Small towns, big stories

India's small towns are often dismissed as grimy and chaotic. But scratch beneath the surface and you'll find them teeming with history, character and cultural treasures. 'The Talk in the Town' is a podcast that taps into this richness, exploring how citizens - townizens? - engage with policy, politics, and the everyday act of shaping their communities.

What makes the series compelling is its range: voices from small-city India discuss not just governance but also art, identity and transformation. A standout episode is the 2-part Picture Toh Abhi Baaki Hain: Capturing India's Single-Screen Cinemas, featuring Maqbool cinematographer Hemant Chaturvedi.

Chaturvedi shares a deeply personal journey - from his early training under Ismail Merchant, to his decision to walk away from Bollywood's glare. His new mission is nothing less than monumental: documenting India's disappearing single-screen theatres.


He has travelled 50,000 km, visiting nearly 1,000 towns, and photographing more than 1,150 cinemas before they are swept away by multiplexes and real estate development. Absolutely spellbinding.