Poonam Dhillon, a timeless icon of Indian cinema, began her journey as a model and rose to fame after being crowned second runner-up at Miss India 1977. She debuted at 16 with the blockbuster Trishul, and later went on to act in popular movies like Noorie, Red Rose, and Teri Kasam, she shared the screen with legends such as Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor, becoming a beloved figure in Bollywood’s golden era.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Poonam Dhillon takes us through her remarkable career, from her accidental entry into films to navigating the industry’s challenges as a young actress. She shares nostalgic anecdotes about shooting 'Trishul' with Amitabh Bachchan, her bond with co-stars like Farooq Sheikh. She also started the idea of vanity vans with her company, Vanity. Poonam opens up about her personal life, including her early marriage, raising her kids, and balancing work and family.

She also discusses her role as president of CINTAA, where she fights for better pay for small-time actors, and her time with the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal. Poonam shares her brief stint in politics with the BJP in 2004 and her work with NGOs for causes like organ donation. With warmth, she talks about her love for theatre and her hope to support new artists.

00:00 – Introduction

03:16 – Working in film Trishul

05:56 – Debut scene with Amitabh Bachchan

07:37 – Why Yash Chopra chose Poonam?

09:18 – Working with Rajesh Khanna

13:31 – Fan crowd for Rajesh Khanna

14:05 – Shooting with Kumar Gaurav

16:03 – Costume designers in the 1980s

20:55 – Working with Rishi Kapoor

23:31 – Do directors go strict on their own kids?

27:30 – Kamal Haasan’s lesson on punctuality

30:28 – Working in television

34:03 – Robbery at home

35:38 – Working for street children

38:25 – Why was Poonam upset with her marriage?

40:48 – Life after divorce

42:00 – Friends’ reaction after divorce

43:35 – Bollywood’s 80s dating & marriage stories

47:53 – Off-screen moments with co-stars

49:29 – Introducing vanity vans

51:52 – Dining at Rishi Kapoor’s home

55:18 – How Yeh Vaada Raha film was pitched

59:36 – 80s heroines avoided abuse

01:01:07 – Handling emotions after shooting

01:04:61 (or 01:05:01) – Managing finances & investment

01:12:58 – Lessons for children

01:15:16 – Working with FCAT & CINTAA

01:23:08 – Joining BJP & social work

01:25:16 – Offered Rajya Sabha seat

In this power-packed episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, filmed in Patna, Bihar, we dive into the heart of Bihar’s political landscape with two key figures:

Samrat Choudhary, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, who kicks off with a defense of Nitish Kumar’s NDA government, crediting it for transforming Bihar with better roads, electricity, and women’s self-help groups generating ₹60,000 crore in business. He tears into Tejashwi Yadav and RJD’s “jungle raj”, calling Lalu Yadav “Gabbar Singh” for fostering fear and corruption, and dismisses Tejashwi as a “representative” of his father’s legacy with no real leadership. Samrat also addresses alliance dynamics, insisting the NDA’s five-party unity under Nitish will crush the opposition in 2025.

Shambhavi Choudhary is one of India’s youngest parliamentarians of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) from Samastipur. She brings youthful energy, fiercely countering Prashant Kishor’s claim that her father “bought” her LJP ticket, calling it a patriarchal attack on her as a Dalit woman MP. She emphasises Bihar’s progress, while praising NDA schemes like Didi Ki Rasoi for empowering rural women. Alltogether, they paint a picture of a resurgent Bihar under NDA, ready to take on Lalu’s dynasty in 2025. Don’t miss this candid and fiery discussion!

*Audio Timestamps:*

00:00 - Segment-I: Samrat Choudhary

00:33 - Do Bihar Trust NDA?

03:09 - NDA to Beat Last Bihar Tally?

04:32 - NDA Seat Sharing: Can BJP Balance All?

06:52 - Samrat's Ideology

10:54 - Samrat on Govt’s Performance

13:40 - Is Bihar Safe Under NDA?

15:15 - Rahul Alleges Match-Fixing in Bihar Polls

16:22 - Nitish’s Health & BJP’s CM Face?

18:57 - Paper leak issue in Bihar

21:05 - Rahul's 'Narendra Surrender' Jibe

23:21 - Govt Performance vs Public Trust

28:30 - Segment-II: Shambhavi Choudhary

29:08 - Prashant Kishor vs Shambhavi Choudhary

35:16 - Chirag’s Seat Remark Sparks Rift?

37:04 - Dalit Quota in Judiciary & Pvt Sector?

39:29 - Rahul's 'Narendra Surrender' Jibe

41:02 - Women’s Safety in Bihar?

45:28 - Advice to Aspiring Girls

50:25 - Empowering Women in Bihar Politics

54:13 - NDA CM Face: Nitish or Chirag?

57:09 - Shambhavi on Nepotism Allegations

Prashant Kishor is a well-known political strategist who has worked with many top leaders, including Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee, and MK Stalin, and with parties across India. He was born in Bihar and is now trying to make a mark in his home state through his own political party, Jan Suraaj. Can Prashant Kishor challenge or end the long-standing political dominance of Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar in Bihar?

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he shares his vision for Bihar and talks about how he plans to bring jobs and stop migration from the state. He also speaks about nepotism in politics and how caste still plays a role in Bihar's politics. He claims that government officers are not listening to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

He also shares his views on Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, and the BJP in Bihar.

00:00 - Introduction

00:47 - Political Strategist to Political Leader

03:21 - Dynasty politics

06:47 - Aam Admi Party vs Jan Suraaj

09:03 - Dynastic leaders in PK’s party

09:47 - Caste Based Politics in Bihar

13:01 - PK's caste factor in Bihar Polls

16:26 - Tejashwi's Role in Bihar Politics

17:14 - How is Jan Suraaj different from other parties?

21:49 - People from Bihar in Corporate, Media, Bureaucracy

23:41 - Jan Suraaj's promises to Bihar

33:32 - Bihar's Credit Deposit Ratio

37:13 - Bihar Assembly Polls

40:06 - PM Modi's Madhubani visit

43:31 - Migration & Development in Bihar

46:44 - Digital Media & AI in Politics

48:54 - Rahul Gandhi's ambition in Bihar

49:30 - Revanth Reddy's 'Bihar DNA' remark

51:51 - Is Congress relevant in Bihar?

52:29 - RJD-Congress Alliance

54:23 - Operation Sindoor