

South Central
The News Minute
Welcome to South Central, a podcast from The News Minute dedicated to bringing the south of India to the forefront. Each episode dives into the stories, challenges, and perspectives that shape the region and often go unheard in national conversations. South Central is led by TNM's Editor-in-Chief Dhanya Rajendran and co-hosted by TNM's Reporting Head, Pooja Prasanna. Together, they bring sharp insights, on-the-ground expertise, and a commitment to exploring the issues that truly matter in the south. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 22, 2024 • 1h 13min
South Central Episode 2: Nayanthara vs Dhanush, Sandeep Varier, and Kasthuri’s Arrest
In the second episode, hosts Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna, and Leena Reghunath are joined by Frontline’s Senior Associate Editor RK Radhakrishnan and lawyer Nikhil Narendran.On actor Nayanthara’s stand against Dhanush, Dhanya observes, “I think it’s very uncharacteristic for a female actor to take on someone like Dhanush, who is so embedded in the system.”Adding to the discussion, Nikhil notes, “It seems unnecessary to create a controversy, or perhaps Dhanush acted unfairly towards Nayanthara. I don’t think she’ll face much trouble because the footage was shot on a mobile phone, and courts often view such cases favorably under the doctrine of de minimis.” Nikhil, an expert on IP law explains why Dhanush is on a weak wicket. Highlighting male dominance in the film industry, RK remarks, “Despite the spirited struggle in Kerala, it remains confined to the state and hasn’t influenced other regions. Exploitation, catcalling, and even passing off lewd acts as humor on sets or at audio release functions continue unchecked.”The discussion then shifts to former BJP leader Sandeep Varier’s surprising move to the Congress. Leena comments, “In Kerala, politics was once so ideology-driven… but that seems to be fading now.”All this and more—tune in to South Central for an insightful conversation!Once a month, we will invite one TNM subscriber to the show. Write to us on what you would like to speak about to southcentral@thenewsminute.comSend your thoughts, suggestions and criticism as well.Become a subscriber- Click here.Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. To check out our other shows, Click here To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click hereAudio timecodes00:00:00:00 - Introductions 00:00:43:00 - Announcements00:02:29:10 - Headlines00:24:59:02 - Nayanthara vs Dhanush00:41:35:04 -Sandeep Varier joins Congress00:57:40:08 - Kasthuri Shankar arrest01:06:03:01 - RecommendationsCheck out the recommendations and references form this episode.Produced by Bhuvan Malik, edited by Jaseem Ali. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 15, 2024 • 1h 22min
South Central Episode 1: Chandrachud’s Legacy, Vijay’s Political Rise, & Communalism in Bureaucracy
Welcome to South Central, a brand-new TNM podcast that delves into the stories shaping southern India.In the first episode, hosts Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna, and Leena Reghunath are joined by Prof. of Law Anup Surendranath and Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri.Discussing former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud’s comment that he turned to god during the Ayodhya case, Abhinandan says, “Religiosity is something that progressives or liberals mock at their own peril because not everybody who is religious or invokes religion is a bad person.”Anup was critical of the ‘Chandrachud project’, as he called it, “He was, in a very strange sense, prostrate – very reluctant to hold the state accountable on the sharpest questions.”As the conversation shifts to Tamil actor Vijay’s entry into politics, Dhanya remarks, “He has actually come in when he’s at his peak, and he’s clearly made that a talking point.” Pooja adds, “There is no structure to the party. There’s one superstar on top, and after that, what happens?” Leena comments, “Other than Vijay, who do we know in the party?”All this and more—tune in!Once a month, we will invite one TNM subscriber to the show. Write to us on what you would like to speak about to southcentral@thenewsminute.comSend your thoughts, suggestions and criticism as well.Become a subscriber- Click here.To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click hereAudio timecodes00:00:00:00 - Introductions 00:02:42:00 - Announcements00:03:07:01 - Headlines00:29:44:02 - Communal Officers00:40:37:03 - CJI Chandrachud 01:02:54:01 - Vijay's TVK 01:16:06:02 - RecommendationsCheck out the recommendations and references form this episode.Produced by Bhuvan Malik, edited by Jaseem Ali. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.