Starting September 30, the new podcast Love Matters, hosted by the German-Indian presenter and Bollywood actress Evelyn Sharma is opening up a space for vulnerable, intimate and critical conversations on love and relationships that matter to young Indians.

The podcast, a collaboration between DW and its partner The Indian Express, deals with controversial topics such as sexual orientation, divorce or interfaith relationships in India. Each week, Evelyn Sharma presents a listener’s relationship challenge and speaks with well-known Indian celebrities and influencers. The podcast features guests like singer Benny Dayal, comedian Kaneez Surka, drag queen and activist Sushant Divgikar and influencer Leeza Mangaldas.

“Acceptance, understanding, care for each other, are matters of the heart and we all desire them in our lives,” says Evelyn Sharma. “Sadly, there are many topics that are still taboo to talk about in India. With Love Matters I wanted to create a safe space to speak about them.”

Rolf Rische, DW Director Culture and Lifestyle: “Several positive factors militate in favor of the new podcast: a host who is well-known from DW programming and prominent in India, journalistic expertise, a competent regional partner with a high reach, and a topic that is important to a young audience in India.”