CHENNAI: The convenience of living in a bubble of privilege can often warp one’s perception of the society around them. And cishet males feast well on these privileges, mentions 28-year-old Vinush Kumar, an IT professional from Chennai. “Once you realise you are privileged, it feels like you have been turning a blind eye to many issues and that should not be the case. If there is something to be discussed, it should be spoken about,” he says. And that’s exactly what he does with his friend from college, Naveen. Phone conversations about these issues in May 2020 gave way to their socio-political podcast ‘Vina podcast’. “One day, we decided to take our phone calls to a podcast, and the very next day, we had recorded the first episode,” beams Naveen, who currently resides in Germany.
The podcast is a space that discusses current issues and injustices, including topics like feminism, LGBTQIA+ rights, sexual education, disability and caste, interwoven with some light-hearted commentary on Tamil movies or perhaps, music. ‘Join us, let’s unlearn together’, reads their podcast description. “People tend to align with friends over facts. So, we try to start building conversations with people (with opposing views as well) and then make our case. We do not attack those who disagree with us, because that will only lead to them refusing to understand and what we say will end up in an echo chamber. What we are doing is bridging the gap with people on the other side (of the argument) and helping those unsure of an opinion,” they explain.
The weight of the issue
But involvement in the conversation on topics heavy and controversial in India comes with inherent responsibility. And Naveen and Vinush are well aware of this. As their average listeners have grown over the years to 500-1,000 per episode, they have realised that there is little margin for error. “It is important that we do not say anything wrong. What we speak of cannot just be our perspective, it must be backed by facts,” notes Naveen, to which Vinush adds, “If there is something we don’t know much about, we call in people who are more knowledgable on the subject. For example, we did an episode about how conversations of climate exchange have to also include the aspect of social justice, and for this, we had fellow podcasters come in and explain the issue. In these episodes, we also become like the audience and ask questions on their behalf.” But why a podcast? The duo chose this format for several reasons, one being their disposition as introverts.
“A podcast is personal, like books. You listen to it when you have time to yourself. For example, I do so when I am driving or on the train. It gives you time to comprehend and contemplate. So, audio is a great tool to start a conversation. And, people invest time in it. Some listen to podcasts for even an hour,” observes Naveen. And Tamil as their choice of language has also been welcomed by their listeners. “Regional podcasts, in Tamil at least, have been growing prosperously in the past two years. A common feedback we have received is that people who are living alone feel like we are a part of their environment; they treat us as a part of their lives,” he adds.
The hate you receive
Despite the sensitivity of the topics, there is not much hate that they have received in the way of comments on their podcasts. Perhaps, this is because one must listen to the whole episode before getting the opportunity to comment, surmises Vinush. However, for the opposition they do receive, they absorb it with an open mind. “There are some people who contacted us when we did an episode against the idea of #NotAllMen, claiming that we were wrong. In that situation, we didn’t attack or mock them but simply replied with the information we had. It is important to understand that different people need different amounts of time to change or unlearn what they already believe. We can’t expect everybody to be on the same learning curve,” Naveen elaborates.
For the future, the two plan to incorporate lesser-known topics and learn more along the way. “Not everyone can fight for these issues on the streets. This is our part in doing something towards it. The aim is to see a better generation in the future,” Vinush signs off.
Vina podcast is available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, and YouTube.