Creative Spark-plug

Creative Spark-plug

By Rajesh Sharma and Baashobe MajumdarArtsDesign
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Creative Spark-plug episodes

  • Know your place from Start to Scale! ft. Gautam Kotamraju: Founded, HRX, Roadster, Wrogn etc. | EP 46

    Why do so many talented creatives feel stuck?
    Why do great ideas fail before they even begin?
    And how do you know when to keep going—or when to stop?

    In this episode of Creative Spark Plug, we sit down with Gautam Kotamraju — designer, entrepreneur, and one of the early minds behind Myntra’s private brands like Roadster — to talk about the real journey of building from 0 to 1.

    This is not a motivational talk.
    This is an honest conversation about:

    • Why creatives hit a glass ceiling in India
    • The difference between building (0→1) and scaling (10→100)
    • How Myntra actually built its in-house brands
    • Why MVP must be fantastic — or killed early
    • When quitting is smarter than pushing harder
    • How AI should be used as a tool, not a crutch

    Gautam breaks complex ideas into simple truths anyone can understand — whether you’re a student, a designer, a founder, or just someone trying to figure out your next step.

    If you’re creative, curious, or building something from scratch, this episode will change how you think about work, success, and risk.

    1 hr 51 min
  • A Life Beyond Algorithms: Writing, Theatre & Meaning ft. Nilanjan P. Choudhury | Rajesh Sharma | Baashobe Majumdar | EP 45 | CSP

    What if creative work isn’t meant to scale?
    What if depth matters more than visibility?

    In this episode, Nilanjan P. Choudhury talks about choosing meaning over momentum.

    Nilanjan P. Choudhury has lived multiple lives – corporate professional, published author, playwright, educator, and lifelong student of science and storytelling.

    In this conversation, we explore:

    • Why most creative work is painful before it’s meaningful
    • The difference between writing for love vs writing for validation
    • Why theatre will survive AI and algorithms
    • How self-doubt is not a bug, but the process
    • Why creativity is more about risk than output

    This episode is not about becoming famous, viral, or productive.
    It’s about staying honest with yourself – even when no one is watching.

    This episode is for you if:

    • You feel pressure to constantly perform
    • You’re tired of optimising creativity for attention
    • You want to build work that lasts longer than trends

    This episode is not for you if:

    • You’re looking for hacks, shortcuts, or formulas
    • You want motivation without discomfort
    1 hr 29 min
  • Why Curiosity Matters More Than Credentials ft. Vittaldas Kashyap | Walmart International | EP 44

    This episode of Creative Spark-Plug is for people who have built skills, careers, or companies — and are now questioning how they think, design, and decide.

    In this conversation, Vittaldas Kashyap shares an unconventional journey from interior design to becoming a global UX and design leader — not through degrees or frameworks, but through curiosity, boldness, and deep empathy for users and people.

    We talk about:

    • Why confidence often matters more than knowing the answer
    • How design thinking is really about human behaviour, not tools
    • Why great careers are built by selling ideas before mastering them
    • What founders and leaders misunderstand about UX, creativity, and culture
    • How empathy scales better than expertise

    This is not a tutorial on UX/UI.
    It’s a conversation about how thoughtful people build meaningful work over time.

    1 hr 48 min
  • Why Doing the Work Isn’t Enough Anymore ft. Sandeep Nanu | founder, writeclick | Rajesh Sharma | Baashobe Majumdar | EP 43 | Creative Spark-plug

    Creativity is often misunderstood as execution - doing more, producing faster, wearing multiple hats.In this episode of Creative Spark-plug, we sit with Sandeep Nanu to explore a more mature idea of creativity - one rooted in judgment, restraint, and sensing what truly matters.

    Sandeep shares his journey from early web design to building an unconventional brand consultancy model - not by doing everything himself, but by identifying the real needs of a brand and bringing the right people together.

    The conversation moves beyond work into life design, trust, patience, stand-up comedy, wildlife rescue, and the quiet discipline of showing up consistently.

    This episode is for creatives who feel tired of the hustle narrative - and are curious about a calmer, more intentional way to build meaningful work.

    1 hr 55 min
  • Intrapreneurship & Insight into India’s Architecture Industry | Siddhartha Rao | EP- 42

    In this episode, Architect Siddhartha Rao, gives us an insider’s POV on how architecture works in India and shares his personal experiences of being at, and at the helm of it. In his own efficient style, his narrative is easy to listen to, comprehend and soak in. There’s context, insight & real life example or factual data! He makes it sound that simple! Give this episode a listen for a peek into an architect’s world and to get a perspective on how to be an ‘entrepreneur’ at your job!!

    2 hr 21 min
  • Mukul Goyal on Crafting Smile Quotient in Design | Rajesh Sharma | Baashobe Majumdar | EP-41 | Creative Spark-plug

    Mukul Goyal is one of India’s most iconic product designers — known for turning everyday objects into playful, sculptural experiences. In this episode of Creative Spark-plug, we dive into his unique design philosophy rooted in Indian identity and an unwavering commitment to making things with joy and sincerity.

    From his early days experimenting with materials to building a globally recognised design brand, Mukul shares:

    • Why Indian designers must embrace their own aesthetic identity
    • How playfulness and whimsy can coexist with functionality
    • The role of honesty, intuition and self-belief in the creative process
    • What it really takes to build a design business in India
    • Why he is “his own customer”
    • How to stay inspired across decades of making

    If you're a designer, artist, craft lover, or anyone curious about the creative journey, this episode is filled with clarity, humor, and insight straight from one of India’s most authentic creative voices.

    Enjoy the conversation — and let us know what resonated most.

    1 hr 59 min
  • Curiosity Confluence and Creative Chaos w/ Samrat Som Pt-2 | Creative Spark-plug | EP- 40

    What happens when curiosity becomes a lifelong practice?In Part 2 of this Creative Spark-plug conversation, hosts Rajesh Sharma and Baashobe Majumdar continue their deep dive with designer and storyteller Samrat Som—this time moving further into the ideas and influences that shape his creative worldview.Samrat reflects on how travel, culture, and lived experiences shape his design decisions, and he also shares his nuanced perspective on Indian design—its roots, its evolution, and the unique possibilities it holds for the future. He talks about why embracing ambiguity leads to stronger ideas and how multidisciplinary thinking helps him bridge fashion, textiles, economics, and the wider world of design.This episode unpacks the craft behind creativity—how observation turns into insight, how play fuels innovation, and why thoughtful design often emerges from unexpected intersections.If Part 1 was about discovering Samrat’s journey, Part 2 is about understanding his philosophy—how he thinks, what drives him, and how he continues to evolve as a creator.Tune in to explore creativity at its most fluid, cultural, and interconnected.

    1 hr 28 min
  • Curiosity Confluence and Creative Chaos w/ Samrat Som Pt-1 | Creative Spark-plug | EP- 39

    What happens when curiosity refuses to stay in one lane?In this episode of Creative Spark-plug, hosts Rajesh Sharma and Baashobe Majumdar have a conversation with Samrat Som - a designer, storyteller and thinker whose journey moves effortlessly from economics to fashion and textiles, and into the broader world of design and creativity.Samrat shares how his early influences, mentors, and experiences, shaped the way he sees the world - and how being curious, observant, and hands-on, has defined his creative process.This conversation explores what it means to be a multi-disciplinary designer, how learning and exploration fuel innovation, and why creativity often emerges from unexpected intersections.Stay tuned till the end, where Rajesh reveals what’s coming in Part 2, continuing the deep dive into Samrat’s perspective on design, culture, and creative growth.

    1 hr 28 min
  • Divyendu on Design, Divine Awareness and Art | Creative Spark-plug | EP- 38

    In this episode of Creative Spark Plug, we sit down with the visionary sculptor and founder Divyendu Anand, whose hands breathe life into stone and metal, transforming raw materials into profound expressions of the human spirit. As the creative force behind Studio Renaissance; a sanctuary dedicated to blending timeless artistry with contemporary design, Divyendu opens up about his journey from conceptual sketches to monumental installations that challenge our perceptions of form and space. Delving deep into the heart of design, Divyendu unpacks how intentional geometry and organic flow serve as bridges between the material world and the ethereal, drawing from ancient philosophies to craft pieces that resonate on a visceral level. He shares intimate stories from his studio practice, revealing how "divine awareness" that fleeting moment of alignment between artist, medium, and universe, fuels his most transcendent works. From ethereal bronze figures that whisper of forgotten myths to site-specific sculptures that harmonize with nature's rhythms, we explore the alchemy of art as a tool for awakening consciousness and fostering renewal.Whether you're a budding creator, a design enthusiast, or simply someone seeking inspiration to ignite your inner spark, Divyendu's wisdom on embracing imperfection, honoring intuition, and letting the divine guide the chisel will leave you profoundly moved. Tune in to discover how one man's chisel is redefining the boundaries of sculpture, one divine revelation at a time

    1 hr 52 min
  • Humble Beginnings to Global Brands: Bubbles' Luxury Legacy | Creative Spark-plug | EP- 37

    In this episode of Creative Spark Plug, we sit down with Parminder Pal Singh, affectionately known as Bubbles, co-founder of LOCO Design and pioneer of luxury accessories brands like Pintark, Taamaa, and the newly launched sustainable line Caur. Bubbles opens up about his formative childhood, the nurturing yet demanding environment that sparked his creative drive, and the formidable challenges he navigated from bootstrapping innovative design ventures to redefining luxury through crafted surfaces, furniture accents, and eco-conscious accessories. Discover how resilience, meticulous detailing, and a passion for sustainable innovation propelled him to build these global brands that blend artistry with functionality, offering timeless inspiration for emerging designers. Sunscribe to us for more such videos.

    1 hr 51 min

About Creative Spark-plug

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Creative Spark-plug is a show about design for emerging design professionals. We talk to leading architects, designers, and creative thinkers from all fields about their work and ideas. We dive deep…