks, is dedicated to helping creators find harmony between artistic expression and sustainable livelihood. For those who do not know about CCT, ChalChitra Talks is a one-stop destination for all your recommendations…movies, books, podcasts, TV shows, poetry, and so on. In this short episode, Vaibhav shares his insights on his journey while building a sustainable career that stands the test of time. We believe that in a world filled with so much content around us, ChalChitra Talks comes as a beautiful filter, bracketing meaningful content that we can consume.

Has the global conversation about mental health truly transformed the workplace paradigm, or are we still burning out and quitting quietly? We’re in conversation with Tanmoy Goswami, a Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford. He is the founding editor of Sanity - a mental health story-letter & platform that uses the power of storytelling to discuss the politics, economics, and culture of mental health. From heading the desk at leading business publications after building them from scratch, he pivoted to writing about the global mental-health movement after a long career in business journalism, primarily to make sense of his own long history of depression, anxiety and self-harm. Tanmoy talks about mental health in the workplace, productivity paranoia, burnout, people-centric policy making - and of course, his journey as an independent newsletter creator & mental health storyteller. We dug into: 01:58 The Tanmoy Story 10:30 Tanmoy's take on Productivity Paranoia 18:07 How to build an inclusive and supportive environment at workplaces 21:48 How to avoid burnout 28:00 Power of Storytelling 32:14 Using your platform to advocate for mental health 37:00 Parting thoughts

Is hustle culture a healthy motivator to achieve more, or is it a toxic excess fostered by unrealistic expectations? To answer this question we’ve found a man that has truly done it all. Starting as an Assistant Restaurant Manager, to becoming a Radio Jockey, TV Anchor, Producer, host of Spotify's popular Original podcast Love Aaj Kal, and off late, even Chief Eating Officer! We’re in conversation with Ankit Vengurlekar - with over two decades of experience, Ankit has mastered content, conversations and community engagement across newsrooms and global corporations - organisations like LinkedIn, Tech2.com, Gadgetwala.com, Crypto App CoinSwitch, and many more. He helps us decode the ground realities (and philosophy) of hustle culture in India, his learnings from numerous career transitions and passion projects, and even whether crypto is truly a worthy side hustle today. In this dazzling conversation, we dive deep into: Ankit's learning when it comes to career transitions - 2:38 The advent of hustle culture and the impact it has - 9:54 Is crypto a good side hustle? - 25:21

Our next guest cracked the content code for Indian audiences, disrupting genres and platforms with his scary good (and record-breaking) horror content. We’re on a quest to find out how. MICAST is in conversation with Divay Agarwal - Head of Content at The Mad Virus Studios and creator of the immensely popular YouTube horror show, Khooni Monday. With over 7 years of experience ranging from product management to content creation, across organizations such as Lionsgate, Jio Cinemas, JioTV+ and HT Media. He’s a content extraordinaire from MICA’s batch of 2018! In this episode we discuss: 1:37 - Horror entertainment vs. the Indian mainstream 8:16 - The key to engaging fans and keeping them hooked to your content 12:03 - Decoding Divay’s process - adapting animation for audio formats 20:00 - The business reality of creative content endeavours Keep up with MICA's Offical Podcast over at our Instagram page! https://www.instagram.com/micast_themicanpodcast

How can I address and eliminate research anxiety? Feelings of fear and uncertainty associated with authentic scientific research and production, not knowing where to begin an exploratory thought or approach to a hypothesis, and even facing imposter syndrome during publication - all constitute research anxiety. And, we’ve found a virtuoso capable of answering our question at length. We’re in conversation with Prof. Manisha Pathak-Shelat (Professor, Communication & Digital Platforms and Strategies & Chair - Centre for Development Management and Communication (CDMC) MICA, Editor, JOCC, India). She’s served as Editor of the Journal of Creative Communication, SAGE Publications, and has also been a Researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A leading voice in the area of communication research and publication. In this episode, we talk about the following: 1:07 - why does research scare so many people away? 3:10 - understanding the umbrella term ‘communication research.’ 12:38 - tips and tricks to be a good researcher today

Long and illustrious careers are usually bolstered by hundreds of stories and anecdotes, a lifetime of experiences; moulding an astute business lens in the process - and we have proof. We’re in conversation with Mr. Kamal Bali, President & Managing Director at Volvo Group, India. Mr. Bali has been spearheading top global and Indian brands as President & CEO for two decades, and has established a number of multinational corporations in India. Having accumulated precious cross-functional knowledge, Mr. Bali is respected for his value-based leadership and professionalism with a strong ethos. Fun fact: He has also been knighted and awarded one of Sweden’s highest honours by Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Sweden! In the MICAST Studio, we discussed: 14:07 - Sustainable rapid innovation, and the future of mobility 18:00 - Advice for young entrepreneurs 20:59 - Artificial intelligence and the human touch, in application

Over the years, brands have increasingly been given human characteristics, such as persona, personality, and identity. But have brands truly been humanised, or do they still miss a ‘human touch’? We’re in conversation with Ankit Kasliwal, an ’08 MICAn, Head of Marketing for Titan’s Skinn Fragrances division. He’s also responsible for marketing Titan’s newest and most ambitious brand - Taneira. Prior to this, he has been a Strategic Marketing Leader for the Tata Neu App and a Category Brand Manager for Hero Motocorp. Having worn many hats, he holds diverse expertise in a range of sectors - automobile, retail, FMCG, premium/bridge to luxury retail and consumer tech. In this insightful episode, we discuss: 1:05 - Points of parity and difference in marketing across sectors & industries 11:40 - Branding green flags for new-age marketing design 19:45 - Tapping into consumer emotional need-space 37:00 - Driving category adoption and relevance while democratising fine fragrances

Have you ever felt like your social media feed’s been cluttered by irrelevant content? We’re in conversation with Sanjana Singh, Creative Director at Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) about staying atop content clutter on social media, leveraging platform insights to stay in tune with the audience pulse, and maintaining originality in content creation processes! Sanjana is a content extraordinaire and storyteller; creator of multiple content IPs for brands like Amazon Prime Video, Hershey's India, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, OkCupid, TLC, and more. She’s also responsible for building a 5 million strong digital community, organically - with a core expertise in the creation and curation of promotional content for brands in the form of engaging social-media friendly storytelling formats. In this riveting episode we discuss: 6:23 - How to maintain resonance with the audience pulse 13:10 - How to maintain originality as a content creator 18:35 - Professional content creation and social media detoxes 21:30 - Advice for the content creators of tomorrow, considering the industry’s trends and opportunities

Have you ever dreamt of being at the helm of your own brand as a freelancer? We’re in conversation with Deepak (Chuck) Gopalakrishnan about creating distinctive personal brands as key differentiators in a highly competitive and rapidly growing global gig economy. Coupled with sage wisdom about tackling frantic freelancing hurdles that include finding a work-life balance, multi-tasking, time management, structuring & organising processes and output. Deepak is a digital marketing and strategy freelancer, podcaster, co-founder of Rough Paper Creative, and an ‘09 MICAn. Having worked with the likes of Ogilvy, Leo Burnett India, & OML + Insider.in, Deepak chose the gig economy and built his digitally enabled self-brand “ChuckOfAllTrades”. During this riveting episode we explore: 1:20 - How to balance multiple gigs and responsibilities effectively, as a freelancer 2:53 - Discussing the pandemic’s push to the global gig economy, and excelling in the world of freelancing today 20:34 - How to build audiences that love your content 35:22 - The coveted origin story behind Deepak’s self-brand ‘Chuck’

Have you ever wanted to mute the ruckus and noise of televised news debates, in pursuit of the truth? “Are You Shor?“, is an audio story made by MICAns about the pressing social matter of televised debates that incite, excite and ignite, but are often mindless conversations that don't address the true issue at hand. It speaks of separating the voice from the noise and engaging in “choice wisdom” in a media overload environment. At MICA, the production of audio novels on contemporary social hurdles is an integral part of the orientation program, bringing together 3 different batches: PGP, CCC & FPM.

Fondly remembered by generations of MICAns, Prof. Rasananda Panda has unveiled the world of economics to all who have come to study business at MICA for over 15 years. His sharp understanding of business dynamics, the economic environment of India and other emerging markets have fundamentally shaped MICAn students' understanding of economics. In this episode of Beyond The Classroom with MICAST, we delve into some hot-button issues in the business world - cryptocurrency, Web 3.0 and the economy's future. We discuss: 1. A basic look at cryptocurrency investments: 0:40 2. The regulation conundrum 3:58 3. Is there a crypto bubble?: 11:24 Prof Panda also engages in his favourite activity - answering student questions! Stay tuned till the end for some illuminating answers to questions that Shachee Desai and David Caleb sent in! #NewPodAlert #MICAST #Economics #Crypto #NFT #Cryptocurrency #Metaverse #MICA #Faculty #BeyondTheClassroom #Business #BSchool

Dr. Darshan Trivedi is an ardent educator, a seasoned media professional, and a passionate director and producer. He's the editor of MICA's annual Indian OTT Platforms Report: a widely-regarded report of repute that the industry looks to for a cohesive look at the evolving space of digital entertainment. In this episode of Beyond The Classroom with MICAST, we break it down with Dr. Darshan Trivedi, one of our top faculty from the area of Media and Entertainment. We discuss: 1. Behind the scenes of the OTT report: 0:40 2. How GenZ is shaping the future of entertainment: 7:13 3. The future of how we study OTT: 17:38 We also dive into the stories of his directorial debut and his love for making films! Stay tuned till the end for some never heard before trivia about how he goes about planning his cinema projects.

Prof. Ruchi Tewari, Associate Professor fro the Communications Area at MICA, thinks you can't overstate the importance of crisp communication in a world full of over-saturated messaging. As attention spans shrink and 'clutter-breaking' becomes the need of the hour, Professor Ruchi breaks down her basic tenets of how one can cut through the noise. In this episode of Beyond The Classroom with MICAST, we bring onboard one of MICA's beloved communications professors and discuss: 1. Getting down to the basics of eradicating clutter: 1:08 2. Her thoughts on some of her trademark expressions and phrases from class: 9:10 3. The key things to keep in mind when presenting an idea: 14:00 Stay tuned till the end to hear more about a side of Professor Ruchi you may not have heard of: her love for biking and her Bullet.

The Pride Movement in India has rested on the shoulders of those who worked tirelessly to create spaces for the community that helped them feel safe and accepted. The Humsafar Trust, established in 1994, is one of the leading organisations that stepped up to the task of making queer voices heard. Suhail Abbasi, Co-Founder of The Humsafar Trust, joins us for a very special Power In Pride edition of MICAST, to tell us the captivating story of Humsafar, the Indian LGBT+ community, and his own illustrious media career! In this episode, we cover: The Humsafar Story 1:20 Representation of queer people in media 13:58 How does one become a good ally to the community? 22:55 The MICAST team wishes you all a very Happy Pride Month!

We're delighted to put a cherry on top of our sixth season, The Media Masters, by having Professor Santosh Patra, Associate Professor & Area Leader in Media and Entertainment Management at MICA, join us for a crossover Overtime episode! We discuss: 1. How gaming plays into the world of experiential marketing 3:37 2. Disruptors in the media industry 6:00 3. The future of M&E in a rapidly evolving world 14:22 Professor Patra is an expert on exploring the dynamism involved in the domain of media and entertainment business, digital sociology and new media philosophy. Tune in for an enriching conversation that skims through all these topics!

Let’s talk comics! We uncover the fascinating stories of how some of India's most beloved comic characters from the Tinkle Comics universe were conceived. Our guest tells us all about how the iconic Amar Chitra Katha tells timeless stories for all generations and how print comics have kept up with the digital age. Stay tuned for a conversation about: 1. The creative process behind popular Tinkle characters like Shikari Shambu and Suppandi (3:30) 2. The editorial calls that need to be made when retelling mythological stories for Amar Chitra Katha(15:35) 3. How Amar Chitra Katha's distinct art style was conceived (18:49) Could there ever be an ACK universe of characters like Marvel, and how does nostalgia play into marketing these widely adored cornerstones of our childhood? Ms. Reena Puri shares her delightful thoughts on these questions asked by our very own students at MICA.

Let’s talk TV! We unravel the nuances of television content in a fascinating conversation with Ms. Megha Tata, Managing Director at Discovery Communications India. We gain insights into the television industry's meteoric shift to digital and the creative decisions that fuel the content that reaches our screen. Stay tuned for a conversation about: 1. How to adapt to different storytelling environments (1:07) 2. How Discovery+ breaks through the oversaturated OTT space (5:30) 3. The behind-the-scenes of a massive media company (21:09) We also discuss the iconic Man vs. Wild case and the changing consumption patterns of audiences, where students at MICA shared their own questions with our industry expert.

Let’s talk OTT! We engage in a thought-provoking conversation about television, OTT and short-form content with Mr Rahul Sarangi, Vice President - Head of Short Form & New Content Initiatives at Disney+Hotstar. This episode is jam-packed with unheard of insights about the diverging content decisions when it comes to TV vs. OTT, what the future of entertainment looks like, and the mindset future marketers need to thrive. Stay tuned for a conversation about: 1. What goes into curating content for radically different audiences (3:20) 2. The short-form content revolution and what it means for the future (12:20) 3. The democratisation of content and the rise of regional entertainment (19:29) Mr Sarangi also dissects questions from the students of MICA - we discuss the strategy required to bring older generations up to speed on OTT and how Disney+Hotstar breaks through the OTT clutter.

Let’s talk LIVE events! In our third episode, we welcome Mrs Tulika Yadav, Former Chief Marketing Officer at PayTM Insider.in and Former Head of Marketing & Ticketing for OML Festivals. We examine the challenges that the LIVE events industry has faced due to the pandemic, the hybridisation of virtual and in-person festivals, and the benefits of taking a sabbatical. Stay tuned for a conversation about: 1. How the LIVE events industry mitigated the effects of the pandemic (1:04) 2. The future of LIVE entertainment (5:14) 3. Hitting restart by taking a sabbatical (15:00) Students of MICA also share their questions regarding the longevity of digital events and the unique marketing used for events from differing genres.

Let’s talk movies! In our second episode of The Media Masters, we’re excited to have Mrs. Ridhima Lulla, Chief Content Officer at Eros International. From analysing India's changing taste in film, to deciding which stories are worth telling, we explore all that there is to be learned about the business of cinema. Stay tuned for a conversation about: 1. The delicate balance between profitability and creativity (4:44) 2. How OTT has expanded the scope of new, innovative content (13:00) 3. Metaverse and the future of films (15:04) Our industry expert answers some questions from MICAns themselves, about OTT vs Theatres and Eros’ Bollywood Film Festival campaign, and joins us for an exciting rapid-fire segment at the end.