While discussing the headlines:
Abhinandan: In good news, Udit Narayan returned to the headlines after a long absence. In bad news, it was for a viral video where he was seen strangely kissing a fan on her lips…Uditji!
Rajyasree: Now lots of videos have come out of him trying to kiss Shreya Ghoshal, Alka Yagnik. It must be terrible to have to work with him.
Abhinandan: His lips are a permanent kiss face.
Rajyasree: So scary. Just think, I’ve gone to listen to Udit Narayan and he smooches me.
Abhinandan: It’s scary that you’re going to listen to him!
This and a whole lot of awful and awesome as Abhinandan Sekhri and Rajyasree Sen discuss the movie I Want To Talk, the documentary series American Manhunt: OJ Simpson, the short film Next, Please, and the Cadbury 5 Star ad on Valentine’s Day.
Have something to say? Write to us at newslaundry.com/podcast-letters.
Timecodes
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:02:47 - Topics
00:05:20 - Letters
00:12:24 - Headlines
00:14:35 - Next, Please
00:20:41 - I Want To Talk
00:26:10 - American Manhunt: OJ Simpson
00:37:30 - Letters
00:48:50 - Cadbury 5 Star ad
References and recommendations
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Produced and edited by Priyali Dhingra and Hassan Bilal.
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[00:00:00] This is a News Laundry Podcast, and you're listening to Awful and Awesome.
Hello, hello. This is the Awful and Awesome Entertainment Wrap, Episode 379. This is Rajshri Sen. And this is Abhinandan Sekhri, bringing you Awful and Awesome in a very special week, Rajshri Sen. Why is this week so special? Because it is a week of love and celebration. Love and birth. It is. Okay. No. Yes. Why?
Tell me. Because, uh, it's Newslaundry's 13th birthday? Birthday. Okay. Birth. And love. Love. What? Valentine's Day. But that's in a different week. Valentine's is 14th. It's a spillover. Love carries on for, you know, this is your problem. You screw up like the most lovely beginning that could have been. You could have just said, when this episode goes [00:01:00] on air, which is Friday the 7th, as we record this on the 5th, which is voting day, I've voted, I hope all of you have as well.
On Friday when this goes online is News Laundries. Birthday 13. You're going to end that was it? No, no, it is love. It is Bholo Bhoshi. It is Sholo Shoshi, Gulab Jamun and Roshan, Punjabi. Oh, you just fucked up the whole episode. Oh God, what are we going to do? What are we going to do? So anyway, so it's, it's her 13th birthday.
Uh, happy birthday. News Laundry. Teenager. Who would have thought that a WIM project, which was just. Fuck legacy media sucks. We got to do something in this place just over an afternoon chat Would turn into something that is an ad free model where everyone told us after five months you'll have wound this up It's been 13 years.
You guys have kept us afloat. Here's a QR code There is a special special discount if you want to gift a [00:02:00] newsletter to someone this week You get 1300 rupees off if you want to subscribe yourself scan this QR code do contribute We have done some amazing work. If I may say so myself, I have nothing to do with it.
I only do this podcast in Hafta. Uh, but the on ground journalism that is happening, even as we speak is all funded by you, not by ads. So do contribute, take part in the NL at 13 celebration by subscribing. Correct. So, Rajshri Sen, on that note, we have a very good menu of items today. It was a better menu, but one thing has been knocked off.
Because we've always said two long forms, but for some reason it just doesn't get through your head and you'll put three or four long forms. Is this the way to speak to me in public? Huh? People in foreign countries are watching and listening. Really? Yes. Surprising to me. So we have a fabulous, fabulous short film.
So on the menu there is American Manhunt O. J. Simpson. There is I [00:03:00] Want to Talk, a film by Shujit Sarkar. Then there is a five star ad, which is, I'll need some explaining, which I hope she will do. And also on the menu is someone has received a case of whiskey because she has run out of her single malts.
Yeah. So which is why after a long time we are reviewing a Royal Stag short film. Which has been directed by Chaitanya Tamhane who made Caught. Yeah, that's what surprised me. That is the scary part. But Rajshri Sen, how many bottles did they send you? See, I'm a very salt of the earth kind of person. Of course.
Okay. So, if someone wants to give me that, there's a thing in Gurgaon, by the way, which I found out, which I told you about, which is in the Indian wine shop, not the imported wine shop, called Santra, which is a little quart bottles of orange. Alcohol. That's why it's called Santra. So I asked the guy, it also sells for 30 rupees.
What were you doing outside this [00:04:00] thekha? No, when you come out of, so in Gurgaon. You have in Gurgaon. You are a Bhadralok, you are one of those who grew up in a bungalow in Kolkata. But that doesn't mean. You have only single malt and you. Review films by Royal Stag for a case of Royal Stag? For a case of, I'm a very simple person.
We're joking. They have not sent a Royal Stag. They have not even sent. I haven't even got Royal Stag. Just in anticipation that you may get. Yeah. You never know. You never know. So this film, which is I think 12 minutes long. Hmm. And it is called Next Please. But Rajshri, before we start reviewing things. Yes.
I want to just say that you are Not, you are actually technically Gen Y, but you have more Zoomer symptoms. Right, just because I say please write in. Because I need validation. But people wrote in, they're such nice people, you know. Because you need validation, you are addicted to social media, and you're mean to people.
I'm addicted to social [00:05:00] media now. And you're nasty. I'm never nasty. On air, on this camera, you make it seem like I'm the dick, but everyone knows how nasty you are. I'm not nasty. Everyone says how well she, she just puts up with it. She's so spotty. She's so sweet because that's the way. So many years of my life have gone just because just being sweet to you, just the way Modi ji is so secular and so wonderful and just like a wow.
No, he is misunderstood. So clearly many of you took pity on us and said no one sent us mails. So many of you and I am really touched that we have got 14 emails that you guys said that we should not feel left out and that no one writes to us. So 14 mails came. So we shall start with a couple. Okay. Why don't you read on for us, Rajshri?
Shall we start with Mayur? Okay. Hi Rajshri and Abhinandan. Long time listener, podcast listener and fan of your banter. Writing first time to NL. I might have sent you a message in the Aussie subscriber [00:06:00] WhatsApp group. We have WhatsApp group country wise or state wise or city wise. Abhinandan about Patal Lok.
I was expecting you to mention the one particular scene. There was a book about the constitution on the wobbly table while the aarti was going on at the police station. Symbolism at its best. Mayur, hats off buddy. I'm very impressed. But then I'm going to repeat something which Hemingway I think said about reviews in the past I got to know a couple of good regional movies from our podcast, which is Sudhani from Nigeria and Mandela Once in a while, could you start getting the film reviewers of regional cinema on the shows?
On the show that will help us to look beyond regular Hollywood Hindi movies. I can recommend Samandai Kanish Matkari for Marathi movies. It would be great if you could recommend any movie series from the past like you have been doing with Punjabi songs. Cheers, Mayur. Mayur. Great idea and well spotted, man.
Yeah, I was going to tell you [00:07:00] that there is a book I don't know whether by Ernest Hemingway called Old Man and the Sea and Ernest Hemingway gave a very well known interview once where he said, just to clarify, the old man is the old man. The sea is the sea. The fish are just random fish. There's no deeper meaning to this.
That was that, but here it was clearly there. Yeah, could be. So this email is a suspicious mail by Rashmi Mohan. Okay. Just writing to say Rajshri is a cutie pie, also awful and awesome, has been keeping me sane, so thank you. I hope it goes back to being a weekly podcast. So Rajshri Sen, someone just mailed to say you're a cutie pie.
And we are supposed to believe this is an actual subscriber. Because I would not have spelled Rashmi like, Oh, you think I spelled Rashmi like that to throw people off. Why? People can, you don't, your Rajashree is R A J Y R A J S H R E E. It is Rajashree only, my name. So maybe, why can't someone say [00:08:00] Rashmi?
But I'm saying maybe I wrote it like this so that. People normally I would write R A S. I think someone's just writing to say you're a cutie pie. It's not believable. Well, you don't think I'm a cutie pie. Parmeet has written. Hello Mr. Sen and Mr. Sekhri. I really love all of your podcasts but the light banter of this one is just so much fun.
I want to compliment, this also sounds funny. fake na, this meal then. I want to compliment Abhinandan for his beautiful recitation, recitation of the poem. This is one of mine and my daughter's favorite and I want to compliment Rajshri on her very beautiful smile. Thanks for this beautiful show. This is a real meal.
Too much of beauty happening. Now here, one by Izaaz Elahi, who says, Hi, I need to mention this before everything that Rajshri's laugh is contagious. A bit like asthma. Smallpox. Like asthma. Asthma. Bit like asthma, , because I don't know whether this is a good thing to, I think it just being, it's a compliment.
[00:09:00] Asthma is not a good thing to have for anyone, but it still continues. Do you need ? When you hear my laughter, do you need to take that thing? It's called an inhaler. Inhaler. Mm, sorry. . . Like a drink. I need your views on an Iranian movie. Marmolak, the lizard. So I have made a note of that. Marmolak, we will do that.
And? And Abhinandan, please sing a pop song from the 80s or 90s. What are your views on Mr. Raina's work with the traditional actors, Bands of Kashmir? He has written a book recently, which I would like you to read. Thank you for these chill sessions. Best of luck. So I'm not sure which book he's talking about.
I don't know. Sorry. If you want MK Raina, the theater personality, I'm, I'm guessing it must be that now with the traditional actors So, but anyway, okay. So since what song would you sing for us for the 80s? So, you know because I pander to subscribers so Like a virgin, touch for [00:10:00] the very first time That's the one you want?
Yeah, sing! What is this? If the music's ruining you, uh, I'm
having my coffee.
I made it through the wilderness. Somehow I made it through.
Didn't know how I've lost you. I was, until I found you, I was deep, incomplete, I've been had, I was sad and blue, but you made me feel, yeah you made me feel, shiny and new, like a virgin. See, I knew it! Touched for the very first time! Izaaz is now regretting this [00:11:00] request. Be careful what you wish for in life.
Reach out, now there is a QR code. Where you will get Nikku's full album of songs. Be careful which QR code you scan instead of Subscriber Newsletter. You'll suddenly get 42 songs by Abhinandan Sekari. Give a gift subscription. Oh! I get a NL gift. I click on it and it's you singing. I know that. No, no, it's not music.
You can scan this QR code. Because I am two requests away from opening an OnlyFans account. But , this may be frivolous, but see the beauty. What is the beauty that the, the word that you invented, what was frivolous? Frivolous. Frivol was a good word. It was in the headline effort, . But I found a meaning. You said, what does it mean?
I said, it means a [00:12:00] dictionary had a meaningful, it did not . So something that's frivolous is funding serious journalism like that. The gin, the Jin is flowing into the yang back there. So we are the yin to the serious journalism that is the yang. Whatever keeps art going. Who is it? I think John Lithgow or someone, someone very well known said that I have to sometimes do like, like Akshay Kumar sometimes has to do, race for to make the deep films he makes.
Such as? Kevin said, RA is a music back. That s should we get on the headlines? Yes, we should get on the headlines, uh, in the headlines of the week of the Fortnite. The good news is that Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce Chapel room, among others, one at won a lot of awards at the Grammy is 2025. The bad news is that all the limelight was of course, taken away by Kanye West and his wife Bianca
Like semi nude [00:13:00] outfit and also the limelight was stolen by our very own Udit ji, Udit Narayan ji. Kissy face. Because in related good news, Udit ji returned to the headlines after a long absence, but in bad news for him, it was for a viral video which showed him strangely kissing this fan on her lips moment after she kissed him on the cheek has also been written, but I don't think that balances it out.
Yeah. However, so Udit ji. And now lots of videos have come out of him trying to kiss Shreya Ghoshal and then trying to kiss Alka Yadav. I think it must be terrible to have to work with him. But his, his, uh, lips are a permanent kissy face. That's because he's ready, ready baby. It's so scary. Just think I've gone to listen to Udit Narayan and then he smooches me.
It's scary that you're going to listen to him. That would be shocking in itself. In good news, celebrities like Kabir Khan, Chris Martin, Dakota Johnson. Anupam Kher, Guru [00:14:00] Randhawa, Mahadevan, among others, uh, took a dip at the Mahakum. But in the bad news, the visuals that dominated the news network, so those are Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, both topless, but Mr.
Modi today. Yeah, because he's a very, uh, modest, modest man. But also he cares about the people. My eyes, my eyes! But Mr. Amit Shah needs a tan, yeah? You see how white he is? Because that means his body hasn't seen the sun in a long time. Because even the sun is petrified of seeing his body, that's why. Don't send ED to the sun.
That's why. So Rajshri Sen, what do you want to start off with? Why don't we start off with the Royal Stag film? Okay, Rajshri minutes. It seemed like 120 minutes and it starred my favorite. I really love him. Mm-hmm. Jim Sar, who's sexier? He ORs Jim has a, [00:15:00] no, I don't know. Seth. Seth. Both of them need a tan with Aha.
All three of them should go. Some together. People may, but they, but they need a. Jim is quite tanned and all, even Saif is, but it stars, uh, Jim Sarp and Shreya Dhanvantari who also played Sucheta Dalal in, uh, Oh, is that her? Yeah, in, uh, Dalal Street, whatever, the one with Prateek Jhansi. And Shardul Bhardwaj.
Scammed. Scammed. Scammed. Scammed. And, uh, it is written and produced by Chaitanya Tamhane. But it's directed by Rishabh Kapoor. Yeah. So, it is a ten minute long film. Because after that, it's all credits after that. It's about a tale of dating. In the digital age. Yeah, basically, here's the concept. I'll just say it quickly.
'cause , because it's such a short concept forever, but even short concepts, you have the ability to make them sound very long. But it's basically virtual reality [00:16:00] bar where you put on the virtual reality glasses, you can choose the bar is like a dive from the seventies and call kata or a sports or whatever you can.
And you wear those virtual reality things and you date people. And if you like the date, then you can meet them in. Real life. Otherwise, this is virtual reality set up. And Jin Sarb runs the bar. He's also the bartender or the waiter, and it is these two lonely people can come to hook up and what happens.
That's basically the plot, but it's quite terrible. So you suggested because? Because I watched it. So because you watched it, you said I'll put it. Why should I waste those 12 minutes of my life? No, I actually said this is only for Abhinandan. Did I not? I did. It's in writing. And there's a special, there's a special thanks to Vivek Gomber who has made A whole bunch of really good films like Court, Sir, Bombay Begum, [00:17:00] so I don't know what is happening like I get that in between work even sometimes I do some It's quite strange.
Some gig I'll take, which you're like, why have you taken this gig? But sometimes you're like, okay, let's do it. I'm not, see, I, my idea is not to start speculating on why someone did this film or didn't do that film. I'm only going to talk about the film, which is that short films, because they don't have commercial reasons, they don't have a revenue model.
They have to be done very cheap. And I've said this before, and for a film to be done very cheap, it should ideally just have one location. Like the one with Jackie Shroff and that one. It was on the roof of their house. One location, you finish it, because if you have different locations, it becomes expensive.
So, which means, they have to be brilliantly written. Because if you cannot move from location to location It has to be dialogue heavy or you have to have such a brilliant concept that in one location you can have a [00:18:00] film, which is 10 minutes of film and just like three minutes of dialogue and the rest is just some action.
But what action can you put? Also, they are only using two or three actors. So in those circumstances, short films have to be written by someone who is so good a writer, like, like a Quentin Tarantino film, a scene that is just a static on two people is so compelling, the dialogue or the performance is so amazing that you're just stuck on that person.
Otherwise, we have not even reviewed one short film which was even average, but yet you keep insisting because in the anticipation that Royal Stag will send you a case, you keep reviewing their short film. No, in hope. I feel that maybe. It, one day we'll watch one film and we'll say, Oh my God, this is spectacular.
But I think for that, we'll have to have finished a case of Royal Stag. Yeah. Maybe that is it, that you're supposed to finish the case and then watch the, we are doing it all the [00:19:00] time. I'm sorry. But it was, why don't you all watch it, the link to the film will be, why should everyone not watch it? They should watch it also.
I'm just saying, and speaking of short films, someone had written and suggested a film which they thought that I would like. Singh has written, greetings NL team. Rajshri, I don't know what mahoorat you said, every western citizen has a, uh, juror duty to perform. 18th Jan from Ministry of Justice to come and be a juror.
I was really thinking I would, I never got that letter and you jinxed it. Anyway, I would like you to watch The Lie, a short documentary on Netflix, which, which is made out of real investigation footage of a murder in New Zealand. This guy meets a backpacker from UK on a Tinder date and what follows is the story.
Uh, so I looked for it. Now you're in the States. Netflix US has things that we don't have and we have things that you don't have. So it's not They [00:20:00] only have one film over there? Why are
you running? I'll throw the cupboard, you know, and no, they have different lineup of films. Then why do you call it Netflix? As if they only have one. I never said Netflix. You said Netflix. I said Netflix. You guys, please rewind and check. She said Netflix. Netflix only have one flick. It's very limited.
Streamlined. You guys are really doing commendable work. Yes. And I was wondering if I use my same ID and password to log into TNM app. I think you can. Uh, I think the app. Architecture is the same, but, uh, you shall hear from our tech team to clarify this for you. Yeah. Thank you so much for your support, Mr.
Singh. Okay, we are going to discuss, what did you watch? Everything. Don't lie, Nikku. It's very bad to lie like that. Okay, I'll tell you what, let me just start off by, I want to talk. Oh. It's a film directed by Shujit Sarkar. Um, [00:21:00] It's starring Abhishek Bachchan. Uh, let me consult my notes. Ahilya Bamru and Johnny Deever.
And other people, Jayant Kriplani. So, I want to talk is on Amazon Prime. It's made by a Bengali, with a Bengali protagonist, and a Bengali antagonist, if you want to call the Doctor and Antagonist. Jain Kriplani plays Doctor Sen and he plays Doctor Dey or whatever. Everyone's Bengali in the film. Doctor Dey and Arjun Sen.
So everyone's Bengali in the film. In America, because of course America is only Bengalis. Although the people who've been deported today are all Punjabis. One second, because Bengali don't go illegally because we are not that smart. Only people from Punjab. And I just asked Niku and I, I said, why are they all going to Amri?
They must be from other, but they are all from Amri or from Gja. Very bad. So, so I already loved it when I knew they were every, everything other from Bengali, [00:22:00] uh, in other notes that I have taken Aek, Bhan is in my view, the worst actor ever. I have yet to see him do even a. Average job in even one film.
Jayant Kriprani is the king of overacting. For me, he'll always be the guy. Kale mein khich khich, kale mein khich khich, Kya karo, vix ki goli lo, Khich khich door karo. It's an 80s ad or 70s ad. He did a Jalala Ghar. He, this little very sweet girl. Uh, so, I loved that it had the king of bad acting and the king of overacting.
But unfortunately, Rajshri Sen, I could not finish the film. And I am devastated. I'll try and get over this. Is that also in your notes? You've written this down. I'll try to get over this crushing loss. Something happened and I had to stop watching the film. What happened? Your Life? My conscience that monitors my taste, ethics and time availability, said self-respect subscription,
and I said. No, this is where I draw the line. [00:23:00] So, Rajshri, you proud of yourself? I watched 18 minutes. 18 minutes on air? I can't believe you fucking could even recommend this nothing film. Adi, it came on. Poor thing, Abhishek. The floor is yours. Abhishek Bachchan has got a film after some 7 8 years. On top of that, there's always these rumours that his wife is leaving him.
I just felt bad that he's trying to do something different, so I watched it. To be fair, It's quite a sad film, but it's best. It gets sadder after 18 minutes. Okay. So Arjun Sen is a real person who is at the end of the film. He talks to camera. Oh, it's based on real life. Yeah. Okay, due respect to the real life person, but yeah, the film.
No, but Arjun Sen might not be as annoying as No, it's all annoying. It's just, yeah. So in the film, Abbi Hun, pretty much all the dialogue is in English. It's not Hindi dialogue and it's based in [00:24:00] America. He is quite a horrible person who as in, he's just an abrasive. person who works in marketing and he has a daughter and he has split up from his wife and he's diagnosed with cancer and given two months to live and the film is about the fact that he lives for some whatever 15 years or 16 years after that and his life now his life is not that interesting or and he's not that funny or, uh, Or entertaining a character that you're interested in hearing what he really has to say.
I mean, I won't say about the character. I think you're just putting the onus on the character. His acting, you're saying? Yeah, like, is this the film that has been compared to The Whale? No, that I compared. I don't think other people. Maybe other people also. You only started this rumor. You know, Rajshri, you should You know, it's so sad that this film, that this show that is so full of fake news is Actually asking for subscriptions for a robust investigative team of [00:25:00] journalists.
I thought he's playing Brendan Fraser's character. So it was just you? No, maybe other people said it. No, not me. Do you know if anyone other than you said it? No, I know I said it. I want to know. I'm just saying that. If so much of the film is just based on the expressions and the presence of Abhishek Bachchan, how good could the film be, no matter how interesting the character?
What I'm saying is that, I'm just saying this as critiquing a film. I mean, I'm not, nothing personal. Anything that requires intensity just doesn't show up. His face is too meh. It's like, not funny. It's just. Too generic. It's, there's nothing there. So, whether he's sad, whether he's happy, whether he's good, whether he's bad.
It's all nothing. This is a nothing film. I'm shocked that you wasted my time. But I didn't because you only watched 18 minutes. That's not time. Overall, you watched 30 [00:26:00] minutes of things. Till now, what we have clocked. I'm just saying. Okay. But if you all want to watch it, it's on Amazon Prime. It's free right now.
That's why also I watched it. Till now, they were charging you to watch. This film? Yeah, 300 rupees or something to rent it. So that I was not willing to do. Right. But, I did watch a very good series, which I'm assuming you did not watch. Yes. Called American, my assumption is correct? Yes. Yes. Uh, called American Manhunt, O.
J. Simpson. What was your assumption? I watched it, right? That you haven't watched. I have watched it. Four episodes. I've watched three and I'm going to watch the fourth. You've watched three episodes? And of course, this is something I'd like. It is, it's a commentary on news, man. It is. And so well done. It's as much a commentary on the broadcast news culture as it is of the justice system and race.
I think it's But yeah, you go first. So it's on prime video. No, sorry. It's on Netflix. It's on Netflix and it's been directed by Floyd Ross. [00:27:00] And, uh, it basically American Manhunt, the series looks at various, uh, Murders and crimes and well known, uh, crimes, uh, so they've done Boston Strangler before, so this is the new one that they've done.
It's four episodes. It's about O. J. Simpson, the O. J. Simpson, Nicole, uh, Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman case where Nicole Brown Simpson, who was married, who was O. J. Simpson's ex wife, was found dead. She and Ron Goldman brutally murdered brutally. So, and this goes into How the case was fought, the evidence in the case, many witnesses who were not called to, uh, testify in court, why certain witnesses were the wrong witness, like, worked against, uh, the case's favor, and whether he actually did it or not.
I personally think that he did it. [00:28:00] Everything points in that direction. She had around nine, nine reported cases of domestic violence against him. And when she died, when they opened her safe or whatever, she had kept like pictures of herself, bruised, bashed up and all. And, uh, his agent who's interviewed, who keeps Talking in his favor for quite a while, he says, but I'll never forget at the end when I just asked him that, did you do it?
And he said, OJ looked at me and he said, you know, if she just hadn't come to the door with a knife, she'd be alive. And he said, I stopped talking to him from that deep because in my gut, I always wondered, but he basically admitted it. And his other friend, Ron Ship, who was another footballer, he said that, uh, OJ told him, he didn't say OJ did refuse to take a [00:29:00] lie detector test.
And when he said, but why won't you take it? Just take the lie detector test. And he told his friend, no, I don't want to take it because I have dreamt of murdering her. Like, and he's anyway, he was very, uh, He was just a very unpredictable, very self indulgent kind of human being. But the way that case was fought, they, so they get that guy is a little odd though from the.
defense that Carl E. Douglas, who's the black lawyer who speaks in this slightly dramatic manner. He was the assistant to the lead. And basically OJ's team was this fabulous team. He had Robert Shapiro, who was very well known. He had Jimmy Cochrane, who was One of the most well known, uh, celebrity lawyers, celebrity criminal lawyer's dad and Kim Kardashian's dad, Robert Kardashian was a friend who had a law degree, but didn't was just part of that team team.
It was called the dream team of the lawyers. So, um, [00:30:00] it's a four episode series is a commentary, not just on the justice system and the investigations, It's also really good commentary on, uh, race relations in L. A. and America in the 80s and 90s. and of the news culture. So for me, it was interesting in various ways.
So I'm consulting my notes again so that I can succinct and insightful points. Americans are basically very dramatic. They didn't invent reality show, but I think It was always a reality show there. In fact, in one sense, they did. The first reality show was this MTV show, which was done by them. Even the most regular American, like for example, when they take the stand and they're supposed to say who my name is, I was just thinking here, even a fairly educated and empowered person would get like five things wrong before they were so clearly able to articulate what they were saying.
For example, even the shaman of the January [00:31:00] 6th, you know, that guy, In the interview with BBC, he's talking shit, but he's talking shit so eloquently and very confidently also. So Americans in this, like when they interviewed the victim's sister, everyone is so articulate as if they are, they're prepared for reality show.
They're all the time prepared. So I think Americans have this gift of always being reality show ready. But they must have rehearsed. I'm sure they have, but it's just the consistency with which it happens on every American show. And I'm not just talking about the current interviews. I'm even talking about old footage.
It's so, it's communicated so clearly. Uh, it has a lot of very typical, you know, gimmicks and tropes to keep you hooked. Uh, pop culture references. It's, it's like, it has a lot of Ajinomoto and junk food thrown in. To make you addictive to to the content, but that doesn't mean the content isn't good. It's fantastic.
OJ's ads have been used brilliantly. Yeah. [00:32:00] OJ did a lot of ads. And what drove him to be the person like this thing of that he became this poster boy for the black community, a community which he never Wanted to associate himself, but he didn't identify. He like, he wasn't like this black celebrity. He, he had all white friends.
He'd play golf and, you know, with all white buddies, et cetera. Now I was, uh, you know, this happened in 95, 94, 95 is when this happened. 94. 94 was the car chase, so 94, beginning 94. I remember, uh, no, the verdict. I remember, I mean, I was old enough and I think that probably was already a news track. I was aware of this case and I don't know whether it was Time magazine or Life magazine, one of them, had done this series of photographs after the verdict, clicked just as the verdict is announced, of different audiences.
And my God, it was such a. Telling commentary on race relations, all the black, [00:33:00] these things were like, and all the white, it was, and it was just photographs. It was, I think Life Magazine, if I'm not wrong. And at that time, I did not, I didn't know the context so well about the Rodney King and how the cops and this cop was a racist cop.
So a lot of new information, even if you were, if you're my age and you remember this case at that time, we did not have so much of social media. So, so many details of the case, like I was of the, you, how the hell did he get away? I knew the glove thing, but now it's not so bizarre that he got away because there was so many screw ups at the level of genuine screws like this cop.
Who's the, when you have that kind of how it worked against also the point is the jury has to think you are guilty. Like there should be no reasonable doubt and they said there is reasonable doubt because Because Jimmy Cochran kept saying if the glove don't fit you after a quit But even that glove thing to take that and the they explain why the [00:34:00] glove did not fit and his Adrian says that I told him don't take your arthritis medicine It's in the day before because your knuckles will swell up and you know, when you're listening to it, you're like, dude, you've seen the pictures of how she was.
She was almost decapitated. Ron Goldman, poor thing, had gone to return her glasses from he was like killed in like they're just lying there like heaps of and you are advising the person how to get away. With it, like if you think he's innocent, why do you even have to advise on that? Right? But also the witnesses who saw him fleeing the scene, those things had not come out at that point.
Yeah, so it was, I mean it, but, but it's not as black and white as Rajshri's bringing it out to be because it was on the, It was just a year after the Rodney King beating with the worst riots that the US has ever seen, race riots. And in LA. In LA. So it was, it's, the OJ case is way more complicated and like [00:35:00] I said, it is a very good commentary on the politics, the culture and the news culture over there.
I think it's a must watch. I loved it and sorry to burst your bubble, I watched all, I watched three episodes and I'll be watching all four. So I said you should stop judging me. I don't think that's fair. Even like the NBA finals were happening. And they cut the NBA files to a small screen and the OJ, the cast stays to a bigger screen.
So my dad was in LA. Oh really? And he was so excited because in India we'd never seen something like this. So everyone was at home watching this. But one thing I want to say is that all the cops were interviewed. The cops are really typical, you know. Old school men's men kind of thing. Yeah. I, I think cops don't have the ability, you know, just like a lot of westerners cannot sit, like I'm sitting right now, chalk marque, what they call a lotus position.
They can't, even if they're sporty, they, they can't sit like this because they aren't flexible. No, I, I mean like, even if they're flexible for some reason this is a position that doesn't come [00:36:00] natural to them. I think a cop cannot sit unless both their leg, their mans, yeah. They, all the cops sit with, they sit like that legs so wide apart, boss.
By chance, if you sneeze, you know, my Pothodas will be blown away. Like, fuck, man, just make it, the director should have said, you can just make your legs a little closer together. No, the director must have said, you sit, you are looking, haan. Full, full. Yeah. And the gynecologist is testing it. Just in case you need it, yeah.
Like, the cops are such cop cops, they sit like this, you can't see my legs, far apart.
But that, uh, lawyer, I have to say is, like, he's quite mad the, who was part of the defense, but even Marsha Clark got such a raw, tough deal because she was the only woman on the, this thing. And she really. He. He. Got her that I remember from that time the raw deal that she got in the media, but yeah It's more complicated than it.
It's not just about a man who appears to be [00:37:00] clearly guilty getting away There was a lot more happening. I think so. Uh, the other thing I would say, watch this and watch American Crime Story, OJ Simpson, which is excellent. It has, uh, who is it? James, Jimmy Foxx, uh, plays him. Uh, John Travolta plays Robert Shapiro.
It's a very, very well made, uh, show and, uh, both on Netflix, but this is really well. I also like the way they'd drawn the full Netflix, I almost felt bad for, I've never felt bad for a racist man in my life, but towards the end, I was like, this poor Mark Furman really got it in the neck. Absolutely. Yeah. So, before we review the last item, which is the five star ad for Valentine's Day, a few more emails, because people have lovingly written, because they want us to feel validated, because No, maybe they just have written to us.
Suddenly out of the blue. Yeah. Maybe something was wrong with the email ID, no? [00:38:00] And then, okay, that's for now. Maybe they were writing all along. Yeah. And this is not pity. No, this is just normal everyday love. Okay. Like that. So, Som Subro says, Som Subro has said, ha, Choudhury. Dear E N A E W. I was reading it, but yes, please feel free to interrupt.
Clearly, I was not doing the correct job. You hesitated, so I thought you wanted to read it. You know, just taking a pause between two words is not hesitation. That's not, that doesn't mean I have to comment. Interrupt and not be able to read what is being said. I went, you read now. So, so sub says, dear, NAU.
So nice. So sub has basically often awesome NAU Ew, ew. You know that? Ew, that that sound, which is ew. Whatever that means. Ri. Given that you are more open to experimentation, I would like to implore you to watch Arcane. It has two seasons and Blue-Eyed Samurai one [00:39:00] season, the animated shows. But don't let this stop you.
I'm 36-year-old who was. who last watched an animation show when I was 18. However, these two shows are phenomenal. Abhinandan kept saying in Hafsa that Arkane is a gaming series show, but it's not really. The characters for Arkane come from the game League of Legends, but that's about it. The stories in both shows shines through the spectacular animation and makes it.
And even more compelling watch, you would be attached to the characters like any good series also want to ask if you both felt the Patal Lok season two was dumbed down version given season one is quite complex, but season two had a great ending. Love your jest. I don't think it was dumbed down, but I'm more impressed that you know of this thing called this show called Aakeen and I've mentioned it in NL after.
Actually, it's. So that's not what arcane was mentioned by Shardul. I had no clue what it is, but I kept referring to it as a game because he was saying it's a video game. But so I'm supposed to saying it's not a video game. It's actually full show. So [00:40:00] Nali has written, you guys have always been awful and Awesome.
That sleeper slipper conversation was gold. And now you have content. Never thought I would say this, but might just watch something path. I'll look on your recommendation. That's not nice. And I've been on the lower pitch ads. Gravitas hopefully, hopefully you aren't planning to edit out. Uncle jokes, never.
It's impossible. The lower pitch adds gravitas. What lower pitch? You said I'm speaking in a lower pitch last time. Oh, does it? Okay. So I should add gravitas to the show because I've been frivolous enough by Frivolize, don't frivolize the situation. Yogi says, Yes. Dear Rajshin Abhinandan, last week Abhinandan said on the podcast that he did not like the music from Parinda.
This hurt my feelings so bad that I went ahead and revisited the two breakout songs from the movie again. The two songs being Love that song. I can sing it.[00:41:00]
You're poem, sing a song. It's nicely done. The song is, but not that way. You, you are just very jealous from it's copied from. When I need a, I need a, whatever. So it's not original. Pyaar Ke Mod Pe, very nice song, I agree. What beautiful composition by Pancham. The former was not Pancham's composition, much as I love him.
Be fair. And what beautiful picturization. Love them both. Keep up the good work. New Year and beyond. You can read the next Rajshri Sen. Yes. Sneha says, New subscriber here. I specifically subscribe to Awful and Awesome so that its conversion rates improve. Very good. Thank you, Sneha. I love the banter between Rajshri and Abhinandan.
Y'all are witty and fun and drama queens. Compliment for me. I don't know if I love it when Abhinandan suddenly breaks out into song. Having said that, the usual voices of reason made some strange statements about getting heavier as you [00:42:00] age. So the healthcare professional inside me died a little. This was when you discussed Demi Moore.
It's a very Indian cultural thing to say you need to put on weight as you age. Understood, Uncle? Huh? Not the best health advice. Anyway, otherwise there are always stellar conversations on each of your podcasts. Keep going. So far, far be it from me to spread any fake news on News Laundry's podcast. Yeah, that I'll only do.
But Sneha, clearly a health professional, but just saying that, uh, I was, but maybe that's specifically to me since I'm diabetic and I'm on diabetes medication. I was told that by The dog that you are going to get diabetes medicine in any case, um, makes you thinner or whatever it prevents you from putting on weight, which is why that pig baby is a so now that you are hitting 50.
You should try to put on a little more weight because being really thin and athletic or [00:43:00] whatever it is and playing sport at this age is fine, but as you get older, you should. That is why I said it, but maybe I'm wrong, but I think when, as you get older, filling up is better than playing It's skinning down.
Cosmetically. But for me, medically also. Neha Singh says, I see subscriber Akanksha's hashtag no complaints here and raise you to a hashtag swoon worthy with a side of smolder. Abhinandan, even with the uncle vibes, is only a black and white portrait away from being a full fledged intellectual thirst trap.
Cue Rajshree's eye roll. I love this show. Rajshree, can you explain this to me in English? Please stop writing. To myself? No, I really, I'm telling you, stop it. We can trace, can't we trace the thing who's written where it's come? It will be IP address from here only, from upstairs. May I ask enough? First of all, explain it in English.
Basically, you're a sexy uncle. No, no, what is You're like Shakti Kapoor. But your English is better. What is A black and white portrait away from being a full fledged [00:44:00] intellectual thirst trap. What is an intellectual thirst trap? Like, not Shakti Kapoor. I'll tell you who is actually an intellectual thirst trap.
If I put a black and white photo of myself? Yeah. Okay. Neha Sinha, please, in simple English. Also, there's no accounting for taste. I like cef. Some people don't like cef. Like that. It's okay. Sandeep has said, Hi Abhinandan and Rajshree. I'm in disbelief that you guys are not receiving emails. I'm also in disbelief.
Here I am doing my bit. Not really. You will know in the next few lines. Thank you. Let me tell you, I am a News Laundry subscriber and irregular listener of the podcast. I only listen to ANA. Other stories and news reports make me angry, sad and depressed. press. My wife pointed these things out and suggested to stop consuming any form.
That's actually Sandeep. You should take news breaks. Yeah. And by far, this is the best decision in my adult life. I don't know how do you stay seen after [00:45:00] doing what you do. I have stopped listening to news for the past two years. I will continue buying the subscription. Thank you Sandeep. Be like Sandeep.
Yeah. Last time I wrote to you and I kind of look like a creep. Blame is on me. I asked, what is the mark on Abhinandan's hand? Stupid me. I don't have anything specific to say about the show. You guys are amazing. Your banter is great. I have never seen such good chemistry between hosts. I know lots of grammatical mistakes, but it conveyed the message.
Then it's enough. Don't worry. Everything Abhinandan writes also has lots of grammatical mistakes. Grammatical. Grammatical. But it's a birthmark, bro. It's always been there. Say what Titu has said. So Titu says, Hi Nikku and Rajjo. A week fortnight now, not very happy with that. Without you both bickering for at least half an hour in my ears.
While I cook, one of my weekend meals feels incomplete. Really loved Black Warren, but I have to say Patal Look is the best Indian OTT show ever. Especially the first season, what do you guys think? Would love to know what other subscribers think too. Please write in with your [00:46:00] favourites. I have a suggestion in the show notes, or in the Excel, like the one there is for Hafta.
You should provide links to all the shows that you review along with the stars you have given them out of five or a thumbs up or a thumbs down. I'd love to go back and check them out Titu. Titu first of all, thank you so much for your subscription and I hope our background noise doesn't make your food any less palatable.
Uh, but it motivates you to cook even better. I don't want to do the star and all because sometimes my I mean, I may like something, but I think it's a terrible show, but I liked it. So what would I give that other stars to whether I enjoyed it or whether it's a good show because many good things I don't enjoy many shit things I enjoy.
So that's where the star system is not something that I think would work as least as far as I'm concerned. Hmm. Anurag has written, Hi, this must be my first email to NL for any show since ANA got just one email this time, I wanted to make sure that both Abhinandan and Rajshri do know that people like me [00:47:00] listen to this series along with other NL series religiously.
Thank you, Anurag. Very beautiful recital by Abhinandan. And great trivia about the repetition in the poem. Rajshri as always is so sweet and forgiving with Abhinandan. I don't think you emphasize that line enough. Shall I do it once more? Please, ten times do it. Rajshri as always is so sweet. and forgiving with Abhinandan.
Not enough pauses. You want to do it again? No, I'll do one extra episode. It's just me reading this. I depend on this series of sifting through what I should watch or listen to. Please keep dishing out the awesome episodes. Thank you, Anurag. One last email. AIA has written, Hey, I have a movie suggestion. If you guys have the time, I want you to watch the timer movie.
I can't pronounce names so I won't, but May, may. No. We'll get No. But in, uh, may. May. I think you will enjoy this Feel good movie and I want to listen to how you [00:48:00] felt about it after watching it. Thank you. A unknown for reading it out in his head. He was reading it out. Hmm. So Agitha, thank you. So I've made a note of that film also, uh, so we have two recommendations, but to the question that do you think, uh, Patal Lok is the best, uh, Hindi OTT?
What do you think Rajshri? No, I, I, okay, in this year, in this month, maybe, but, uh, maybe it will be for the rest of the year. I had loved Mirzapur. There's so many others which are there. No, but I think if I would agree with him, for me. It will be very close first and second between Paatal Lok and the one with Saif where he plays the unconvincing Sikh.
Sacred Games. Sacred Games. So for me, Sacred Games and Paatal Lok are the tied first, uh, best Hindi series for me. But now there'll be another one because Saif's new show is going to come out, The Heist, where he's looking very sexy. I'm going to say nothing about Saif. I have so much to say, but Don't say it.
He's been injured. Because I have something [00:49:00] to say about that, but I don't want to be accused of being insensitive. I'm accused of that often enough anyway. So I said, finally, there's this ad, which is I guess I should identify with because if you want to make anything less cool, let uncle take it up. This is what the ad looks like.
You're probably wondering what a middle aged guy is doing in a five star ad. So uncles, it's time to take one for the team.
This Valentine's Day, Five Star will spend its entire marketing budget on the only people who can end it. Doing nothing. Join us on destroyvalentinesday. com So, I didn't understand it. It's just a funny ad. No, Five Star wants to destroy Valentine's Day. Yeah, just random. This is a random. Leo Burnett or whoever the ad agency must have said.
But why did it start off with the Five Star? What does that have to do with Valentine's Day? Because people give [00:50:00] chocolates on Valentine's Day, na? So So it's a connection. Connection hai, but it's not It was kind of funny, but I didn't understand anything to do with the product or the No, it's not supposed to be like that.
Maybe it is and you just don't have it understood. I understand everything. Unlike me who said I didn't understand it, maybe you also didn't. No, I understood. This is like one of those, let's just do something fun. Okay, in case Rajshri is wrong, and maybe there is some connection. Do let us know. You can write to us at podcasts at newslondon.
com and you can ask Rajshri to sing a song next time. I thought I sang quite nicely. Tumse milke aisa laga tumse milke. So, I thought it was well made ad. Quite cool and funny. It was cute. It was fun. And the whole thing that if you want to kill something as a trend. Yeah, really. But I still don't get it. I don't think there's We are looking for deeper meaning when there is no deeper meaning.[00:51:00]
So before we go, here's the QR code again. For the album. Nikku's special album. No, it's for the subscription. Do subscribe. Pay to keep news free. Because when the public pays, the public is served. We've just Uh, report from Basant who spent four days at Prayagraj and visiting hospitals and morgues. Uh, and the death count of 30 as released by the government is clearly not accurate.
Uh, but this report is only possible because of people like you. So wish us on our 13th birthday. And get 13 of your friends to subscribe. Okay. It's not a bad thing. Not a bad thing. It's ambitious. Yeah. Well, it's not difficult. Get 13 of your friends if you're part of a joint family, actually. Just tell Fufa, Fufi, all of them.
Everyone should have their own subscription. And we shall end with thanking our wonderful sound recordist Anil and our producer Priyali. Thank you so [00:52:00] much Teesta is here. Thank you. Oh no, Hassan is here. I thought Teesta was sitting there. Uh, and uh, thank you Ms. Sen. Thank you Mr. Sekhri. And it's a wrap.
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