Leftover Lasagne with Nitin & Tony

Attention span has gone to the dogs. We look at our phones 100s of times every day, and can't do without meaningless scrolling. What does all this distraction mean?

After the dust settled at the spirited Gen Z led protests at Jantar Mantar, where India's rich and famous gave a rather weak account of themselves, Nitin and Tony take a good sharp look at what it means to be a celebrity in the modern times of infinite attention economy. As Salman Khan would say "is it over bro" for our role models?

We notice the one dirty spot on the floor. We don’t notice the hundred that were cleaned.In this episode, we start with a simple question: why did many of us grow up hearing about apartheid, but never about Mabo?Why do we notice loud, visible problems but miss the quiet systems working underneath our lives. From history and news, to AI agreeing with us, to podcast edits, to relationships and housework, we explore why absence is harder to see than presence.If you’ve ever complained about one small mistake and ignored all the invisible effort around it, this one’s for you.We also talk about the excellent audio series Hi, I’m Eddie, which tells the story behind the Mabo decision:https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/discover/podcasts/hi-im-eddie

How important is the writing to the effectiveness of a movie? How much of creativity is art, and how much is science? Nitin and Tony enjoy the magic of great story-telling as they revisit a film they are both incredibly fond of - Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. If you like Leftover Lasagne, chances are you will enjoy Moolakadai - a relay short-story co-written by Tony, Nitin and best friend of the pod Prashant DP. Check it out: https://substack.com/home/post/p-185384796

Tony tunes in from Down Under and joins Nitin to revive Leftover Lasagne after a break... And to discuss the topic of taking career breaks. Why don't more people take work sabbaticals, even if their bank balances would allow them to? And as existential dread and AI take over the very idea of stable careers, should more of us stop to smell the roses? 

As GLP1 drugs get approval for Type 2 Diabetes treatment in India, Tony and Nitin get deep into Ozempic and its likes, debating the moral, ethical and commercial questions around them, and other cosmetic procedures. Stay on for the last third of this discussion, where they imagine the challenges of keeping the spark alive in a world full of dopamine, that also features shortcuts that can destroy the joy of experience involved in food, exercise and creativity.

Nearly a 100 years ago, John Maynard Keynes predicted that we would only need to work 15 hours a week. While he may not have got that part right (yet), the fundamental problem to solve for humans on earth remains the same as it always did - how do we make sense of our lives?Join Nitin and Tony as they tackle profound topics with the silliest humour.

Tony and Nitin train their guns at two hot button issues in India right now, and they also train their guns at each other. Hastha la vista baby! We are back!Like this podcast? Do check out our other episodes too, and it will really help us if you get your friends to listen to us as well.

As LoL enters its 40s, the co-hosts, both shuddering at the thought of entering their own 40s take a gander at age, life experience, wearing your stripes with grace and being good whimsical uncles with Instagram, rather than LinkedIn skills.Tell your friends about this podcast no? What's the worst that can happen :-)

Short-lived trends, long-lived trends, trends you see coming from a distance, trends that come out of nowhere... Tony and Nitin try to understand what's going on. And in the process, also reveal the perfect idea for a viral video. Don't miss it, this is your ticket to fame on the internet!

In this madcap episode, Nitin and Tony get together to discuss the deterioration of society as evidenced by the fall in what's considered basic courtesy. Should you be given free gravy with porotta? Why should we rename Mysore Pak? And what do standing seats in an airplane mean. One thing is for sure, the world me go mad, but our intrepid hosts of Leftover Lasagne are up to the task.Write to us on Twitter/InstaNitin: @knittinsTony: @notytony

There are several things in the world that are plainly wrong, and we continue to use and abide by them inspite of knowing full well that they are incorrect. In this episode, Tony and Nitin shine the light on some of these quirky entities - from the MBTI personality test, to our flawed understanding of dietary cholestrol and antibiotics, and distorted land maps - why we stick to them, and what that says about us.We strongly recommend two podcasts in this episode. Do check them out.1. All risk is creative, ft. Palash Kulkarni: https://x.com/ABiggerSpalash/status/18957150885455628762. Neuro-Spicy: Discussing ADHD with Dr. Kristin Carothers | What Now? with Trevor Noah Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkDvqvpxKBY

Trump's Tariff Tomfoolery has led to Chinese creators letting the cat out of the bag, and showing us the nuts and bolts of how luxury goods are made. Naturally, the intrepid explorers of Leftover Lasagne want to understand what differentiates a commodity from a brand, are brands important, does India really have an elite institution problem, and why we pay what we do for Bags, Tags, and Brags. Follow us:Twitter/InstagramTony: @notytonyNitin: @knittins

The latest episode of LoL explores what it means to be artistic from various current affairs angles. The recent Malayalam movie Empuraan has run into censor trouble over its allegedly religiously (read politically) sensitive content; The Ghibli filter has inundated our timelines, sparking stone-pelting outrage as well as server-melting outage in equal measure; Meanwhile, Kunal Kamra has gone off camera, hiding from goons with big weapons, small brains and thin skin.Tony and Nitin bring curiosity and commentary to all of that and more, in Episode 36.ALERT: IF YOU RECOMMEND THIS PODCAST TO 5 FRIENDS, NIRMALA TAI WILL GIVE YOU A TAX REBATE IN FY25-26. Or not. But you never know, eh.

Nisha Dhage makes a comeback to the podcast, and she's joined by first-timer Shruti Kapoor, to school the boys on what fashion means, from a women's PoV. If our fashion takes on Episode 34 were vague, Ep 35 is all Vogue; From botox to brains, from bald spots to boobs, no topic is spared. And when it comes to some parts of the anatomy, we are the Amazon of podcasts, since it is always Day 1 when you are learning from Tony, the masto-master. Strap on...

Why do we dress up the way we do? Tony and Nitin uncover layers on what fashion represents in our self-image and in the way we lead our leaves. Do they ultimately find out that the emperor has no clothes? Listen in!Like this podcast? We love it when people agree with us, but absolutely adore it when people don't. Please let us, and your friends know... Spread the love, spread the outrage. Hit the Like button and the bell icon!

Kerala and Tamil Nadu sit next to each other in the southern tip of India. Yet, why is Malayalam cinema so remarkably different from Tamil cinema, and from all other Indian movie industries? From their lived experience of being Malayalee boys who have experienced slices of other Indian cultures, Nitin and Tony hack away at this question. The discussion leads them to geography, geology, language, migration, economics, politics, caste, patriarchy... But before they get there, they first need to decode the very best of Mohanlal and Kamal Haasan, in how they perform in the most pivotal scene in Drishyam.Like the discussion? Agree with some of our thoughts? Or do you find most of what we have to say completely baseless proclamations? Let us know in the comments!This podcast references this wonderful decode of the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7YmcuV7afA

Nitin and Tony return after a month’s hiatus to celebrate one year of Leftover Lasagne! And in classic LoL fashion they try to figure out what the episode is about as they’re recording it. We figured this is actually the best way for you to build empathy for us. So meta no? Come jump in and enter our parenthesis labyrinth. Please share thoughts, laughs, tears, bouquets, brickbats, feedback, love and hate to us on Twitter/X/Instagram, @notytony and @knittins. We are all ears, and you may well end up giving us an idea for our next episode :-)

The 21st century human meticulously uses technology to track his and her every movement, in a constant effort to stay fit / hit arbitrary health milestones / flaunt their accomplishments for social validation. Nitin and Tony are no different, and in Episode 31 of LoL, the boys talk about their own journeys with fitness and tracking. In an effort to make Leftover Lasagne more useful to our listeners, we are including some incredible resources in our free plan. For instance - Mohan Krishnamoorthy's incredible gym plan, which was shared with us 12 months ago. If only we had opened this sheet, we'd be looking like Arnie and Sly Stallone. Alas. Here's hoping our listeners benefit from it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AiN7g8r4i67disys1z7pLm27eY7qSJa8e0f1vY-7pRo/edit?usp=sharing Please share thoughts, laughs, tears, bouquets, brickbats, feedback, love and hate to us on Twitter/X, @notytony and @knittins. We are all ears, and you may well end up giving us an idea for our next episode :-)

Leftover Lasagne is back in 2025! Join Nitin and Tony as they wonder about their fandom for stars, what it means, and how it differs from sports, to movies, to politics. And would anyone want to be a celebrity anymore? All this, when they finally get started with episode 30 of Leftover Lasagne. Follow us Nitin: @knittins on X and Instagram Tony: @notytony on X and Instagram

In ep 29 of Leftover Lasagne, Nitin and Tony try to make sense of a world in which the word of the year is brain rot, no one understands quantum computing, and a killer has become a thirst trap. Spoiler alert: They don't succeed. Follow us Nitin: @knittins on Twitter/Instagram Tony: @notytony on Twitter/Instagram

Today's episode features scams of all sorts, from modern art to fake podcasts, from adulterated food, to pseudoscientific healing methods. From chants that could kill, to three pairs of footwear for the price of two. Join Nitin and Tony in another wild ride through the absurd wonders that the internet keeps throwing at us.

AR Rahman hashtags his separation announcement, and Kohli chooses the right time to do Wrogn. Tony casts a 30,000 foot view at proceedings while flying alongside a reptile, while Nitin is perched firmly on a Jaquar thinking seat, as they bring to you Episode 27, which features an incredible suggestion for Zomato's outlandish job listing for CEO's Chief of Staff.  Like this episode? Do recommend us to a couple of your friends :-) And please tweet us at @knittins and @notytony with your picks for wacko current affairs you'd like to see discussed on this show. 

Mithunda gets pick-pocketed at an election rally, Trump wins the elections and begins to convert the world into a Musk-meme, and the world goes to pot, even as pot-cultivators go to prison in Bangalore. Even as the ship of TCS surges past the point of no return, Nitin and Tony apply a Satanic reverse gear in Episode 26 of your friendly neighborhood podcast. Tell your friends, and give us 5 stars. Or just drop is a comment, we love it! We are still on Twitter: 1. Nitin: https://twitter.com/knittins 2. Tony: https://twitter.com/notytony

This Diwaloween, Leftover Lasagne celebrates its quarter century with a timely scan of farcical happenings around law and rules in India. Grab a spoon, jump on your bike and take a sharp right to enjoy this trip around Tinder garden, and if you like the episode please press the bell icon, Horn Ok Please! This episode features a fantastic segment from Batta Fast, one of our favourite cricket podcasts. Do check it out! https://www.youtube.com/@BattaFast Send us your feedback to Tony: https://x.com/notytony Nitin: https://x.com/knittins

After a 2 week break, the Leftover Lasagne boys Nitin and Tony are back looking at the world of content, how Peru got revenge on England, and other funny and profound stuff that has happened in the world. Jump in.

On Ep 23 of Leftover Lasagne, Nitin and Tony are joined for a cameo by surprise guest Nisha, who has come to return the online order she received. Join the boys as they wonder about the goings on in the world - and the existential crisis affecting the mid life for Nitin and the podcast itself. Will we have an ep 24? Tune in to find out.

In the Catch all 22 episode of Leftover Lasagne, Nitin and Tony throw back to their previous avatar - as talkshow hosts who discuss some of the amusing news from around the world. Join our intrepid explorers along the queues to Tirupati, Coldplay, Wimbledon, and more. We wade into the cognitive dissonance of Hanumankind, and a BJP supporter in an immigration queue, and discuss the correct way to hack a PDF - this is for you Nawaz Sharif!

We feel this podcast has veered into far more serious, philosophical and ... dare we say... performative territory than we'd have liked. Episode 21 is an attempt to get back to our comfort zone - being silly. From cryptic shower controls, to inexplicably slow traffic, Tony and Nitin torture each other with their favourite irks. Identify with this list of things that bug us? Drop us a line @knittins and @notytony on Twitter, or leave a comment on our Youtube page!

Evolution is a contest between life and nature, and between one species and other species. By subjugating nature and moving to the top of the food chain, have human beings found a cheat code out of the contest? From Olympics to Ozempic, from philanthropy to philosophy, this episode takes you on a Blinkist you will miss mishit ride through specious speakeasy pronouncements on the human condition. Strap in for the mental floss. We are on Twitter at https://twitter.com/knittins and https://twitter.com/notytony

In this catchall episode of Leftover Lasagne, Nitin and Tony ponder about the meaning of life. How do we like our coffee and eggs? What does the corporate ladder mean? Who do we look up to? And most importantly - what picture of us would we want other people to remember us by after we're gone? Our intrepid duo tackle these tough questions with zero expertise and full confidence. Hop on!

Imane Khelif's Olympic story got us thinking and we spread our net far and wide this time as we waded headlong into the wildly messy topic of gender. Why do the Olympic games perform a Fosbury Flopshow of a manoeuvre to come up with an arbitrary demarcation separating male from female? And that, at a period in history when we also know that gender is a continuum and not a binary construct? Why do men (and in general, people) not follow women's sport nearly as fervently as they do men's sport? Does the same preferentialism apply to the performing arts in general? Do men really care about women, and in fact, do they even want to? This is a topic that deserves hours and hours of discourse, by people with a lot more knowledge and perspective that your two leftover lasagnists, but when did we ever let that stop us? Do tell us what you think of this episode; We are @notytony and @knittins on both Twitter and Instagram. Do share this episode with a friend, preferably from the opposite gender... No scratch that - Do share this episode with a friend, who lies far away from where you do on the gender spectrum.

In this episode involving splashbacks and flashbacks, Nitin and Tony consider some important questions. Is Atheism necessarily superior to following a Religion? Is there a difference between religion and one's own moral code? Does morality come from God? What is the moral code of an atheist? All this and more in yet another deep episode with a light touch on Leftover Lasagne (not lasagna). Follow us: Tony: https://twitter.com/notytony | https://www.instagram.com/notytony/ Nitin: https://twitter.com/knittins

What's the distinction between nationalism and patriotism? Does having words in your national anthem make you more likely to win at football? What does the Delhi metro have in common with the Euro zone? Aren't nurses bigger heroes than armymen? Join Tony and Nitin as they take the scenic route past Kamala Harris and Kamal Haasan, past Donald Trump and Saul Goodman, past Simbu and Mohanlal... All in an effort to find out whether questioning the people in power makes us anti-national. Find us on Twitter: Tony: https://twitter.com/notytony Nitin: https://twitter.com/knittins

If smart people are susceptible to believing falsehoods and half-truths, how do we find a way to make better decisions? Nitin and Tony explore how thinking in bets can help challenge many of our biases, and how we can grow up to be a little better every day. Also, a new challenged emerges for the title of "whiskey honey voice". Follow us Nitin: https://twitter.com/knittins Tony: https://twitter.com/notytony (We should have called it Leftover Lasagna, but it's Leftover Lasagne)

On the 4 month mark of Leftover Lasagne, Nitin and Tony explore the concept of merit. We talk about our own progression on the understanding of merit, privilege, the Ovarian lottery, and what ideal societies could look like.

A week after Father's day celebration, we turn Leftover Lasagne into a Dadpod of Dadbods. Resident dads Nitin & Tony take a look at what fatherhood means. We look at our journey through being dads, and sons of dads and how that has evolved over time.Follow us:Nitin: https://x.com/knittinsTony: https://x.com/notytony

After taking a week off to celebrate the dance of democracy, and the fugues of flu, Nitin and Tony are back with another probing episode. This week our intrepid inquisitors explore the messy planet of cancel culture. Why is death penalty still a thing? Why are we embracing encounter culture instead of counter culture? Is cancel culture just performative? Can our way back media find a way back? And how do we grow up and change in the backdrop of the pop culture we conusme? All this and more, on this edition of Leftover Lasagne with Nitin and Tony

Sam Altman got into trouble with Her this week, prompting Nitin and Tony to ask the question - what is copyright, what are its contours, and how do we deal with it? Surely, derivative content based on original art enhances it - but on the other hand, lawyers can get you hard cash for your IP. Which way do we lean? And what has our own journey been? All this and more, in ep 11 of Leftover Lasagne. Feat: Ilayaraja, YogiB, Anu Malik and others Leftover Lasagne is available wherever you listen to or watch podcasts / talk shows. Find us at https://linktr.ee/leftoverlasagne Tony on Twitter: https://twitter.com/notytony Nitin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/knittins

Sam Pitroda waded into controversy a few days back with his comments on the physical resemblance the people of India have to Africans, Arabs, Chinese and Europeans. Tony and Nitin dive into the complex manner in which we process, react to and practice (yes, we all do!) racism. What makes human beings innately racist? Is it our animal instinct, or is it just human nature? Why do we break into accents when we speak to Westerners? How do we reckon with the strange relationship between race and 'races', ie sporting excellence? Join us as we talk about the N word, the origins of slavery, "why we all look the same to you", Zionism, anti-Semitism, and why they aren't necessarily the opposite of each other... And a lot more. If we have said some stuff here that's wrong, before cancelling us, please let us know in the comments. Oh, and do watch Premalu. And Aavesham. And any Malayalam film you can find. Leftover Lasagne is available wherever you listen to or watch podcasts / talk shows. Find us at https://linktr.ee/leftoverlasagne Tony on Twitter: https://twitter.com/notytony Nitin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/knittins

Godwin's Law states that "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1". Thankfully, this podcast hasn't descended into that particular type of madness. Yet! In episode 9, Tony and Nitin ponder upon the challenges of content moderation that the open internet faces, and how that challenge shapes online discourse, and how recent developments in tech are changing the nature of moderation. As always, we turn our gaze inward, look at how we self-moderate our behaviour depending on the setting, and go on to acknowledge our own guilt in our inability to nurture online spaces that are safer for women... We also doff our hats at the more sensible sex for finding a way to navigate and thrive in a world that's largely designed by and for men. Leftover Lasagne is available wherever you listen to or watch podcasts / talk shows. Find us at https://linktr.ee/leftoverlasagne Tony on Twitter: https://twitter.com/notytony Nitin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/knittins

In episode 8 of LoL, Nitin and Tony bring the Latin, the Pig Latin, and the highfalutin. We layer on the phrase ad hominem, to talk about fallacious arguments and false advertising, the science of communication, and the communication of science.  We explore why we’re prone to consuming the world around us through badly framed headlines, and what we can do about it. And why the best paradox involving a cat is not Schrodinger’s. Grab a plate, and join us!

Have you ever wondered why self-aggrandising LinkedIn posts never get called out? Aren't we all guilty, contributing to the glut with our own complicit C4BRs? What's it about the corporate world, that makes us dress up, speak and behave so differently from 9 to 5 on weekdays? Does the term 'work-life balance' imply that work is ... the opposite of life? It's a complicated world where Assistant Vice Presidents and Senior Associate Directors hustle all day, looking to hire rockstar developers and experienced product ninjas to join their rocket-ships and man their war-rooms. Tony and Nitin wade in, and try to figure out how the masks we wear and the stories we tell ourselves at work are closely linked to our purpose, and our sense of self.  If you like this podcast, please leave us 5 stars, and let your friends know. At the very least, #C4BR! Leftover Lasagne is hosted by Tony Sebastian and Nitin Sundar. We are available wherever you get your podcasts. Find us at https://linktr.ee/leftoverlasagne

Why does the West look at the developing world with a unhealthy mix of condescension and hypocrisy? In Episode 6, Tony and Nitin try to find out. They row their kayak through the rivers of recent history, encountering patches of surreptitiously exported garbage even as they make stops along the banks to regard the bounteous fauna, notably the Namibian rhino and the Botswanian elephant. And when they urgently need to go, they use a portable butt spray instead of toilet paper because, hey - that's what civilised people do. We are available in video form on Youtube and Spotify, as well as pure audio everywhere else. Tell your friends about us, please? :-)

In episode 5 of Leftover Lasagne, we finally decide it's time to explain what the show is about. With an episode that's nothing like anything we've done before, we realise that the true motto of the show can be summarised as "Fuck around and find out". Join us, Nitin and Tony, as we talk about why we like a good argument. And try to deconstruct how and why we outrage, using the Zomato Pure Veg labelling as an example. Also, what does it mean to age well? What do we believe in now that we didn't earlier. Will we ever stop asking questions? Probably not. Will there be clear cut answers? Well... ** Follow us Nitin: https://twitter.com/knittins Tony: https://twitter.com/notytony | https://www.instagram.com/notytony

How do you prepare for an episode on which you discuss serendipity? Our intrepid hosts Nitin and Tony have decided to just show up and hit the I'm feeling lucky button on Google. Along the way, they discover life's mysteries and weird histories, strange lands, and science's strands, and much more. What do Japanese bread rolls have to do with cancer detection? Join in and find out. Since the internet is not the discovery machine of serendipity it once was, please subscribe and share this podcast with a friend. Follow us: Nitin: https://twitter.com/knittins Tony: https://twitter.com/notytony | https://www.instagram.com/notytony All links to find this podcast: https://linktr.ee/leftoverlasagne

Robert F Kennedy once said, "Some men see things as they are and ask, "Why?" Tony and Nitin look at things as they are, and ask - why don't we make a podcast episode?" (Citation needed) So here we are, in Episode 3, in which we question silly conventions. Why are people referred to with their surnames and not their first names? Why do perfectly sane human beings wear ties, or need daylight savings time? Why doesn't Tony get kicked out of Starbucks more often? Is Nitin the answer to the question - when will we have self-driving cabs? Tell your enemies about our podcast, so that you can get them to waste some time. But kindly, also ask them to give us 5 stars and hit the bell icon. This is a new podcast and a labour of love. Send us your feedback on Youtube, Spotify or, to our handles on Musk Melon's hell site at: Tony: https://twitter.com/notytony Nitin: https://twitter.com/knittins All links to this podcast are at https://linktr.ee/leftoverlasagne

In our second episode, Tony and Nitin dive into the pettest of their many pet peeves - cliché central! Come join us for a never-before-seen tete-e-tete... Laugh with us until the cows come home to the bulls in the china shop. Watch this space for more, and meanwhile send us your favourite cliches in the comments section.

What connects CAPTCHAs to Elon Musk's progeny, and Swiggy refunds to PM Modi singing Tamil songs? Find out in In Episode 1 of Leftover Lasagne, where Tony and Nitin stack up layers upon layers of stories involving interactions between human intelligence and artificial intelligence. Hopefully at the end of this episode, none of your questions around the dangers of too much tech will be left 'unresolved'. This lasagne is versatile, and can be enjoyed hot or cold, fresh or stale, in video or in audio form... That's right - we are a video blog (vlog) show that's also an audcast (audio podcast). Hit the subscribe icon, and tell your friends about us will ya!

In the pilot episode of Leftover Lasagne, Nitin and Tony come up with the name for the show, and hop around the khau galis of their minds to talk about food culture, running, Instagram, and tribalism. In parts provocative, profound, and profane, Leftover Lasagne will be a weekly diversion that's always fully pro-fun. Hop in.