Bad Bollywood sex inspired Chuski Pop, the fiercest Indian podcast of the moment

“Desi women who speak openly about sex, like Qandeel Baloch, seem to suffer very real consequences.” Anonymous Indian-origin podcasters, copywriter Sweety (33) and artist Pappu (32), know more than well the risks that come with disturbing the status quo. So, with their pseudonyms, they have chosen to keep the spotlight off them and on Chuski Pop, their popular podcast about “women’s issues, bad art, sex, drugs, Bollywood, puppies, bunnies, unicorns and rainbows”. We reached out to them to find out how it became their way to stick it to the system.

ELLE: You’ve known each other for a while now. So, what led to this podcast?
Sweety: Bollywood. I felt very confused about sex, growing up. I watched ’90s movies full of rape scenes and item numbers—they really messed me up. It was okay for movies to have extended graphic scenes, but kissing had to be done behind a rose bush. Sex was always shown as non-consensual or forced, because God forbid a woman should ever feel desire. We wanted to change that. So this podcast is about taking back the sexual narrative by promoting healthier conversations about sex. 

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ELLE: Did growing up in the Middle East have a role to play too?
Sweety: In the Middle East, being Indian is bad, but being an Indian woman is a double disadvantage. In Vancouver [where she lives now], I have the freedom to voice my dissent, and be proud of my ethnicity and femininity. 

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ELLE: What’s been your most successful episode so far?
Sweety: This year’s Valentine’s Day special. I think listeners just like hearing desi women talk about masturbation.

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ELLE: What’s one misconception about feminism you’d like to change?
Pappu: That the fight is the same for all women. It is not. Us desi feminists face different struggles from our white counterparts. It’s called intersectional feminism, and it’s compounded by our culture and race, so it’s important for us to address it.

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Tune in every fortnight to their truth bombs on chuskipop.com

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