India’s top podcaster on values over views, the Vijay Malaya episode, and his 10-year framework for success
In a special live edition of the South Asian Trailblazers podcast, host Simi Shah sat down with Raj Shamani, India’s number one podcaster and number 25 in the world. With over 500 episodes and 400 million annual views, Shamani has interviewed Bill Gates, MS Dhoni, Aamir Khan, and MrBeast. But this time, he took the seat as the interviewee.
The turning point at 16
Shamani clarified a common misconception about his early life. “There was no point where I had to go and support my family for money,” he said. His father made ₹40,000-50,000 profit per month. However, when his father suffered a severe diabetic attack and was unresponsive for 30-40 minutes, Shamani realized he needed to step up.
He applied to 70-80 FMCG companies including HUL and ITC. Nobody replied. His father gave him ₹15,000 – the only money he could spare. “Those ₹15,000 taught me everything that I know today,” Shamani said.
The birth of a content career
Shamani started building his Instagram presence after watching GaryVee. For six months, he recorded 3-5 reels daily from his home. Then he got his first brand deal – ₹70,000 from UpGrad. “I was like, this is life-changing,” he recalled. He moved to Mumbai and never looked back.
Values over views
Shamani lives by the philosophy “values over views, sense over sensationalism, teachings over trends.” He revealed that he has rejected major episodes, including one with a prominent politician who only offered gossip instead of insights. “I knew it was minimum 15 million views,” he said, “but it didn’t align with our values.”
The Vijay Mallya episode
Regarding his controversial 4-hour interview with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, which garnered 20 million views in 4 days, Shamani stands by it. “There are podcasts which teach you what to do. There has to be podcasts which teach you what not to do,” he explained. He consulted lawyers and prepared questions without giving Mallya any editorial control.
Strategy to become number one
Shamani revealed that the top 5 categories in Indian podcasting – horror, religion, astrology, sex, and entertainment – are categories he deliberately avoids. “Everything that works, we don’t do,” he said. “Say no to almost everything in life.”
His 10-year framework guides every decision: “If I can be in this field for the next 10 years and I’m okay to be underestimated, I jump in.”
On AI and the future
Shamani admitted using AI extensively. “Everything that we do is AI. To a point where it scares me now – a lot.” He uses AI for thumbnails, research, video editing, hiring decisions, and even as a “billion-dollar coach” to help him improve.
Closing advice
Shamani’s parting question for everyone: “What would I do this year if I was not afraid to be embarrassed in front of the people who I care about?” He believes this question removes 90% of the barriers holding people back.
