They don’t answer to censor boards or rigid sponsorship deals; new-age self-produced podcasts and shows aren’t afraid to say it like it is and their unabashed candour is why they have the ears and eyes of the nation’s youth
Aditya Lodha (Adi) and Jehangir Havaldar (Jeh), co-hosts of The Having Said That Show (HST)
In the digital wilderness of 2025, where content is king and candour is most appreciated, self-produced podcasts and shows have become the talk of the town. Often hosted by content creators and stand-up comics, one could assume that their appeal lies in the fact that they’re raw, they’re honest, and many young individuals find a certain thrill in hearing someone “say it like it is”.
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A survey conducted by Indus Vox Media (IVM) Podcasts—which is an Indian multi-lingual podcast network that hosts a wide variety of podcasts—revealed that 77 per cent of their listeners are under the age of 35, highlighting the platform’s resonance with younger audiences. Complementing this, a 2023 EY report found that Gen Z places a higher premium on authenticity than on traditional success metrics like wealth, fame, or world-changing ambitions. They gravitate toward content that embraces quirks and imperfections over polished facades.
In this landscape, self-produced shows have emerged as an ideal medium, providing an unfiltered window into the perspectives of their hosts, making them particularly compelling for today’s young consumers.
Raunaq Rajani, the creator, host and producer of the YouTube sensation RelationShit Advice which is recorded live at various venues across Mumbai says: “The whole idea of starting RelationShit Advice was to have fun on stage.” Rajani’s show brings together comedians and Internet personalities to play agony aunts and address personal dilemmas with humour and candour.
Raunaq Rajani (centre), host and producer, RelationShit Advice
“As a comedian, when I was doing shows, there were time when I would have a blast while hanging out with the other comics and my friends in the green room. That sense of fun is what I wanted to recreate with RelationShit Advice.”
Unlike on traditionally produced TV shows, the lack of external oversight—be it from network executives or rigid brand guidelines—gives creators the freedom to push their boundaries with shows like this.
Rajani, reflecting on his experiences early in his comedy career, says, “Back then, I would be invited to TV shows, but a lot of my jokes would lose their essence in the editing process. The content was either heavily scripted or censored. That’s exactly what I wanted to change with RelationShit Advice. Being a self-produced show, I have complete creative autonomy over what can be put out.”
India, with its 5.76 crore monthly podcast listeners, is already the third-largest market in the podcast world after China and the US, according to the PwC report, Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2020–2024. The burgeoning podcast space offers fertile ground for creators like Aditya Lodha (Adi) and Jehangir Havaldar (Jeh), co-hosts of The Having Said That Show (HST). This self-produced podcast with 110k followers on Instagram and 74.5k subscribers on YouTube, is beloved for its candid conversations between the hosts on topics ranging from relationships and friendships to their personal creative journeys and opinions on varied themes.
The cast of HST—(from left to right) Aman, Adi, Sid, Jeh and Aryana
“When we first started HST, we focused on being funny and making sure everyone had a good time,” Lodha shares. “As we’ve grown up with our audience, we’ve shifted to a more transparent and vulnerable approach while keeping the humour intact. We wanted to show that life isn’t just about having fun all the time—it’s a spectrum of emotions. I guess that shift is when people started resonating with us even more, and our audience grew significantly. People appreciate candour, whether it’s funny or serious, and that’s something we’ve embraced across all episodes.”
Havaldar credits their real-life friendship as the key to the show’s success. “I don’t think the level of candour we bring to HST would be possible if Adi and I weren’t best friends in real life. We’ve grown up together and seen each other at our best and worst,” he says. “A lot of the time, we forget about the cameras and just have real conversations. We get personal on the show, and it’s those raw, unfiltered moments that make it special.”
“Shoutout to the other cast members of HST—Sid, Aman, and Aryana,” Lodha adds. “What really sets the show apart is the blend of our personalities. We’re five people with completely different temperaments and viewpoints, and yet, somehow, it all clicks.”
This blend of contrasting personalities is a key reason why self-produced podcasts like HST resonate with audiences—they offer an organic mix that’s hard to replicate in scripted formats.
Lodha explains, “We never rely on a script. Aman and Sid research topics our audience is interested in, as well as trends that do well on YouTube. They curate segments for each episode—usually four, running about 15 minutes each. Jeh and I thrive on coming into the shoot blind. We don’t know the theme
of the episode until it starts, so our reactions are always honest and natural.”
“RelationShit Advice is totally unscripted”, says Rajani. “But since we record it live, I make sure to go over the basic flow of the show a few hours in advance. The panellists come onto stage with no prior knowledge of what to expect”. Despite having a small team, Rajani is hands-on, overseeing everything from production to creative edits. This involvement ensures the show stays true to its ethos: creating an enjoyable experience for both the audience and the panelists, while keeping their voices genuine in the final edit.
“The goal is for everyone to have fun, and that’s hard to achieve with a fixed script. I’ve had brands offer to plant audience members to promote their products, but I’ve always turned that down. The audience isn’t fooled—they can tell when something’s staged. If we compromised on that, the show wouldn’t be as successful as it is today,” Rajani emphasises.
Naina Bhan and Sakshi Shivdasani, co-hosts of the self-produced podcast Moment of Silence—with 47.3K followers on Instagram and 43.3K subscribers on YouTube—are redefining the digital landscape by creating content for women, by women. “We started Moment of Silence because we realised there was a serious lack of women-led content on the Internet,” says Bhan, adding, “Almost every podcast or talk show we came across was led by men, and that left a noticeable gap. We wanted to create a space where women could hear from other women—a platform that speaks directly to them.”
Sakshi Shivdasani and Naina Bhan, co-hosts of the self-produced podcast Moment of Silence
Their podcast has struck a chord with listeners, resonating deeply with women who appreciate content that feels personal and relatable, and the show has quickly become an Internet sensation for its relatable humour and honest conversations on everything from navigating independence and dating to discussions on family and daily struggles of women.
“Both Naina and I are the first women in our respective families to live the ‘independent woman life’,” shares Shivdasani, “Naina moved cities to pursue her career, and I’ve spent years building my own path. There are so many women in India like us, navigating similar journeys. Our podcast is for them—women who are working to build something on their own. We draw from our own experiences, and it resonates because the struggles we’ve faced are shared experiences, even if they look different for each of us.”
A recent reel they posted on their Instagram where Sakshi talks about her experience using a menstrual cup for the first time garnered 2.4 million views, and this is just one of the few viral moments from the show. “We’re very funny people,” Bhan says with a laugh “I think our audience feels the same, and that’s why the podcast has such good reach. We’re candid about what we feel and believe, and I think the women who listen to us or watch our content really appreciate that authenticity.”
There is, at times, a thin line between unfiltered and inappropriate, and it’s a daily balancing act for many self-produced podcasters and show creators to ensure that the conversation remains respectful and inclusive.
“Being candid and having fun doesn’t mean that panellists or audience members have the liberty to say anything outrageous” notes Rajani, “I trust my panellists to keep it funny without being offensive, and if something inappropriate comes up, I ensure we steer the conversation away. Since the show is recorded live, I also make sure such moments don’t make it into the final edit. Viral content may come from outrageous comments, but that doesn’t mean we should stand for anything irresponsible. I’m very mindful of the content we put out” he continues.
Similarly on HST, the hosts of the show, prefer to be transparent with their audiences. “If a topic is sensitive, we make it clear to our viewers and listeners before diving in. We don’t go overboard and just share our personal experiences,” says Jeh.
“There aren’t specific topics we avoid, but we don’t deliberately lean into controversy either,” he adds, “With our varied interests, there’s always something to talk about. It’s fun to debate and have spirited conversations. We just do what feels right in the moment.”
There may be limited oversight and censorship, but creators are not entirely immune to accountability. Social media serves as a double-edged sword, offering both a platform for promotion and a space for critique. Shivdasani acknowledges that not everyone is on board with their approach. “We’re being ‘cancelled’ by a small section of men who believe women shouldn’t be talking about their issues in a funny way,” she says. “But honestly, I don’t even mind being cancelled by those people,” she adds with a laugh.
Acknowledging that while authenticity is vital, consideration of the potential impact of one’s words on audiences is equally important. “Honestly, if you think you have an opinion that might get you cancelled, maybe you should review it and revise it in the privacy of your own mind,” suggests Lodha.
5.76 cr
No. of Indian listeners tuning in to podcasts every month Source: 2024 PwC report
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