Shows
FACT OF THE MATTERS2 E4 - in which we investigate old and new crime fiction, noire detective movies and more - as we trip through Holmes, Poirot, Knives Out, Mountbatten, Sikander Singh and gumshoes from Pinkerton's!!Jack Reacher ordered espresso, double, no peel, no cube, foam cup, no china, and before it arrived he saw a man’s life change forever.Opening lines of The Hard Way – a book by Lee Child where the central character is Jack Reacher, a retired military investigator.In our fourth episode this season, FACT OF THE MATTER, enters the shadowy world of murder, detection, macabre plots and pure crime!! In Main Course, learn about inspirations and connections - as Joy links in Lord Mountbatten and Roger Ackroyd and how an Indian may have been the reas...2022-04-0336 minFACT OF THE MATTERS2 E3 - in which we celebrate love stories - the first love song ever written and the first pop star, Sahir and Amrita, Layla and Patty Boyd, Ben Affleck and a toilet seat and much more!!"You had me at hello." Renee Zellweger's iconic dialog in the movie Jerry Maguire.In our third episode this season, FACT OF THE MATTER, gets onto the love bandwagon with great enthusiasm!! In Main Course, let Joy tell you how love for Patty Boyd helped create monster audio hits and get a bite of ancient history as Rathin shares details about the world's earliest known love song and a really ancient pop singer-songwriter !! In Believe It or Not, we have some crazy love stories from across the world - as we travel smoothly from Kenya to Japan!! P...2022-02-1430 minFACT OF THE MATTERS2 E2 - All about thugs, villains and rascals - from screen to real life from Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee to Dushyasana- specially spiced up with a surprise Guest of the Week!!"You've heard of the golden rule, haven't you? Whoever has the gold makes the rules." The evil Vizier, Jafar, in Aladdin.In our second episode this season, FACT OF THE MATTER, makes a darting run into the dark side!!. In Main Course, get introduced to a tough baddie from the great Indian epic, Mahabharata and also find out interesting stories about legendary screen villains like Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee!! Listen to national award winning Indian writer, Balaji Vittal, share nuggets from his latest book - Pure Evil – The Bad Men of Bollywood - as he...2022-02-0240 minFACT OF THE MATTERS2 E1 - In which Joy and Rathin deep dive into sporting controversies like Cricket and Apartheid, Olympic Boycotts, COVID and NBA, Corruption charges in Baseball and much more!When the seagulls follow the trawler, they think sardines will be thrown into the sea - Eric Cantona, France and Manchester United football legend, on his controversial rant at media trying to feed of his words to create sensational stories.In this brand new season opener, FACT OF THE MATTER, stunned by the Novak Djokovic affair at the Australian Open, decides to console itself by focusing on key sporting controversies over the years!!. In Main Course, listen to Joy and Rathin do a freewheeling chat about how the cricketing world was shaken by apartheid in the 70s...2022-01-2347 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 16 - A special focus on children in which Jackie Coogan, Shirley Temple, Amir Khan and Meena Kumari rub shoulders with Pakistani batting legend Inzamam Ul Haq and a few nursery rhymes!!There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children - Nelson Mandela.In this episode, FACT OF THE MATTER, celebrates the month of November by checking out stories around children who took their childhood by the scruff of the neck and left an indelible impression on the rest of us. In Main Course, listen to Joy and Rathin talk about child actors from Hollywood and Bollywood - Jackie Coogan, Shirley Temple and Meena Kumari and others - how they coped in both reel and real life as...2021-11-2035 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 15 - How key assassinations often changed the course of world political history - about Archduke Ferdinand, Reinhard Heydrich and Sir Stanley Jackson - some lucky to survive and some not!!Demoralize the enemy from within by surprise, terror, sabotage, assassination. This is the war of the future. - Adolf Hitler.In this episode, FACT OF THE MATTER, focuses on famous assassination plots in history - the rationale, the planning, the many operational goof-ups and the often violent repercussions. In Main Course, listen to Joy and Rathin talk about two key political figures from the previous century - the Archduke Francis Ferdinand and Reinhard Heydrich - and how their deaths altered the course of world wars!! Hear about an intrepid Indian freedom fighter who tried to bump off...2021-11-0438 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 14 - All about airlines and aviation and Rwandan bars - In which Air India and Salvador Dali find place alongside a Broadway musical about a small town called Gander and its incredible people!In this episode, FACT OF THE MATTER, celebrates the festival season of Durga Puja and Dussehra by taking off in style!!. In Main Course, listen to Joy and Rathin talk about Air India and its connection with the surrealist genius, Salvador Dali, how airlines sometime lay out a special offer for casino lovers and a Broadway musical about a small town called Gander in Newfoundland and its special position in the 9-11 aftermath!! In Believe It or Not, learn why bars in Rwanda may surprise you with its "special" fare and then enjoy Joy's special story about a man w...2021-10-1637 minFACT OF THE MATTERFACT OF THE MATTER - Genesis - TrailerA short clip where Joy and Rathin decide to explain why they started FACT OF THE MATTER - from their college day hunting for obscure facts to their love of trivia and how that ultimately led to the genesis of this pod!!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/factofthematter/message2021-10-0802 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 13 - About stunning football upsets from an unknown Moldovan team, KGB's influence in Russian football, sporting stars and their amazing political journeys and a guide to the well heeled set!!In this episode, FACT OF THE MATTER, dives into the fascinating origins of a couple of Russian football clubs (one of whom is making headlines as we speak!!) as Sheriff Tiraspol rubs shoulders with Dynamo Moscow - albeit with some "secret service" involvement!!. In Main Course, listen to Joy as he digs deep into his cricketing archives and connects cricket and politics through carefully crafted snippets about Tiger Pataudi and Tejasvi Yadav!! In Believe It or Not, revel in the exploits of a country's VP who decided to play for his own club team in the CONCACAF Football Champions L...2021-10-0339 minFACT OF THE MATTERTrailer - Episode 13In this episode, the spotlight is on connections and intersections between sports, politics, history and current affairs as FACT OF THE MATTER, embarks on a wild journey traversing football clubs in Russia and Moldova, sporting superstars and their political ambitions and much more. Listen to Joy and Rathin as they move seamlessly from cricket and football to chess and pole vault without missing a beat!!Get ready as the weekend is going to get better and better!!Catch the trailer and get a sneak preview of the rich fare we have in store for you...2021-10-0201 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 12 - In which we discuss leaders from different walks of life - from Lord Krishna, Hannibal of Carthage, General Robert E Lee to Tiger Pataudi, Douglas Jardine and Angela Merkel!!" A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." - Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese PhilosopherIn this episode, it’s all about leaders - from humble to arrogant, from dictatorial to democratic and from the eccentric to home grown simple as FACT OF THE MATTER, lays out a feast of anecdotes about a few such incredible luminaries who stood above their fellow brethren and stood well!!. In Main Course, listen to Joy draw out a fine link between a Indian god and...2021-09-2539 minFACT OF THE MATTERTrailer - Episode 12In this episode, the spotlight is on leaders from different walks of life as FACT OF THE MATTER, focuses on tales from Indian mythology and the American Civil War to find out all about different leaders and what made people believe in them so blindly. Listen to Joy and Rathin as they move seamlessly from cricket's infamous Bodyline series to Carthaginian general, Hannibal Barca's life long fight against the Romans and then reveal some strange quirks about key world political heavyweights. All this and much more!!Catch the trailer and get a sneak preview of th...2021-09-2301 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 11 - All about Underdogs and Surprise Winners - through tennis, cricket, battles, Roman emperors, boxing, baseball and Hollywood we relate tales of fortitude, luck and loads of chutzpah!!" Beware of barking at underdogs; don't fight with people who have nothing to lose." - Dory Previn - Lyricist, song writer and poet.In this episode, it’s all about surprise winners and underdogs as FACT OF THE MATTER, focuses on tales of amazing victories, crushing upsets and stunning comebacks in the face of insurmountable odds. In Main Course, feast on stories from the world of tennis and cricket as Joy sings paeans about a few unlikely super stars who shot their way to stardom!! Rathin talks of medieval battles where the Swiss managed to beat a big...2021-09-1838 minFACT OF THE MATTERTrailer - Episode 11"When you're an underdog, you're forced to try things you would never otherwise have attempted." - Malcolm Gladwell - journalist, author and public speaker.In this episode, it’s all about surprise winners and underdogs as FACT OF THE MATTER, focuses on tales of amazing victories, crushing upsets and stunning comebacks in the face of insurmountable odds. From tennis and cricket, hear about amazing tales of sporting super stars who came out of nowhere!! Rathin talks about medieval battles where the Swiss manage to beat a big Austrian army and how Iron Mike Tyson, the champion boxer got...2021-09-1801 minFACT OF THE MATTERTrailer - Episode 10"Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is THE BEST." - Frank ZappaIn this SPECIAL episode, it’s all about the wide and wonderful world of Music as FACT OF THE MATTER, like ABBA, tries to embark on a comeback journey of sorts. Find out how dying is a great career option for certain musical gods and how a Bollywood music composer pretended to be a tailor to ensure his wedding! Learn about a few hit Hindi numbers fr...2021-09-1201 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 10 - THE MUSIC SPECIAL - where we talk about Elton John and the Beatles and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan hangs out with Anu Malik, Hassan Jahangir and a young singing sensation from Chhattisgarh!"Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is THE BEST." - Frank ZappaIn this SPECIAL episode, it’s all about the wide and wonderful world of Music as FACT OF THE MATTER, like ABBA, tries to embark on a comeback journey of sorts. In Main Course, find out how dying is a great career option for certain musical gods and how a Bollywood music composer pretended to be a tailor to ensure his wedding! Rathin digs out a fe...2021-09-0945 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 9 - Turning points in world history - Landmark achievements in the transport sector in 1869, accidental discoveries of life saving drugs and a rejected painter who decided to own the world!!"...unless you made your life a turning point, there was no reason for existing." Saul BellowIn this episode, it’s all about turning points - seemingly trivial events that changed the course of world history!! In Main Course, we discuss two massive breakthroughs in 1869 which forever changed the way of travel in two different continents. We learn about a Scottish scientist who discovered a game changer in medicine purely by accident. Joy starts off with a stray arrow that changed Mughal history and also unearths a stunning story about a wannabe painter who after being rejected de...2021-09-0141 min
FACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 8 - Afghanistan and the magic around this land locked country - which comes alive through stories around wars, spies, literature, movies and even cricket!!“Afghanistan—where empires go to die. ” ― Mike MalloyIn this episode, we turn our attention to the ruggedly beautiful land-locked nation of Afghanistan and its glorious history!! In Main Course, we talk about Kipling's Kim and the Great Game, chat about spies and the Koh-I-Noor Diamond and even draw out a cricket connection with the Anglo-Afghan Wars!! Joy tracks down some interesting nuggets from the world of Arthur Conan Doyle and discovers a Afghan lady who helped win a battle and became a legend!!! In Believe It Or Not, Joy and Rathin talk about mid-air child births and the c...2021-08-2537 minFACT OF THE MATTERTrailer - Episode 8"When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, and the women come out to cut up what remains, jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains and go to your gawd like a soldier." - Rudyard Kipling.In episode 8, FACT OF THE MATTER focuses on Afghanistan, a land locked country often referred to as a "roundabout" in the geopolitical maelstrom of Central Asia through the ages. Catch the trailer as it drops now!! Get a sneak preview of the rich fare we have in store for you in the main episode which will drop shortly!!2021-08-2501 minFACT OF THE MATTERTrailer - Episode 7A sneak preview to episode 7 as Joy and Rathin take a hard look at food - be it gourmet or grotesque!!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/factofthematter/message2021-08-2001 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 7 - All about food - In which sweet Songbirds and innocent Omelettes make their humble presence felt along with Chocolate Biryani and Fugu Sashimi!!In this episode, we celebrate all things Food!! In Main Course (for once totally apt!!), we talk about the sinful and fully illegal way of eating a sweet song bird, discover how the humble omelette became a legend in a small restaurant in France and closer home find out how the Rajasthani specialty Dal Bati Choorma was actually battle food!!. Joy tracks down some intriguing recipes involving birds' nests and shares how a Japanese delicacy can literally be your Last Supper!!! In Believe It Or Not, Joy and Rathin gag on Chocolate Biryani from Pakistan and discuss a French...2021-08-1935 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 6 - India's most famous lady dacoit, Phoolan Devi and a female outlaw from the American Wild West, Sumo wrestling and spooked horses at the Tokyo 2020, birdies and eagles and much more!!In this episode, we celebrate India's iconic lady dacoit, Phoolan Devi's birthday by discussing her life and times along with that of Pearl Hart, a Wild West outlaw who got lost in the desert after successfully robbing a stagecoach!! All this in the Main Course! In Believe it or Not, Joy and Rathin talk about a sumo wrestler cut-out which spooked participating horses in the show jumping event at Tokyo 2020!! In Cute Words and Phrases, the focus is on sports as Rathin shares the meaning of the Aussie phrase - Doing a Bradbury and Joy breaks down the origin o...2021-08-1340 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 5 - THE OLYMPICS SPECIAL - Lovelina Borgohain's journey to an Olympic medal, Arthur Conan Doyle on Dorando Pietri, Michael Jordan's greatest basketball game and much more!!In this first SPECIAL, its all about the Olympic Games and the vast fount of indelible stories and anecdotes! Listen to the marathoner Dorando Pietri's herculean effort through words crafted by the legendary Arthur Conan Doyle, check out how a Olympic shooter managed to dodge an attempted murder rap and get to know Michael Jordan's greatest basketball game ever!! Joy and Rathin also share some of the great moments in Indian Olympic history as well as some of their most memorable and iconic Olympic memories!! Plus the regular sections like Bare Naked Lies and audience questions!! If you are...2021-08-0450 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 4 - About Spies in the White House, Spanish Flu and how it wasn't really Spanish, actor Sunny Leone's educational achievements and a Harsha Bhogle anecdote!In this episode, Rathin and Joy talk about spies in the White House, crazy World War espionage stories and Ian Fleming's literary inspirations, why Spanish flu might not be an appropriate name, Sunny Leone's association with a Kolkata University, how comedian Amit Tandon shared some funny recruitment stories and a place Harsha Bhogle remembers in Hyderabad which gets its name from the word Quarantine. All this spiced up desi tadka style with sections like Weird News, Cute Word Origins and Bare Naked Lies - the last one where they try and bluff each other!! And a special quiz question...2021-07-2733 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 3 - About cosmonauts and vials of pee, upside down flags, a guy who went to hell and came back safely and a hoodlum named Muldoon and his possible contribution to the English language!In Episode 3, we find out why some cosmonauts carry vials of pee, meet a guy who visited hell and came back safely, find out how a hood from San Francisco contributed to the English language and why some national flags are sometimes flown upside down!! All this spiced up desi tadka style with sections like Weird News, Cute Word Origins and Bare Naked Lies - the last one where they try and bluff each other!! And a special quiz question for listeners at the very end!!--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/factofthematter/message2021-07-2032 minFACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 2 - About Bollywood stars and their Peshawar connection, Jinnah's family tree and the Mahindra story, alcoholic rat armies and Clark Gable's Indian connection!!In episode 2, Joy and Rathin unearth a small market in Peshawar that was home to three Bollywood film stars, explore Jinnah's family tree, find out the interesting history of Mahindra & Mahindra - the Indian corporate giant, chase alcoholic rat armies and figure out how Clark Gable is connected to a 15th century Indian sultan. All this spiced up desi tadka style with sections like Believe it or Not, Cute Words and Phrases and Bare Naked Lies - the last one where they try and bluff each other!! And a special quiz question for listeners at the very end!!2021-07-1330 min
FACT OF THE MATTEREpisode 1 - About cake eating leopards, special Euro football matches, mad British soldiers in India and ghosts in medical colleges!!In Episode 1, Rathin and Joy talk about a rare Euro football match result which was decided by a coin toss, chase cake eating leopards around the countryside, find out about mad British soldiers in India and meet some ghosts in a medical college! All this spiced up desi tadka style with sections like Believe it or Not, Cute Words and Phrases and Bared Naked Lies - the last one where they try and bluff each other for kicks!!We love to hear from you!! So write to us at factofthematterindia@gmail.com. Rate us and berate us...2021-07-1330 min