Starting Over: Actresses Swap Scripts for Mics in Podcast Boom

As an actor, Soha Ali Khan never achieved the success which her mother, Sharmila Tagore or brother Saif Ali Khan did. After marriage and motherhood, she now hosts her own podcast series, titled All About Her, dedicated to women’s wellness, health, and life experiences. On her show, she engages in candid conversations with various notable Bollywood actresses, public figures and health experts.

Soha earlier hosted the children’s show Story Time with Soha Ali Khan. She says the podcast format gives her the opportunity to express herself more lucidly than acting ever did.

Rhea Chakraborty lost whatever opportunity of stardom she may have had, after the death of her boyfriend Sushant Singh Rajput. The witch-hunt that followed completely derailed her life and career. She has now reinvented herself as a podcast hostess, with the popular Chapter 2 show on YouTube, where she interviews industry friends and discusses personal growth and life perspectives.

Kareena Kapoor Khan isn’t quite jobless, Nonetheless, top-notch big screen opportunities aren’t coming her way anymore. She is hosting the hit show What Women Want on Mirchi Plus, where she interviews celebrities and industry experts on the pressures, triumphs and roles of modern Indian women. With her clout, she is able to bring in top-notch interviewees.

After years of struggle to get her bearings, Pooja Bhatt has finally found her metier. She fronts The Pooja Bhatt Show on iHeartPodcasts, an unfiltered audio series that dives deep into her personal journey through recovery, healing, fame, and other life experiences.

Another good actress, Neha Dhupia, was never really able to make a place for herself in the bustle of Bollywood. She now hosts No Filter Neha, a popular Bollywood chat show in which she sits down with top film stars for unfiltered, fun, and honest conversations.

The talented Kalki Koechlin hosts the hit BBC World Service podcast Kalki Presents: My Indian Life, which explores the lives, struggles and triumphs of young people across India.

Chitrangada Singh, another actress struggling for survival on celluloid, hosts the video podcast series The Rockford Circle, which uncovers hitherto unheard stories of successful Indian entrepreneurs.