The Curious Case Of... with Ira Khan

Why do we use labels for understanding people?

What does “normal” mean — and who decides what’s normal for someone else?

In this episode, Ira talks with Divyanshu about how the meaning of “normal” shifts across contexts — from evolutionary needs to social expectations. They explore why labels continue to exist despite being limiting, and how questioning them can help us reframe our experiences and live more fully on our own terms.

It’s a conversation about language, identity, and empowering ourselves by asking better questions.

Because, if you rea...

What does it mean to love and respect your child — fully, exactly as they are?

In this episode, Ira talks to Sushama about her journey as a mother to a child with autism. She shares how she never asked “Why me?” or “Why now?”. Instead, she focused on her role as the parent. What she could do to equip her child to best deal with the world that might not always be kind to her. Because some struggles come not from the person but from the way our world is currently designed. 

It’s a conv...

In this episode Ira talks to Anissa about her journey as a mother to a child with OCD — at first, simply responding to what was in front of her without realising how severe things were. 

Even with financial resources, it took time, mistakes, and learning to understand the illness and the weight of caregiving.

Because curiosity is what turns confusion into understanding.

For more information, click here.

CREDITS:

Host: Ira Khan 

Agatsu Foundation Team 

Research: Rohini Sen...

In this episode, Ira talks with Vijay Nallawala about his journey with Bipolar Disorder. Together, they reflect on what happens when pain gets romanticised, why early treatment matters, and how hope can still coexist with struggle.

It’s a conversation about honesty — about seeing things as they are, not as they’re often portrayed or what we may like them to be.

Because understanding starts with awareness.

And awareness begins with curiosity.

For more information, click here.

CREDITS:

Host: I...

How much of who we are comes from where we come from?

And how do we make peace with the parts of our story that began before we had a say?

In this episode, Ira sits down with Nuzhat Khan to explore the complicated relationship between our parents, our past, and the people we grow up to be. Seen through a psychoanalytical lens, it emerges as a conversation about understanding without resentment, and healing without losing accountability.

Because blame is unhelpful.

And curiosity works like a charm.

Why is it so hard to find a clear reason when it comes to the mind?

In this episode, Ira talks with Swanand Kelkar about his experience, being the child of someone living with a mental illness and how his understanding of mental health has shifted over the years. From searching for neat explanations to recognising that sometimes, there isn’t a simple “why.”

It’s a conversation about letting go of the need to make everything make sense, and finding peace — and even strength — in that uncertainty.

Because sometimes, curiosity isn’t about answers...

The internet is a permanent part of our lives. It isn’t going anywhere.

But then, neither is your child’s curiosity.

In this episode, Ira sits down with Kiran Rao and Dr. Shekhar Seshadri to talk about raising kids in a screen-saturated world — how to prepare them for the world (whatever that world may look like), and how to adapt our parenting to the fast-changing realities of the digital age. The positives, the pit falls and everything in between.

Because in the end, what matters most isn’t control.<...

How does someone end up in addiction without even realizing it’s happening?

And what does it take to find your way out?

In this episode, Ira sits with Dr. Azhar Hakim, who shares his deeply personal journey through addiction — from the slide into it, to the moment he realized he was unwell, and what getting help truly meant.

This is a conversation about feelings of inadequacy, denial, despair, confusion... and awakening. For Azhar, it was when he finally stopped to ask - If I'm trying my 100%, why can't I choose my be...

What is lived experience — and what is the role of lived-experience of a mental illness in our regular understanding of mental health and illness?

In this episode, Ira speaks with Dr. Kavita Arora about how reflecting on personal experiences can open up doors that science alone can't access. How engaging in conversations about lived-experience shapes how individuals and caregivers navigate their treatment and recovery - be it treatment decisions or just forging a path to better understanding. And how professionals learn, train, and evolve — not just in theory, but in the quality of care they’re able...

What is therapy — and does it work?

What should you expect from it? And what’s expected of you?

If you've ever been curious about starting therapy (or unsure if it’s “for you”), this is a space to explore the basics — without judgment, pressure, or jargon.

In this episode, Ira chats with Radhika Bapat to discuss what therapy really is, what one should and should not expect from it, how understanding the process can help you take better care of yourself and why it’s okay if your therapist does n...

Hosted by Ira Khan, the show invites you to slow down and get curious about the complexities of mental health and mental illness — not just as clinical terms, but as real parts of real life.

In a world flooded with advice, opinions, and endless content, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and walk away with more confusion than clarity. This podcast is a counter-space. A space for asking instead of assuming. For listening instead of scrolling. For wondering why we think, feel, and behave the way we do.

Joined by psychologists, artists, caregivers, people with live...