Episodes
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Is sexual dissatisfaction in long-term relationships inevitable? In this episode of Love Matters, Storyteller and Mythologist Seema Anand and Leeza Mangaldas tackle the challenges of sexless marriages, sexual shame, and rebuilding intimacy. Discover practical advice on communication, redefining pleasure, and keeping the spark alive. Listen now on your favourite podcast platform!
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/?hl=en
Seema Anand’s Instagram:
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/seemaanandstorytelling/?hl=en
Credits:
Produced by:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Charulata Biswas (IE)
Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Researcher & Editor:
Sana Rizvi (DW)
Audio Editor:
Suresh Pawar(IE)
Seema Anand Photo Credit
Sujata Setia of @butnaturalphotography
Project Manager:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)Executive Producer:
Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style)
Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.dw.comGet in touch [email protected] -
How do traditional gender roles around money impact modern relationships? In this episode of Love Matters, Leeza Mangaldas and Nikhil Taneja discuss navigating finances in partnerships, breaking patriarchal norms, and embracing equality in love. From splitting bills to addressing societal pressures, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone rethinking relationship dynamics. Tune in on your favorite podcast platform!
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/?hl=en
Nikhil Taneja’s Social handles:
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/tanejamainhoon?igsh=MXZxbzk2eDF0emQ2Nw==X- https://x.com/tanejamainhoon?s=21
Credits:
Produced by:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Charulata Biswas (IE)
Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Researcher & Editor:
Sana Rizvi (DW)
Audio Editor:
Suresh Pawar(IE)
Project Manager:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Executive Producer:
Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style)
Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.dw.com
Get in touch [email protected] -
Missing episodes?
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In this episode of Love Matters, host Leeza Mangaldas welcomes writer Karuna Ezara Parikh for an intimate conversation about a woman’s relationship with her body. Known for her acclaimed works, including The Heart Asks Pleasure First, Karuna shares her deeply personal journey, from navigating the pressures of the media’s gaze to being diagnosed with lung cancer. Together, they discuss self-care, societal expectations, and reclaiming agency over one’s body. Karuna also reflects on how her diagnosis reshaped her perspective on health, beauty, and life itself. This heartfelt episode offers insights and inspiration for anyone seeking to redefine their relationship with themselves.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Karuna Ezara Parikh's Social handles:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karunaezara/
X- https://x.com/karunaparikh
Credits:
Produced by:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Charulata Biswas (IE)
Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Researcher & Editor:
Sana Rizvi (DW)
Audio Editor:
Suresh Pawar (IE)
Project Manager:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Executive Producer:
Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style)
Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.dw.com
Get in touch [email protected] -
Unlock love's cosmic secrets and discover how astrology, numerology, tarot and cosmic intuition shape relationships and your own existence. Love Matters host Leeza Mangaldas and astrologer Zohra Shakti explore divination's insights into love, self-discovery and modern relationships. Watch this episode for an enlightening cosmic journey.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Zohra Shakti's Social handles:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/woodstock_witch/
Website: https://www.woodstockwitch.com/
Credits:
Produced by:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Charulata Biswas (IE)
Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Researcher & Editor:
Sana Rizvi (DW)
Audio Editor:
Suresh Pawar (IE)
Project Manager:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Executive Producer:
Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style)
Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.dw.com
Get in touch: [email protected] -
Love Matters is back!
Listen to all the episodes of your favourite podcast now!
Love Matters is a podcast produced by The Indian Express and DW, Germany's international broadcaster - that explores love, sex, and relationships in India. Currently hosted by Leeza Mangaldas, India’s top sexuality educator, Love Matters features conversations with remarkable guests whose unique expertise and lived experiences are sure to strike a chord. Each episode will navigate a complex and often taboo topic, unravelling identity, social norms, desire, gender, pleasure, and most of all, the irrepressible force that is love. If you have a question, topic idea, guest suggestion, or feedback, you can email us at [email protected] -
In this episode of Love Matters, Dr. Karan Rajan, NHS surgeon and the internet’s favourite doctor, joins host Leeza Mangaldas to tackle men’s sexual health myths head-on. From masturbation and penis size to erectile dysfunction, Dr. Karan debunks pervasive misinformation. They dive deep into the psychological and cultural pressures men face around body image, performance pressure and masculinity. Plus, they discuss the rise of Viagra misuse among young men and the vital link between mental health and sexual well-being. Don’t miss this candid and insightful conversation!
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Dr. Karan Rajan's Social handles:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/
X- https://x.com/drkaranrajan
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/DrKaran
Website - https://www.drkaranrajan.com/
Credits:
Produced by:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Charulata Biswas (IE)
Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Researcher & Editor:
Sana Rizvi (DW)
Video Editor:
Praveen Kumar (IE)
Project Manager:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Executive Producer:
Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style)
Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.dw.com
Get in touch [email protected] -
We've all been there- curled up in bed, feeling like the world is crashing down after a breakup. But what if the breakup is actually an opportunity for growth? Join Leeza Mangaldas and content creator, actor and writer Merenla Imsong in another episode of Love Matters. They dive into the messy yet transformative world of breakups. From understanding self worth to closures, here's a fresh perspective on healing from a heartbreak.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Merenla Imsong's Social handles:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/merenla_imsong
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@mimsong1280
Twitter: https://x.com/MerenlaImsong
Credits:
Produced by:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Charulata Biswas (IE)
Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Researcher & Editor:
Sana Rizvi (DW)
Audio Editor:
Praveen Kumar (IE)
Project Manager:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Executive Producer:
Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style)
Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW: https://www.dw.com/
Get in touch: [email protected] -
What happens when you discover your true sexuality after tying the knot in a traditional marriage? In this episode of Love Matters, Leeza Mangaldas speaks with standup comedian Anshita Koul about her groundbreaking personal journey. Married in her 20s in a heteronormative setup, Anshita later came out as queer in her 30s. They discuss the complexities of navigating identity, love, and societal expectations while in a committed marriage. How does coming out shift the dynamics of a relationship, and what are the challenges of finding yourself when the world expects you to fit into pre-defined boxes? Tune in to hear Anshita’s candid and humorous take on coming out in a deeply patriarchal society, her evolving perspective on marriage, and how she discovered her true self. Anshita Koul is an internationally touring standup comedian, currently based in Berlin. She also works as a Hindi Producer for the show EcoIndia at DW.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Anshita Koul's Social handles:
Website - https://anshitakoul.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/anshitakoul/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/koulanshita
Credits:
Produced by:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Charulata Biswas (IE)
Researcher & Editor:
Sana Rizvi (DW)
Audio edit and mixing:
Suresh Pawar (IE)
Project Manager:
Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Executive Producer:
Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style)
Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
/ dwasia
https://www.dw.com
Get in touch: lovemattersdw.com -
Love Matters is launching a new season soon, featuring amazing guests and exciting topics! We're also thrilled to announce a special podcast episode that will be recorded live at a podcast festival in Berlin, Germany. For the first time ever, our cherished listeners can join the audience for this live recording. So, if you're in Berlin or will be there at the end of August, listen up!
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Love Matters is launching a new season soon, featuring amazing guests and exciting topics! We're also thrilled to announce a special podcast episode that will be recorded live at a podcast festival in Berlin, Germany. For the first time ever, our cherished listeners can join the audience for this live recording. So, if you're in Berlin or will be there at the end of August, listen up!
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Being bisexual is often met with a whole lot of stereotypes, and there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding that topic, coming from both the heteronormative society and within the queer community. What are the unique challenges of coming out as a bisexual woman in India? What prejudices do bi people confront? And what is it like to navigate straight and queer spaces when you're bisexual?
In this episode of Love Matters, Leeza Mangaldas talks to writer and editor Saumyaa Vohra about her personal experiences. From coming out to yourself and your family to differences in dating men and women, join their insightful and open conversation. They also delve deep into the story of Saumyaa Vohra's book "One Night Only" – one of the few Indian novels to feature a bisexual protagonist. Find out how she came up with the idea and why she portrayed her character deliberately flawed and "the least likeable." Tune in now!
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Saumyaa Vohra's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saumyaavohra/
Credits:
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi (DW), Charulata Biswas (IE)
Research & Guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi (DW)
Project Manager: Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava (IE), Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style), Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Sound Editor: Suresh Pawar (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com/ -
Female pleasure and sex positivity are not often talked about very openly. What does sexual agency look like for women in contemporary India? And how does it differ from the ubiquitous images we see in media coverage and pop culture of the sexually liberated western women? In this episode of Love Matters, host Leeza Mangaldas is in conversation with book author and psychologist Amrita Narayanan about the many nuances of women’s sexuality in the context of a patriarchal society. What can sexual empowerment look like within the Indian context? And how does female pleasure pivot between “rapture and distress”?
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Amrita Narayanan’s X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmritaShrink
Credits:
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi (DW), Charulata Biswas (IE)
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi (DW)
Project Manager: Patricia Szilagyi (DW)
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava (IE), Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style), Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Sound Editor: Suresh Pawar (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com/ -
What’s it like dating as a gay man? And how does it compare to loving men as a cis-hetero woman? In this episode of Love Matters, host Leeza Mangaldas is comparing notes on “loving men” with writer, translator and co-founder of Pink List India, Anish Gawande. From meeting potential partners to power structures within relationships and their personal red flags when dating men. What are the differences and commonalities in relationships with current and previous lovers? And what can mainstream society learn from queer perspectives? Tune in to hear about these topics and many more.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Anish Gawande’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anishgawande/?hl=en
Credits:
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi (DW), Charulata Biswas (IE)
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi (DW)
Project Manager: Sonja Kaun-Trenkler (DW)
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava (IE), Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style), Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Sound Editor: Suresh Pawar (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com/ -
Being a mother often seems to be the inevitable and most desirable role a woman can have in India. The question is never if, but when and how many children a woman will have. But why is this considered the “natural” destiny and the one and only true fulfillment of a woman’s life? How can there be a choice for - or against - motherhood? And what are the challenges for those who do not want to have children? In this episode of Love Matters host Leeza Mangaldas and writer Dr. Amrita Nandy unpack this sensitive subject; looking at how society romanticizes motherhood, the obsession with having biological children as well as finding purpose and kinship beyond being a parent. Join them in their candid and insightful conversation.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Amrita Nandy’s book - Motherhood and Choice: Uncommon Mothers, Childfree Women - https://amzn.eu/d/64MsN7x
Credits:Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi (DW), Charulata Biswas (IE)
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi (DW)
Project Manager: Sonja Kaun-Trenkler (DW)
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava (IE), Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style), Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Sound Editor: Suresh Pawar (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com -
Dear Listeners, Love Matters is going on a short break and the next episode featuring the incredible Amrita Nandy will be available on the 6th of January.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com -
What determines who we love and desire? Is it just down to personal preference? Or isn’t it rather ingrained in our minds through what we learn and see growing up and through pop culture all around us? And when it comes to love and relationships in India: aren’t societal forces shaping the way we love much more than we’d like to think?
In this episode of Love Matters, host Leeza Mangaldas explores these questions and many more with the help of Christina Dhanuja, Writer, Researcher and Convenor of the Global Campaign for Dalit Women. They also tackle questions like - how does endogamy shape the way we see what is deemed desirable and how do power imbalances based on caste affect the real-life experiences of interpersonal relationships and can they be addressed? And much much more.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Christina Dhanuja’s Website: https://christinadhanuja.com/
Credits:
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi (DW), Charulata Biswas (IE)
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi (DW)
Project Manager: Sonja Kaun-Trenkler (DW)
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava (IE), Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style), Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Sound Editor: Suresh Pawar (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com -
Public discourse around sexual consent is often rigidly configured around “Yes” and “No”. But how can we go beyond just this basic binary framework to make room for the more complex and nuanced emotions we may experience in our sexual lives? Can we create an environment of such radical kindness that we can make room for maybe, so we can explore our desires as they unfold instead of having to always preempt them for fear of our safety?
Join Leeza Mangaldas and Paromita Vohra, Filmmaker, Writer and Founder of Agents of Ishq, in this episode of Love Matters, as they explore these questions and more in a candid conversation about attraction, pleasure, and rejection. How do these factors shape our relationships, and can we redefine the way we perceive them in a consensual world?
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Paromita Vohra’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bombay.rosie/
Credits:
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi (DW), Charulata Biswas (IE)
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi (DW)
Project Manager: Sonja Kaun-Trenkler (DW)
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava (IE), Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style), Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com -
Why is it so important that we continue to nurture meaningful friendships and carve out time for fun and play, even as adults? Despite busy schedules, marriage and kids, and changing priorities, how can we ensure we make and keep friendships thriving throughout our lives?
In this episode of Love Matters, host Leeza Mangaldas explores all this and more with Comedian and Writer, Rohan Joshi, who shares his personal experiences, and how he has navigated friendship while adulting.
Credits:
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi (DW), Charulata Biswas (IE)
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi (DW)
Project Manager: Sonja Kaun-Trenkler (DW)
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava (IE), Khyati Rajvanshi (IE)
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck (DW Life & Style), Anant Nath Sharma (IE)
Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com -
What does it mean to be Desi and kinky? What can we learn about consent from the kink community, and what unique possibilities for self-expression and self-discovery does kink afford its practitioners? In this episode of Love Matters, host Leeza Mangaldas discusses all this and more with Jaya Sharma, founding member of The Kinky Collective. Jaya is a kinky queer feminist activist and writer who's worked on issues of gender and education for over 20 years.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Jaya Sharma’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayanotes?lang=en
Credits:
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi
Project Manager: Sonja Kaun-Trenkler
Sound Editor: Suresh Pawar
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava, Khyati Rajvanshi
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck, DW Life & Style, Anant Nath Sharma
"Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas" is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com -
Why was homosexuality a crime in India till 2018? Why is it that marital rape is still legal, while gay marriage is not yet legal? How does the legal system continue to shape our sexual rights, particularly for women and queer people's lives? Is constant vigilance the true price of liberty?
In this episode of Love Matters, host Leeza Mangaldas explores the impacts of patriarchy, laws, norms and the journey from 1950 to 2023, assessing the progress and challenges of women's and LGBTQ+ community rights in India with the help of Saurabh Kirpal, a Senior Advocate.
Note: This episode of Love Matters about Love and the Law was recorded in August 2023, at which point the Supreme Court had not yet reached a verdict on marriage equality. We did not know at the time of recording what the verdict would be.
Leeza Mangaldas’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leezamangaldas/
Saurabh Kirpal’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saurabh_kirpal/
Produced by: Patricia Szilagyi
Research & guest acquisition: Sana Rizvi
Project Manager: Sonja Kaun-Trenkler
Sound Editor: Suresh Pawar
Editorial Support: Shashank Bhargava, Khyati Rajvanshi
Executive Producer: Melanie von Marschalck, DW Life & Style, Anant Nath Sharma
"Love Matters with Leeza Mangaldas" is a cooperation between The Indian Express and DW, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Learn more about DW:
https://www.facebook.com/dwasia
https://www.dw.com - Show more
