

Know Time
Know Time
For the ones curious about the world and everything in it, but have know time.
Join me on my quest to share stories from people of all fields, and hopefully learn a bit more about space, science, technology, philosophy, culture, history, movies, music or sport.
Join me on my quest to share stories from people of all fields, and hopefully learn a bit more about space, science, technology, philosophy, culture, history, movies, music or sport.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 5, 2025 • 1h 44min
#133: Quantum Physics, String Theory, Quantum Gravity, AdS/CFT & KKLT Mechanism ft. Sandip Trivedi
Sandip Trivedi, theoretical physicist and professor at the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, talks about the basics of quantum mechanics, gauge theory, quantum gravity, anti-de Sitter space, AdS/CFT Correspondence, Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity, string theory, the KKLT mechanism and the state of scientific research in India!Sandip: https://theory.tifr.res.in/~sandip/SUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:58 Falling in Love with Physics7:09 Why is Theoretical Physics Important?9:44 What is Quantum Physics?16:49 Probabilities & Bell’s Inequalities22:32 What is Gauge Theory?30:41 What is Holography & Bekenstein–Hawking Entropy?35:50 What is AdS/CFT Correspondence?39:47 What is Anti-de Sitter Space?42:56 Jackiw–Teitelboim Gravity44:56 What is String Theory?51:50 D3-Branes53:44 KKLT Mechanism1:02:43 Anthropic Principle1:08:26 Supersymmetry1:13:04 The Design Argument & God1:15:31 Problems with String Theory1:23:17 Problems with Research in India1:33:21 Lego Interpretation1:36:33 Inspirations, Mysteries, Legacy & Meaning of Life#physics #quantumphysics #science #learn

Oct 2, 2025 • 1h 17min
#132: Acting, Munna Bhai MBBS & Bollywood ft. Kurush Deboo
Kurush Deboo, actor popularly known for Dr. Rustom Pavri in Munna Bhai MBBS, talks about the magic of acting, theatre acting vs. acting in commercial films, evolution of acting styles, what makes movies like Sholay and Munnabhai MBBS iconic and behind the scenes stories of Sanjay Dutt and Raj Kumar Hirani. Kurush: https://www.instagram.com/kurushdeboo/?hl=enSUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:25 Magic of Acting & Filmmaking8:58 Evolution of Acting14:57 Evolution of Cinema Audiences18:35 Art Films vs. Commercial Films29:11 Making Movies with Iconic Characters40:45 Why Was Munnabhai MBBS Successful?52:46 Acting Case Study: Sanjay Dutt1:04:18 Dialogue Delivery1:14:56 Lego Interpretation & Meaning of Life#bollywood #munnabhaimbbscomedy #munnabhaimbbs #bollywoodmovies

Sep 27, 2025 • 1h 11min
#131: Neuroscience, Stress, Trauma, Depression & Psychedelics ft. Vidita Vaidya
Vidita Vaidya, neuroscientist and professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, talks about her love for the life sciences, biology & neuroscience, nature vs. nurture, her grandfather's stories of the Indian Independence movement, how the human brain develops, how early life stress affects brain development, how anti-depressants like Prozac work, the history of serotonin, what happens when we take a psychedelic and how psychedelics can treat stress and anxiety.Vidita: https://x.com/ViditaVaidyaSUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:39 Falling in Love With Life Sciences, Biology & Neuroscience6:48 Nature vs. Nurture10:51 Stories of the Freedom Struggle15:08 How Does The Human Brain Develop?22:10 What is Early Life Stress & Trauma?27:07 How Does Early Life Stress & Trauma Affect Brain Development?34:54 What is Serotonin?40:08 How Do Anti-Depressants Work?45:40 What Happens Inside Your Brain When You Take A Psychedelic?50:40 How Psychedelics Can Treat Stress52:06 The Ban on Psychedelics in India55:39 Consciousness1:01:35 God1:04:39 Lego Interpretation1:05:15 Inspirations, Mysteries, Legacy & Meaning of Life#neuroscience #brainscience #science #learn

Sep 20, 2025 • 1h 50min
#130: Acting 101 Masterclass, Filmmaking, Politics & Bollywood ft. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub
Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Bollywood actor known for roles in Article 15, Shahid, Raees, Zero, Tubelight, Raanjhanaa, Scoop, Tanu Weds Manu and Tandav talks about finding the truth through movies, an acting masterclass for beginners, portraying high status vs. low status, conveying the invisible with acting, breaking the stereotypes for the 'hero ka dost' roles, whether actors should get political and the problems with Bollywood and the Hindi film industry.Zeeshan: https://www.instagram.com/mohdzeeshanayyub/?hl=enSUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:34 Creating Truth From Lies9:58 Why Zeeshan Fell in Love With Movies18:01 Acting 101 Masterclass: High Status vs. Low Status35:45 Acting 101 Masterclass: Conveying the Invisible43:33 Acting 101 Masterclass: The Invisible Hero52:55 Acting 101 Masterclass: Finding The Key of a Character56:57 Acting 101 Masterclass: Breaking the Hero Ka Dost Stereotype1:03:30 Should Actors Take A Political Stance?1:25:59 The Problems in Bollywood1:31:46 Lego Interpretation1:32:34 Inspirations (Books, Movies, Role Models)1:44:15 Legacy & Meaning of Life#bollywood #hindi #india

Sep 13, 2025 • 53min
#129: Stand-Up Comedy 101 Masterclass ft. Atul Khatri
Atul Khatri, top stand-up comedian in India, talks about writing jokes, the structure of a joke, the purpose of standup comedy, delivery, constructing a comedy special and the economics of a comedy show.Atul: https://www.instagram.com/one_by_two/?hl=enSUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:24 Purpose of Comedy7:30 Are Comedians Born Funny?11:59 Standup Comedy 101: The Structure of a Joke16:50 Standup Comedy 101: Delivery19:17 Standup Comedy 101: Writing Jokes24:45 Standup Comedy 101: Grabbing The Audience’s Attention27:46 Comparing Audiences31:20 Standup Comedy 101: Open Mics33:39 How To Construct A Comedy Special?35:06 The Economics of a Comedy Show40:09 Evolution of Comedy in India44:56 Why Don’t Comedy Troupes Last in India?47:10 Lego Interpretation47:42 Inspirations, Legacy & Meaning of Life#comedy #standupcomedy #india

Sep 6, 2025 • 1h 43min
#128: Restaurant Management 101, Cooking & MasterChef India ft. Chef Ajay Chopra
Chef Ajay Chopra, award-winning chef, founder of Zion Hospitality and the first MasterChef India judge, talks about the relationship between love and cooking, what makes a great chef, MasterChef India, along with a how to open your own restaurant 101 masterclass: type of restaurants, motivations, ambience & decor, sourcing ingredients, what 5-star restaurants get wrong, health & safety and the economics of running a restaurant.Ajay: https://www.instagram.com/chefajaychopra/?hl=enSUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:21 Food & Love6:32 Lessons Learnt In The Kitchen From Mom10:13 What Makes A Great Chef?21:59 Restaurants 101: How To Decide Which Type of Restaurant I Should Open?33:47 Restaurants 101: Motivations40:02 Restaurants 101: Ambience & Decor45:16 Restaurants 101: Economics57:02 Restaurants 101: Sourcing Ingredients1:02:15 5-Star Restaurants vs. Home Food1:08:56 Restaurants 101: Health, Safety & Hygiene1:17:46 Restaurants 101: Name, Location, Menu Engineering1:22:52 MasterChef India: Good or Bad?1:30:11 Lego Interpretation1:33:29 Legacy & Meaning of Life#restaurant #food #chef #restaurantmanagement

Aug 30, 2025 • 45min
#127: DJing 101, Music & Dubai Bling ft. DJ Bliss
DJ Bliss, Emirati DJ and cast member of Netflix series Dubai Bling, talks about how he fell in love with music and DJing, how to create new music, DJing for beginners, whether Dubai Bling was scripted and how it represented the cast members and the city of Dubai.DJ Bliss: https://www.instagram.com/djbliss/?hl=enSUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:13 What Do You Love About Music?4:10 Evolution of Music & Entertainment in Dubai7:14 Becoming An Emirati DJ9:48 How To Create A Song 101 Masterclass17:52 DJing 101 Masterclass24:15 Was Dubai Bling Scripted?32:42 Did Dubai Bling Represent Dubai Well?40:18 Lego Interpretation41:03 Inspirations (Books, Movies, Role Models)43:08 Legacy & Meaning of Life#dubai #dubaibling #uae

Aug 24, 2025 • 1h 49min
#126: Playwriting 101 Masterclass & Theatre ft. Abhishek Majumdar
Abhishek Majumdar, playwright, author of Djinns of Eidgah, Rizwaan and Pah-La and professor of theatre at NYU Abu Dhabi, talks about how we fell in love with theatre, the basics of playwriting, how to write a scene, role of language and audience and whether theatre should get political.Abhishek: https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/academics/divisions/arts-and-humanities/faculty/abhishek-majumdar.htmlSUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:30 The Magic of Theatre8:20 Is There Too Much Content These Days?15:36 Playwriting 101: What Is The Invisible?25:35 Playwriting 101: What Is A Society?30:48 Theory vs. Life Experiences33:13 Playwriting 101: Which Patterns Are Beautiful?36:02 How Do You Write A Scene?44:59 Realism In Theatre49:20 Role Of The Audience In Theatre56:37 Role Of Language In Theatre1:06:47 Influence Of Theatre Layouts & Shapes1:08:36 Is Theatre Respected In India?1:15:38 Should Theatre Always Send A Message?1:21:54 The Political Context In Sholay1:26:25 Why My Work Is Being Suppressed1:34:48 Lego Interpretation1:35:46 Inspirations (Books, Movies, Playwrights)1:43:39 Legacy & Meaning of Life#theatre #playwright #playwriting

Aug 19, 2025 • 1h 47min
#125: Arthouse Cinema, Theatre & Bharatanatyam in Dubai ft. Butheina Kazim, Gautam Goenka & Puja Unni
Roundtable conversation on arthouse cinema, community theatre, performing arts, Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, evolution of arts and culture in Dubai, how to create a performing arts space or arthouse cinema, the economics of starting these spaces and the challenges.Featuring:- Butheina Kazim, founder of Cinema Akil, the first independent arthouse cinema in the Gulf: https://www.instagram.com/butheinahk/- Puja Unni, founder of Spanda: https://www.instagram.com/_pujaunni_/- Gautam Goenka, founder of The Junction theatre: https://www.instagram.com/gautam_goenka/SUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:59 Why Is Theatre, Movies, Music & Dance Important?8:53 The Origin Story of Cinema Akil 16:09 What is Arthouse Cinema?18:56 The Origin Story of Spanda22:35 A New Approach To Bharatanatyam24:36 The Origin Story of The Junction28:25 Evolution of Art & Culture in Dubai49:52 Challenges of Introducing A New Artform In A Region1:06:58 What Is The Role Of A Theatre, Cinema & Performing Arts Stage?1:21:43 Creating A Space 1011:30:59 Economics of Starting A Theatre, Arts Space Or Cinema1:42:34 Legacy & Meaning of Life#dubai #dance #theatre #cinema

Aug 10, 2025 • 1h 42min
#124: Beauty Pageants 101, Miss Universe & Bahrain ft. Shereen Ahmed
Shereen Ahmed, Miss Universe Bahrain 2024 winner, talks about how to win a beauty pageant, the pasarela walk, fitness, diet, training, mindset and her experience at Miss Universe 2025.Shereen: https://www.instagram.com/shereenahmed/SUPPORT:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/knowtimeAnchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtime/supportYoutube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ-937lA3_s2g5AxdpKQjVg/joinPODCAST:Anchor: https://anchor.fm/knowtimeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CjRJPktODLDeHavCNDLGAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-time/id1535371851?uo=4CONNECT:Youtube: Subscribe!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowtimetofly/Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/shalajlawania/Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowtimetoflyTwitter (Personal): https://twitter.com/shalajlawaniaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowtimetoflyReddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/knowtimetofly/Blog: http://www.sadisticshalpy.com/Producer & Host: Shalaj LawaniaTIMELINE0:00 Introduction1:30 Reflecting On The Last Four Years9:50 What Do I Need To Do Before I Apply For A Beauty Pageant?16:32 Auditions22:24 The Pasarela31:48 The Bikini Round35:33 How Have Beauty Pageants Evolved Over Time?39:44 Fitness, Workouts & Diets43:48 Making A Statement vs. Winning The Competition46:42 Can Anyone Realistically Become Miss Universe?53:53 Learning To Be Loud55:56 Skincare Routine57:14 Outfits1:02:13 Regrets1:11:17 Beauty & Physical Appearance1:18:50 Dealing With Stress & Anxiety1:21:03 Lego Interpretation1:22:10 Hair & Makeup1:28:43 Hope Bahrain#beautypageant #missuniverse #bahrain