Two people decided to grab a bite after their run. A few years later, that became a thriving community of 1000+ people with “slots” going in a minute. This is the story of Thindi Capital.

Ajit Bhaskar is a tea scientist by day. By weekend, he curates ‘Thindi walks’ in Bengaluru - where he leads a group to sample some of the city’s best fare (dosa, idli, chaat and the like) from Darshinis (old-school, cheap eateries). Through these walks, people discover the culture of the city and its localities, myths are busted and tummies are filled.

We invited Ajit to the show to speak about how this idea took a life of its own, and how he curates these walks - in many ways, content. Yes, we talk about concepts like the power of demonstration, keeping an open mind… But mostly we talk about dosa. Welcome to the most delicious episode in this series so far!

From the rise of comedy, to curating events; from appreciating comedy as a fan to selling it as a businessperson - there are few better people to speak to in India than Dhruv Sheth. Currently the co-founder and CEO of the m19collective, Dhruv cut his teeth at talent-and-events company OML Entertainment, where he went from (no joke) amp-carrying intern to COO in about a decade. He has seen up close how music festivals are curated, how Zakir Khan rose to fandom, how the promise of independent music is (finally) being realised, how content has evolved to changing screen sizes, how creators themselves have changed... And so much more. We get into the subtleties between Instagram and YouTube. We speak about finding one's own voice, and authenticity (and debate what that word even means), what it takes for a subculture to succeed, and so much more. This one was among the richest episodes we recorded. Chuck has worked with Dhruv at OML, and it was a delight for us to sit down with him and decode content and the creator economy. It also helps that Dhruv is incredibly funny. His OML story alone makes this episode worth it!

We believe there is always a different way of looking at things, another layer to be peeled. For cities, for an interest, for any topic. And that should be liberating as a budding creator. In this episode, we speak to Gopal MS, who runs the popular Instagram page Mumbai Paused. Gopal is not just any photographer. He seeks out the stories that lie around us, that capture the dichotomy of the city - between the fast parts, and the slow parts. He is motivated by finding the relationship between everyday people and this megapolis they have chosen to inhabit. His photos are thought-provoking, funny, poignant, and beautiful - all without using any words. We speak to Gopal about how he found this unique content project idea, and how he refined it over the years. We speak about how he built his style, and how he turned his hobby into a habit. Spoiler alert: By giving it time! We touch upon aspects which will be useful for any young creator today: Not paying attention to feedback, going down internet rabbit holes, and how stepping out of one’s bubble can be very informing. And of course, we speak about Mumbai - the madness, but also the calmness. The two “clocks” that the city runs on, various communities, and more. We speak about Gopal’s other venture - Go Hallu Hallu - a series of curated walks where you see a side of the city you may not have experienced before.

If there is one person who will convince you that having diverse interests will benefit you personally and professionally, it’s Berty Ashley, one of the most multifaceted people we know. He’s a quizmaster, musician, scientist, author, music artist manager - professionally. He’s also a vinyl record collector, coffee taster and (as he puts it) local jokester and punmaker. His diverse interests crosses over in everything he does - from giving audiences scientific epiphanies while conducting really fun quizzes, to hiding Pink Floyd references in academic papers! We speak to Berty about the innate curiosity that drives everything he does, how being interested in various things gives him random connections, how he built a quiz event blending science, history, music and humour (and made it work!), the “performance” of being a quizmaster, his philosophy of storytelling and much more. Along the way we cover esoteric terrain such as his disdain for zebras, building jugaad microscopes, how highly sheltered girls were able to identify a BTS GIF while their principal couldn’t, how X Files impacted STEM enrolments, and more. Anyone who knows Berty knows the bucket of trivia and joy (and bad jokes) he is. We speak about the anti-brand he’s managed to build himself. This is one of the most wide-ranging and entertaining conversations we’ve had in this series. Come, laugh (and learn) along.

Kunj is someone who has seen content both as a creator and a businessperson. This quote-a-minute interview is a must-listen for anyone interested in the space. Kunj is currently the VP of content at audio streaming platform Kuku FM which has defied expectations, building a massive paying subscriber base from Tier-2 cities. He has built a Silver Button-winning YouTube channel at InsideIIM, apart from being the author of four (very different) books. At Kuku FM, Kunj has overseen one of India’s most diverse content libraries that finds traction across the country. The platform has gone from 10k new minutes of content a month to 200k a month, under his watch - all of which is being consumed vicariously. In this conversation, we speak about craft being more valuable than QA, the recommended content diet of a creator, the richness of stories from the East, a framework for payoffs, the Jio effect, and lots more. This is one of the richest conversations we've had on this series and you'll hear it from the opening salvo: "Stories are going to be the most profitable product in the next ten years". CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:52 Importance of Writing Books 00:06:55 AI vs the Craft of Writing 00:11:39 Reason behind ridiculously low success % of OTT and Movies 00:14:15 IPO's and Storytelling?! 00:16:07 What should be a creators content diet? 00:19:33 The most profitable product of the next decade 00:21:43 The art of long form content 00:28:23 How media technologies become mainstream 00:28:55 How Urban Living intensifies content consumption 00:33:00 Future of Content: 'World Building' 00:39:50 Unlikely Genre overlaps in India's content consumption 00:45:16 Understanding India through Indian language content 00:50:05 Evolution of Female Characters in Content 00:50:53 Why do people consume certain Genres 01:04:12 Longevity of a Content IP 01:12:33 Balance between being commercial and being artistic 01:34:05 The marriage of data and storytelling 01:41:56 Grammar of Western vs Indian Stories 01:50:30 Be Format Agnostic

TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT

This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

To guide budding creators.

What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it.

We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs.

THE 6% CLUB

India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/

Links Kunj Sanghvi on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunj-sanghvi-29b0a37/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kunjsanghvi

Alicia Souza is an illustrator with an instantly identifiable style, and has been referred to as a "happiness illustrator". We speak about her evolution, process, love for stickers, and advice for impatient young creators! Anyone who's been on the internet in India over the last decade would have certainly seen an Alicia Souza illustration. Her work punctuates planners, mugs, stickers and of course, observational comics on her own Instagram. We are delighted to be able to speak to her to ask about how she got to what many creators dream of - turning a hobby into a company of her own name with a signature style. Alicia co-founded the lifestyle brand Chumbak in 2009, and a couple of years later, went solo. She’s been selling art, planners, merch, décor & more under her own name for close to 14 years apart from doing commissioned work for several brands. She has illustrated 5 published picture books, done several TEDx talks & is an INK fellow. We talk process, the hurdles of working for oneself, the challenges she still faces, and the joys of having a creative outlet. We forgot to ask her about her love for chips - else this would have been a 4 hour long chat. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:51 Growing up in the Middle East 00:08:24 Alicia's Sticker Obsession 00:14:28 Alicia's Journey + Beginnings of Chumbak 00:21:28 Getting thrown into Freelancing 00:24:39 Building a portfolio + audience - Early days of Facebook 00:29:17 Advice for any Beginner 00:30:40 Creating your Signature Style 00:33:43 The story of Aliciasouza.com 00:38:26 Understanding and Scaling an Online Store 00:44:13 Working with a co-founder who is different from you 00:47:47 Weaknesses can be strengths 00:51:45 Hard Realities of running a Business 00:56:25 Alicia's Creative Process 01:09:04 Generative AI and Future of Art 01:20:29 Losing the Ability to understand Time 01:23:33 How to start as a Creator in 2024 01:34:20 Comics and Graphic Novels we Love 01:39:15 AI 'Weeding Out' Bad Designers TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? To guide budding creators. What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Links: Alicia Souza Website: https://aliciasouza.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciasouza/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciasouza/ Utsav: https://www.instagram.com/postcards.pfn/ Chuck: https://www.instagram.com/chuckofalltrades/

The leading design and brand strategist joins us and drops truth bombs about craft, what counts as content, and finding one's true audience. Meeta Malhotra is a veteran in the Indian branding and design space. She was a partner at the iconic design consultancy Ray+Keshavan, where she helped build brands such as Airtel, Kotak Bank, Mother Dairy, and Vistara Airlines. She continued founding firms and remains active in the startup ecosystem. In 2020, she started The Hard Copy - a digital resource for anyone building a digital-first, design-led brand. Chuck has been a writer with the publication since inception, having authored several case studies. We invited Meeta onto the show because she brings in several perspectives. As the founder of a content-led site constantly looking to find its true audience. As someone who deeply thinks about content in its various forms. As someone who is able to separate fad from trend. As someone who is able to look at things as a creator, consumer and marketer. And finally, as someone who just has damn good taste. Any conversation with Meeta is an insight-a-minute, and this is no different. It was a highly thought-provoking conversation for us. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:42 Art vs Content 00:06:17 What makes for good content? 00:09:23 How do Formats shape Content 00:12:08 The Origin Story of The Hard Copy (THC) 00:16:40 The Pivot that changed THC's fortunes 00:20:23 The Hunger of Founders from Small Towns 00:23:44 Process of THC Newsletter 00:27:31 Judging your own Content 00:33:08 Creator vs Brand: Whose voice? 00:35:20 Generative AI content and mediocrity 00:42:20 Two big skills for the next decade 00:43:44 The two most important mantras of the Creator Economy 00:51:17 Content Creation as Self Discovery 00:54:46 Beauty of being Bored 01:01:18 What uniquely Indian content does the world love 01:05:39 The Loneliness of Content Creation TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? To guide budding creators. What goes into creating content? How do you make content that resonates with people as well as imbibes your unique essence? How do you make sure you hold on to your creativity whilst trying to crack the 'business' of it? The journey to content creation involves passing through many processes - the ideation, the discipline, the craft, motivation, bringing it all to life while battling hurdles of the daily grind as well as the human mind. An exhilarating process whose outcome makes it look simple and that's the beauty of it. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Links Meeta Malhotra Website: https://meetamalhotra.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meeta_malhotra/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/meetamalhotra LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/meetamalhotra The Hard Copy Website: https://thehardcopy.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehardcopyco/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHardCopyCo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehardcopyco/

The bassist and banterer-in-chief of folk rock veterans Swarathma talks about keeping your audience in mind, crafting a setlist, adapting with technology, and more. Oh, and Ga*nd Mein Danda, of course. For the inaugural episode of To Your Heart's Content, we are delighted to have Jishnu Dasgupta with us. His band, Swarathma, has been making a fun-yet-poignant brand of folk rock for close to 2 decades. They've delighted audiences across the country (and world) with music laced with social commentary and political messages. In this episode, Jishnu speaks about how Swarathma maintains that balance, and how democracy in the band works. He gives us his perspective about audiences, and how it's the tougher crowds that help the band evolve. We speak about technology as well - how as artists they have adapted to the reality of the streaming economy. And we get his opinion on generative AI as well. We talk about Swarathma's various initiatives - from playing to underprivileged audiences, to them powering their recent concerts with renewable energy. This is not just an interview that Swarathma fans will like. It's something that anyone who is looking to become a creator will learn from. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:40 The Story of 'Ga*nd Main Danda' (GMD) 00:08:28 Philosophy, Fame and Impact of GMD 00:18:10 Evolution of Swarathma's Voice 00:22:05 Story of the political song 'Beta Sweater Pheno' 00:24:25 How Swarathma uses their differences creatively 00:27:51 Magic of Live Performances 00:35:45 When Swarathma used ChatGPT to write a Swarathma Song! 00:41:34 Connecting with Challenging Crowds 00:47:15 Art of Audience Banter 00:51:40 Playing for Shubha Mudgalji's mother in her village 00:58:11 Why Swarathma made a graphic novel with their album 01:04:23 Musicians adapting to changing media landscape 01:11:01 20 years on, why does Swarathma still create Music? 01:21:42 Why Live Concerts Matter 01:28:22 Dealing with Cynicism 01:32:45 Future of Live Concerts: Sustainability TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT This is a YouTube interview series hosted by Utsav and Deepak aka Chuck, about the aspects of content that really matter - the craft, the process, the thinking, the ambition. We interview experts to understand creation at its core and uncover the hidden gems behind this journey. From breaking down the process to diving into their minds as they go through this start to finish. Expect nuanced, sharp conversations with creators, industry folks and entrepreneurs. THE 6% CLUB India’s first creator coaching program, designed for people with full-time jobs. Developed by mentors who built global 2% ranking content projects while balancing demanding careers. It features live sessions, 3 masterclasses from creators who have cracked it (Amit Varma, Krish Ashok, SneakyArtist, and more planned), personalised mentoring sessions, peer reviews, a vibrant community, and much more. Check out the program and sign up for the next cohort, here: https://www.thesixpercent.club/ Links: Swarathma on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/6spTcexl1jDSkDzuewoQbX?si=eTTZ0tNyQfqAjS4XswN4Bw Apple Music https://music.apple.com/in/artist/swarathma/312249820 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@UC2-tJ7n-kqLuKRDO--Wk6sA Swarathma - official website https://www.swarathma.com/ Swarathma's albums on all platforms Swarathma (2009) https://lynkify.in/album/swarathma/MmjFqiMe Topiwalleh (2012) https://lynkify.in/album/topiwalleh/7iGRV9fd Raah-e-Fakira (2018) https://lynkify.in/album/raah-e-fakira/9ck4SH3v Gaand Mein Danda by Bodhi Tree on all platforms https://lynkify.in/song/gaand-mein-danda/0eJLB1I3