Join us in this captivating episode of "Radically Yours" as we dive deep into the world of Bollywood casting with an industry insider! In this 1 hour and 46-minute video, our guest reveals the untold secrets of casting in the Indian film industry, shedding light on the challenges and realities faced by casting directors. Discover the truth behind the casting process, including the financial aspects and the often-misunderstood dynamics of power within the industry. Learn about the rigorous auditioning process that even popular YouTubers must undergo to land roles in major productions. Whether you're an aspiring actor, a film enthusiast, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes workings of Bollywood, this video offers valuable insights and thought-provoking discussions. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to "Radically Yours" for more engaging content that connects businesses with strategic investors and explores the evolving landscape of various industries!

Timecode 00:00 - Introduction 00:37 - Casting Project During Lockdown 01:00 - Guest Introduction: 01:45 - Journey into Media and Casting: 03:05 - First Casting Experience: 05:05 - Realization of Career Path: 06:00 - Acting vs. Casting: 07:01 - Education and Career Choices: 08:57 - Studying Abroad and Returning to India: 10:04 - Audition Etiquette: 11:08 - Fascination with Glamour: 12:09 - First Independent Project: 14:06 - Early Challenges and Strategies: 16:05 - Building Trust in the Industry 17:19 - Independent Journey 17:24 - Entry into Dharma Productions 18:04 - The Unexpected Opportunity 19:29 - Securing the Role 21:06 - Canceling Rome Trip 21:50 - The Challenge of Casting for Brothers 24:22 - Snowball Effect in Career 25:00 - Directors Taking a Gamble 27:03 - Working with Female Directors 29:03 - Challenging Casting for the Show "Class" 30:39 - Redefining Casting 30:45 – Casting Diversity and Efforts 31:45 – New Faces and Show Success 32:49 – Impact on Cast Members 33:19 – Casting Journey and Recognition 34:01 – First OTT Series Experience 34:19 – Casting Prajakta Koli 36:05 – Importance of Auditions 37:04 – Talent Sourcing and Self-Tests 38:25 – Challenges in the Industry 39:22 – Selecting Fresh Faces vs. Experienced Actors 40:06 – Deciding on the Right Role 41:13 - Casting Variables 42:44 - Current Projects 46:05 - Team Structure and Size 47:23 - Building a Casting Team 51:32 - Hiring Strategy 53:04 - Networking Style 54:42 - Future Aspirations 57:01 - Investments 58:04 - Multiple Careers 59:27 - Gratification from Work 59:32 - Small Moments of Happiness 59:50 - The Role of a Casting Director 01:01:12 - Stepping into the Director's Shoes 01:03:07 - The Importance of Imagination in Acting 01:04:03 - Factors Influencing Stardom 01:05:03 - The Role of Market Research 01:07:00 - Overnight Success and Hard Work 01:08:33 - The Impact of Background and Timing 01:09:04 - The Importance of Hard Work 01:10:35 - Revenue Model for Casting Directors 01:12:05 - Project-Based Compensation 01:15:00 - Negotiating Actor Deals 01:15:07 - Casting Director Fees 01:15:32 - Payment Structure and Negotiations 01:16:00 - Role of Line Producers 01:16:45 - Exclusive Arrangements 01:17:39 - Casting Director Fees and Expenses 01:18:45 - Evolution of Casting Director Fees 01:19:02 - Negotiation and Mediation 01:19:39 - Different Casting Scenarios 01:20:00 - Difference Between Casting Directors and Agents 01:21:02 - International Casting Practices 01:22:06 - Casting Agents and Their Influence 01:22:45 - Personal Philosophy on Casting 01:23:00 - Casting Couch and Industry Challenges 01:25:05 - Changes in Industry Practices 01:27:09 - Empowerment and Positive Change 01:28:11 - Rapid Fire Round Introduction 01:28:16 - Beginnings with Wake Up Sid 01:29:12 - Learning Experience 01:29:19- Early Experience at Aon 01:30:45-Challenges Faced 01:34:44-Proudest Moments 01:37:41-Meeting Their Partner 01:38:00-Regrets and Financial Independence 01:39:40-Cost of Success 01:41:52-Wiping Out the Norm 01:45:19-Conclusion and Name Significance

Meet Jaishree Sharad: One of the most internationally renowned cosmetic dermatologists who has treated Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor and the only Indian female to be an Executive Board member of the European Society of Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dermatology (ESCAD).

In this conversation, Radhika and Jaishree explore the secrets to anti-aging and glass, celebrity skin, and whether cosmetic surgeries and treatments including Botox, Fillers, and Plastic surgery should be promoted. They also talk about where India is currently standing in cosmetic technology, common skincare problems people come to her for, and some basic products that can easily be included in our skincare regime. They also explored surprising facts about Botox and filler treatments and the difference between dermatology and cosmetic dermatology. If you liked this video, don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!

In our series, “Radical Simplicity”, as the name speaks for itself, we untie the knots of complex topics in the world of investments by capturing insights of investors and leading companies’ founders across industries. We are storytellers and our purpose is to bring out the unheard stories of how leaders in PE/VC shape up their funds, teams, portfolios, and culture, and bring about the best in each one. Join us in this journey as we radically shape the world of emerging businesses. ...................................................................................................................................................................

In this conversation, Radhika and Kanchan explore what it's like to work as a woman in a male-dominated industry. 

Today, Kanchan is respected and openly recognized for her hard work and efforts, but this wasn't always the case. While she was initially forced to restart her career various times, she learned how to stand her ground and get the role and respect she deserves. From being less present in senior job positions to juggling a career and a family, women worldwide face various unseen challenges and biases in a corporate setting. Kanchan explains how she tackled these biases when joining the workforce to become the person she is today.

From Blogger to a Digital Powerhouse: The Inspiring Journey of Malini Agarwal 

From Hobby Blog to a Digital Empire: Launched MissMalini.com in 2008, inspired by international bloggers. Recognized its potential and left her job to transform it into a full-fledged media platform.

Malini's story is one of taking a chance on a passion project and turning it into a thriving digital business. Her journey inspires us to embrace new opportunities, chase our dreams, and redefine what's possible in the ever-evolving media landscape. Stay tuned for a full interview where we dived deeper into Malini's incredible journey!

We discussed: ● Her early days as a blogger, a turning point that led to MissMalini's success. ● Building a diverse digital media platform and navigating the ever-changing content landscape. ● The power of community building and advocating for positive change through social media. ● Her experience as a content creator across various platforms and the future of MissMalini. 

Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ4DeMFwMLU

Meet Paula Mariwala - the Stanford alumna turned entrepreneurship evangelist, in this unfiltered conversation with Radhika Bajoria.

In our chat, we explored Paula's unconventional journey that will leave you inspired:

➡️ From Stanford to the heart of India's startup ecosystem, Paula took the leap in 2006 by founding Seedfund Advisors - a pioneering VC firm backing over 30 game-changers like Unacademy, Pixxel, Chalo, and more across ed tech, health tech, and impact sectors.

Paula and I spoke on our podcast "Wiping Out The Norm" about

✅ Her visionary investment strategy and success stories like unicorn Unacademy.
✅ Founding Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs India (2015-2021) to nurture the entrepreneurial ecosystem
✅ Co-founding Aureolis Ventures in 2021 to champion impact investing
✅ Serving on boards of non-profits like Team4Tech, and Indian School of Leadership focused on education, women's empowerment, and human rights
✅ Her pivotal roles in academia - founding KREA University board member, Governor at K.J. Somaiya Engineering, advisory roles at IIT Delhi and Stanford
✅ Balancing boardrooms with passions like community service, painting, poetry, hiking, and cooking

Interviewed the only Indian designer to win an award at Cannes Film Festival for Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s dress in the movie Shaakuntalam.

Not just this, this legendary designer is also the only one to win FOUR National Film Awards for designing costumes in films like Devdas, Jodhaa Akbar, Lamhe, Balgandharva!! 

Meet Neeta Lulla - in the most unfiltered conversation with Radhika Bajoria.In our conversation we spoke about Neeta Lulla’s unconventional journey which will leave you spellbound.

➡️ From getting married at the age of 16, to having a kid at a tender age of 20, to buying her first sewing machine by selling sandwiches - Neeta has completed 40 successful years in fashion in 2024! 

Neeta and I spoke on our channel wiping_out_the_norm about, 

✅ Designing Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s wedding dress 

✅ Working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Devdas 

✅ Being called a “costume technician” by the Late Yash Chopra

✅ Neeta’s equation with Juhi Chawla n movie sets 

✅ How she got married to not study further, and got into fashion unknowingly. 

✅ How does inventory in the fashion business work, how did Neeta get work in movies, how does pricing work in couture designs, and much more!

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤-𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝟓 𝐌𝐁𝐀 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐈𝐌 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰

Dive into Neha Grover's journey on 'Wiping out the Norm' with Radhika Bajoria! 
➡ As South Asia Lead, Private Equity at IFC Asia Pacific, Neha drives investment strategies, manages portfolios, and fosters co-investments, sitting on Advisory Boards of 6 PE Funds. #Leadership #PrivateEquity 
➡ In her current role as Regional Lead of IFC’s South Asia Funds group, Neha identifies and invests in PE Funds, with a rich array of experience across private and public markets, focusing on Consumer, Healthcare, Financial Services, Manufacturing, and Education. #FinanceExpert #IndustryInsights
 ➡ Previously at Baring Private Equity Partners India, Neha, as Principal and India CFO, managed over USD 14 billion in assets, contributing significantly to navigating through two complete fund cycles. #BaringIndia #InvestmentLeadership 
➡ Neha's expertise extends beyond her core responsibilities, directing numerous company boards and driving strategic investments in education, textiles, logistics, and chemicals. #StrategicInvestments #SectorExpertise 
➡ A pioneer in innovation, Neha led initiatives to reduce the gross-net IRR spread of funds, setting new benchmarks and demonstrating strategic risk management in complex deals. #Innovation #RiskManagement 
➡ Recognized among the top 100 women in finance in India, Neha's academic excellence includes being an all-India rank-holding Chartered Accountant, a Company Secretary, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM Lucknow) (Ranked top 5). #Trailblazer #ContinuousLearning 
Join Neha Grover as she shares her journey, insights, and vision for the future of private equity! #FinanceLeadership #visionarythinking Watch the full episode NOW. Link-https://youtu.be/gxR_uGhPLVM
#WIPE #WipingOutTheNorm #RadhikaBajoria #IFC #BaringIndia #NehaGrover #PrivateEquity #Investment #investor

"She wasn't the first one to start, but she was the fastest one to grow'

In the latest episode of ‘Wiping out the Norm’, Radhika Bajoria delved into the inspiring journey of Aditi Shrivastava, the Co-founder, MD & CEO of Pocket Aces! Alongside Ashwin Suresh and Anirudh Pandita, Aditi embarked on this adventure in their 30s, now soaring into their 40s, with roots in the Middle East, engineering degrees, and a shared passion for mainstream finance. 

Aditi leads Pocket Aces, a trailblazing digital entertainment company crafting engaging content tailored for the millennial audience! Pocket Aces is India's leading digital entertainment company.

"We own 5 Instagram channels but we manage 130 influencers with 130 separate Instagram channels". This is what Aditi shared about sharing the reach and impact of Pocket Aces. Their reach is astronomical, touching the lives of 50 million people weekly across their stellar channels: FilterCopy, Dice Media, Gobble, and Loco! As social media wields increasing influence on thoughts and actions, companies like Pocket Aces stand at the forefront of shaping tomorrow's world. Before Pocket Aces, Aditi carved a path of impact, founding the Intellecap Impact Investment Network, a beacon for angel investors driving positive social change across India and East Africa! Her tenure at Goldman Sachs in New York, specializing in quantitative equity research, trading, and portfolio management, honed her financial prowess. 

A Magna Cum Laude alumna of Princeton University in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Aditi holds a CFA (USA) charter, served as the Curator of the World Economic Forum Global Shaper Mumbai Hub, and proudly bears a TiE Mumbai Charter Membership! Sensing the boom in internet usage and the insatiable hunger for content among India's youth, Pocket Aces emerged in 2013, crafting short-form content to test the waters and spark organic virality! 

As the platforms expanded, especially with the meteoric rise of OTT platforms and the digital migration of viewers, Pocket Aces became a beacon of innovative storytelling. Fast forward to today, they have more than 10 years of experience in the industry! Their content resonates worldwide, amassing a staggering 16M subscribers on YouTube, 15M Facebook followers, and 8.6M Instagram enthusiasts! Their mission is to be a Global Culture Creator, positively influencing people through an ecosystem of innovative media professionals, content, and products! Key Numbers: 50M People Reach Per Week 700M Video Views Per Month 200+ Brand Partners.

The excitement peaked when music label Saregama acquired a 52% stake in Pocket Aces at a $41-million valuation! Confirming the deal on Thursday, September 28, Saregama's investment of Rs 174 crore in cash, along with an additional Rs 15 crore, now values Pocket Aces at an impressive Rs 335 crore, or approximately $41 million! Watch the full video to learn about the business strategy of Pocket Aces. Watch the full episode NOW.

 Link- https://youtu.be/oNLPR_oxG-M

#PocketAces #DigitalEntertainment #ContentCreators #InnovationUnleashed #YouthEmpowerment #MediaRevolution #Saregamapa 

Dive into the latest episode of "Wiping Out the Norm" with host Radhika Bajoria as she delves into a captivating conversation with Roopa Kumar, the powerhouse behind Purple Quarter! 

Roopa, founder and group CEO of Purple Quarter, wears many hats - from Entrepreneur to Executive Coach and Investor! With over six years of expertise, she's led Purple Quarter to be a domain-agnostic bespoke CTO search firm, placing over 150 top-level tech leaders worldwide! But her impact doesn't stop there! 

As an Executive Coach at Purple Labs Search, Roopa mentors founders and CEOs to scale their ventures in the digital era, leveraging her Stanford Seed certification and MBA in HR! Purple Quarter isn't just a firm; it's a vision to empower businesses and global leaders on their growth journey! With offices spanning across Santa Clara, Bangalore, Singapore, Dubai, and London, they're bridging the gap between companies and their perfect technology leadership fit! 

Their secret? Purple Quarter Talent Mapping, combining IQ on Technology + EQ as a Leader + BQ as an Individual! Discover how they synergize Leadership Consulting Search, assessing both client culture and candidate aspirations to forge sustainable relationships! At the heart of their process lies the Behavioural Metrics Model (BMM), a scientifically modulated approach focusing on technical skills, personality traits, and individual aspirations! And let's not forget their Leader Personas - Creator, Nurturer, and Reconstructor - shaping the future of tech leadership! 

With a talent pool of 10,000+, 120+ Candidates Placed, 100+ Active Clients, and a remarkable 92% Offer Acceptance rate, Purple Quarter is setting the standard in CTO search and leadership empowerment! 

Watch the full episode to learn about Roopa's journey of founding Purple Quarter and the challenges and strategies that made her start this Bespoke Executive Search Firm On A Mission To Create Tech-Leadership Consulting Synergy.

Watch the full video- https://youtu.be/rdZSuRV3yqw 

Join the movement! 
#PurpleQuarter #CTOsearch #LeadershipEmpowered #TechInnovation #ExecutiveCoaching #BusinessGrowth #GlobalLeaders #EmpoweringVisions

"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑰 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂’𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒓."

In the latest episode of "Wiping out the Norm," Radhika Bajoria explores the extraordinary journey of Bhavna Suresh, co-founder of 10Club, a brand reshaping homes with its India-centric approach and innovative products.

From her early curiosity about the scarcity of women in engineering to becoming Mahindra & Mahindra's first female After Sales Engineer, Bhavna has consistently challenged conventions and forged her unique path.

Beginning her academic voyage with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Bhavna swiftly distinguished herself as a trailblazer at Mahindra & Mahindra. However, this achievement wasn't without its hurdles.

A significant challenge arose when Bhavna was diagnosed with a rare form of neurofibroma, a tumour near her neck that temporarily paralyzed her face. Despite this formidable setback, Bhavna exhibited unwavering courage, seeking treatment and emerging even stronger with time and resilience.

Her pursuit of growth knew no bounds. Pursuing an MBA with a focus on management strategies at HEC Paris, Bhavna was driven by a passion for fashion and style, leading her to establish StyleBank. This fashion rental service allowed young women to rent dresses from a range of high-street labels and boutique designer brands. Yet, despite her dedication, StyleBank faced challenges in gaining traction. Undeterred, Bhavna made the tough but crucial decision to pivot, drawing on investor feedback to explore new opportunities

Enter Lamudi Philippines, where Bhavna left an indelible mark on the real estate sector, revolutionizing property search and acquisition. Excelling in this domain, she continued to seek fresh challenges and avenues for growth.

The entrepreneurial spark within Bhavna led to the birth of 10Club in 2021, alongside Joel Ayala and Deepak Nair. Under her guidance, 10Club has reached new heights, securing a substantial $40 million seed funding round in 2023.

Centered on collaboration and growth, 10Club offers actionable insights and expertise to startup ventures, guiding them through the competitive market and towards sustainable growth.

Tune in to the full episode to delve deeper into Bhavna's remarkable journey:

https://youtu.be/h8Fa3_Vyyho