Podcast
The Secret Sauce
Hosted by Mukul Deora · EN
The Secret Sauce Podcast - a thought-provoking show that decodes the science and systems behind better health, performance, and decision-making. Hosted by Oscar-nominated filmmaker and entrepreneur Mukul Deora, it cuts through the noise with depth, intelligence, and conversations that make you think differently. Tune in every Thursday for world-class conversations that sharpen how you think, live, and lead.
21episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Sleep Signs Every Parent Should Know| Dr. Indu Khosla| Mukul Deora| E25
5d ago01:16:35Tap to summarizeA child’s sleep problem doesn’t always look like a sleep problem. Sometimes it looks like poor focus, mood swings, anxiety, weight gain, bedwetting, mouth breathing, snoring, or a child who wakes up tired despite “sleeping enough.”In this episode, Dr. Indu Khosla explains why children’s sleep health is deeply connected to growth, immunity, learning, hormones, behaviour, breathing, and long-term development. She breaks down how child sleep problems change from infancy to teenage years, what parents often get wrong about bedtime, and why screens, overstimulation, routines, and delayed sleep cycles are affecting children more than ever.The conversation also covers sleep apnea in children, REM and non-REM sleep, melatonin, baby sleep training, toddler sleep habits, teenage sleep deprivation, parasomnia, sleepwalking, mouth breathing, snoring, and ADHD-like symptoms linked to poor sleep.If you’re a parent trying to understand what healthy sleep really looks like, this episode gives you a clear framework for what is normal, what is not, and what signs should never be ignored.Topics covered:How sleep needs change from infancy to teenage yearsWhy screens and overstimulation affect children’s sleepBaby sleep training and common bedtime mistakesToddler sleep habits and the importance of routineTeenage sleep deprivation and delayed sleep cyclesREM sleep, non-REM sleep, melatonin, and circadian rhythmSnoring, mouth breathing, bedwetting, and sleepwalkingSleep apnea in children and why it can be missedHow poor sleep can look like ADHD-like symptoms or anxiety
Transcribe →
Top neurosurgeon: A man couldn't stop laughing at his brother's funeral. Here's what we found inside his head. Dr. Mazda Turel | Mukul Deora | E24
2w ago01:21:32Tap to summarizeYour brain is not just where you think. It is where your memory, sleep, behaviour, movement, judgement, personality and identity are being built every day.In this episode, neurosurgeon Dr. Mazda Turel takes us inside the human brain from awake brain surgery and brain tumour cases to sleep, alcohol, smoking, screen addiction, dopamine detox, AI, neuroplasticity and spine health. He explains what actually happens inside the brain when we sleep less, drink more, sit for too long, outsource thinking to AI, or ignore early neurological symptoms.This conversation also explores the surprising ways brain tumours can change a person’s humour, appetite, smell, emotions and personality and why the brain remains one of the most powerful, fragile and mysterious organs in the body.You’ll learn about:Awake brain surgery and how surgeons protect speech and movementThe 10% brain myth and how much of the brain we really useSleep, the glymphatic system and brain detoxAlcohol, smoking and their effect on brain healthText neck, spine pain and posture damageDopamine detox, screen overstimulation and AI’s effect on thinkingNeuroplasticity, ageing and how to keep the brain activeWatch this episode if you care about brain health, neuroscience, sleep, focus, ageing, and what modern life is quietly doing to your mind.
Transcribe →
India's top art auctioneer: I couldn't sell this painting for 4 lakh. It just crossed 40 crore| Mallika Sagar| Mukul Deora | E23.
3w ago01:34:30Tap to summarizeA painting sells for ₹100 crore. But how does that number actually happen?In this conversation with Mallika Saagar, India’s top art auctioneer, we demystify the Indian art market from how artworks move from artists to galleries, to how they enter auctions, to what really happens when collectors start bidding against each other.Mallika breaks down the difference between the primary and secondary art market, how auction houses work, what buyer’s premium means, why the hammer price is not the final price, and how terms like reserve price, provenance, rarity, medium, condition, and quality shape the value of Indian paintings.The conversation also goes deeper into the psychology of auctions: why people overbid, why some collectors hide their bids, why bidding can become emotional, and why patience matters if you’re looking at art as an investment.For anyone curious about Indian art, art auctions, collecting, luxury markets, or alternative asset classes, this episode is a sharp introduction to a world that is growing fast but still widely misunderstood.This episode covers:How artworks move from artists to galleries to collectorsWhat happens inside a live art auctionPrimary market vs secondary market in artBuyer’s premium, GST, hammer price, and hidden costsReserve price, estimates, and how bidding startsHow provenance, rarity, medium, and condition affect valueWhy collectors sometimes overbid or hide their bidsThe psychology, ego, and adrenaline behind auctionsIndian art as an investment and asset classHow India’s art market compares with global markets
Transcribe →
This what reading can do to your brain | Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta | Mukul Deora | E22
4w ago01:20:57Tap to summarizeWhat does reading actually do to your brain, your stress levels, your focus, and the way you live? In this conversation, Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta Asia’s 1st Reading Coach tells us why reading still matters in the age of endless scrolling, short-form content, screens, and constant stimulation. The discussion goes beyond “reading is good for you” and looks at what actually happens inside the brain when we read, why books activate deeper thinking, and how reading can shape the way we learn, respond, create, communicate, and understand other people.A major part of the conversation also looks at children, families, and the culture of reading at home. What do children learn when they are handed screens instead of stories? Why do conversations, books, and shared reading matter for a child’s development? And how can parents create an environment where curiosity, thinking, and learning are rewarded?This episode also explores the therapeutic side of reading how the right book can help someone process anger, anxiety, grief, identity, conflict, and emotional blocks. Books can become mirrors, mentors, interventions, and tools for self-mastery when chosen with the right context.In this conversation, you will learn:→Why reading is brain training, not just entertainment→How screens and scrolling affect focus, attention, and deep thinking→What reading does for stress, creativity, memory, and emotional control→Why paper reading and digital consumption affect the mind differently→How books help build empathy, patience, and cognitive flexibility→Why reading matters for children, families, and learning cultures→How stories can help us understand ourselves and others better→Why successful people often use reading as a tool for clarity and growth→How the right book can help change the way you think, respond, and liveIf you struggle to read, feel addicted to scrolling, want to build a sharper mind, or want to understand why books still matter in the modern world, this episode will give you a deeper reason to return to reading.
Transcribe →
The Best Formula For Longevity | Dr. Vishakha Shivdasani| Mukul Deora| E21
Apr 2301:27:42Tap to summarizeWhy do so many Indians struggle with metabolic health, sugar cravings, and rising diabetes risk even when they feel “fine”? In this conversation with Dr. Vishakha Shivdasani, Physician practicing metabolic health, longevity and disease reversal breaks down the real problem behind modern Indian health.This episode explores how the typical Indian diet, hidden insulin resistance, and everyday habits are quietly driving conditions like diabetes, fatty liver, and metabolic dysfunction. More importantly, it explains why most people only focus on treatment after disease shows up and what you can do to stay healthy before it’s too late.Dr. Shivdasani shares a practical, science-backed approach to metabolic health, including how to read your body beyond standard blood tests, why sugar cravings happen, and how small changes in nutrition, movement, and lifestyle can help reverse early-stage metabolic issues.In this episode, we cover:Why “normal” blood reports can still hide underlying problemsThe truth about sugar cravings and what actually drives themHow the Indian plate contributes to metabolic dysfunctionWhy medication often manages symptoms but doesn’t fix the root causeSimple daily habits that improve blood sugar and overall healthIf you care about improving your health, preventing disease, and understanding how your body really works, this conversation offers a clear starting point.Watch till the end for a deeper understanding of how to move from treating illness to truly staying well.
Transcribe →
The Doctor Every Indian Doctor Looks Up To Finally Speaks | Dr. Farokh E. Udwadia| Mukul Deora| E20
Apr 1601:24:29Summary readyWhen to let patients go is one of the hardest decisions in medicine, but it’s onlyone part of a much deeper conversation.In this episode, Dr. Farokh Udwadia, Padma Bhushan awardee and one ofIndia’s most respected physicians, reflects on how medicine has evolved andwhat it may have lost along the way. From building critical care in India todecades at the bedside, he brings a rare perspective on science, judgment, andthe human side of healing.The conversation explores how modern medicine, despite its advances, oftenrisks becoming mechanized, prioritizing reports, tests, and intervention overunderstanding the patient as a whole. He shares why clinical judgment, intuition,and empathy cannot be replaced by technology and how emotional distress oftenmanifests as physical illness.It also dives into some of the most difficult realities doctors face:over-medicalisation, unnecessary procedures, and the ethical dilemmas aroundend-of-life care. From ventilators and resuscitation to euthanasia and living wills,this episode examines when treatment stops being care and becomes prolongedsuffering.In this conversation, you’ll understand:● Why medicine may be losing its human touch● The difference between curing a disease and healing a patient● How judgment and experience shape better decisions than data alone● When life-saving treatment becomes prolonged suffering● What it means to practise medicine with integrity and compassionWatch till the end to rethink what medicine can do and what it should do
Summary
India's Leading Cardiologist: This Is How You Avoid A Heart Attack | Dr. Kirti Punamiya | Mukul Deora | E19
Apr 201:27:38Tap to summarizeMost people think heart attacks happen because of age, weight, or obvious symptoms. This conversation challenges that assumption by examining heart attack causes and prevention, revealing why young, thin, and “healthy-looking” individuals remain at risk and what truly drives heart disease today.From the confusion around COVID and heart attacks to the role of inflammation and cholesterol, this episode breaks down the real causes of heart attacks and why early heart attack symptoms are often misunderstood or ignored. It offers a clearer understanding of how cardiovascular risk develops silently over time.Modern risk factors are explored in depth, including poor sleep, chronic stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, high-carbohydrate diets, and over-exercising. The discussion also addresses common assumptions about “healthy” living, showing that being vegetarian, lean, or physically active does not necessarily reduce heart disease risk and that internal damage can remain undetected.Key topics covered:Difference between heart attack, cardiac arrest, and artery blockageRising incidence of heart attacks in younger age groupsRole of inflammation alongside cholesterol in heart diseaseImpact of smoking, including occasional and passive exposureLimitations of vegetarian and carb-heavy diets for heart healthEffects of sleep deprivation, stress, and post-party workoutsImportance of early detection and understanding silent symptomsThis episode provides a structured, evidence-led perspective on heart attack causes, symptoms, and prevention and how long-term cardiovascular health is shaped by everyday decisions. Watch till the end to understand how risk builds silently and what factors influence it over time.
Transcribe →
Ex HSBC Chairperson: How I Forced Every Indian Bank to Change the Work Week | Naina Lal Kidwai | Mukul Deora | E18
Mar 2601:38:29Tap to summarizeNaina Lal Kidwai didn't just survive Indian banking — she built it. In this conversation, the former HSBC India Chairman walks through the decisions, the crises, and the costs behind one of the most consequential careers in Indian financial history.She was in the room when NSE was conceptualised — because BSE refused to change. She was CEO of HSBC India during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, managing hostages, bullet wounds, and panicking families from her office while keeping every single one of her employees alive. She introduced the 5-day work week to Indian banking when the RBI called to question her judgment. She was FICCI President the year Nirbhaya happened and had to represent India to the world at its worst moment.This is also the story behind the story — the first Indian woman at Harvard Business School, the first woman hired by PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the first woman to head a foreign bank anywhere in the world. What it took to walk into every room that had never seen a woman. What it cost to be first at everything, every single time.In this episode:The 26/11 night she made life and death calls using a secret code from the DG of Police, and got every employee out aliveHow she received her husband's cancer diagnosis mid-town hall, composed herself in seconds, and finished the speechHow she introduced India's 5-day work week to banking when the RBI called to question her about itWhy she was the first woman at Harvard, PwC, and HSBC, and found out about each one after the factWhat it meant to be first, and why one failure would have shut the door for every woman who came after herHow she helped write India's insider trading laws before SEBI even existedWhy she was FICCI president when Nirbhaya happened and had to defend India to every foreign delegation that yearHow anger, not ambition, was the real engine behind every barrier she brokeThe one networking principle that saved a life during 26/11What success quietly took from her, and whether she would do it all againWatch till the end for what she says success quietly took from her, and whether she would do it all again.
Transcribe →
Everything You Think About Hypnosis Is Wrong - A Psychiatrist Explains | Dr. Swati Kashyap | Mukul Deora | E17
Mar 1901:13:27Tap to summarizeWhat do anxiety, depression, narcissism, and addiction actually mean and how do you know when they become something more serious?In this episode of The Secret Sauce Podcast, Dr. Swati Kashyap a psychiatrist, psychologist, addictionologist, hypnotherapist, and family physician known for her integrative approach to mental health- to unpack the psychology behind anxiety disorders, clinical depression, personality traits like narcissism, addiction, and trauma.The conversation breaks down these terms in a clear, practical way explaining how they present through symptoms, how they differ from normal emotional experiences, and when they cross the line into diagnosable mental health conditions.Dr. Kashyap also explains the underlying mechanisms that shape these conditions, including how biological predispositions, environmental triggers, and individual responses to stress interact over time. It highlights how patterns like chronic worry, avoidance, emotional dysregulation, and reinforcement cycles contribute to the persistence of these issues.In addition, the conversation explores a range of modern therapeutic approaches - including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), hypnotherapy, and behavioral medicine explaining how they work, what they are used for, and how they help create change at both conscious and unconscious levels.Whether it’s understanding the difference between stress and anxiety, recognising the symptoms of depression, identifying personality traits, or learning how therapy works this episode offers a structured and practical lens into mental health. Topics covered:Anxiety vs stress vs anxiety disorderClinical depression: symptoms, duration, and diagnosisNarcissism and personality traits vs personality disordersAddiction, trauma, and their psychological impactHow CBT, EMDR, hypnotherapy, and behavioral therapies workSubscribe for more thoughtful and insightful conversations.
Transcribe →
India's Car Revolution Started With A Mother's Grief | R. C. Bhargava | Mukul Deora | E16
Mar 1201:39:22Tap to summarizeHow was Maruti built when almost nobody believed it would succeed?In this conversation, R.C. Bhargava shares the inside story of how Maruti was built against skepticism, political pressure, and the rigid realities of India’s controlled economy. He explains why most foreign companies refused to invest, how Suzuki saw India’s future before others did, and what it took to build a modern automobile company from scratch.The episode also explores the deeper operating principles behind Maruti’s rise: consumer insight, Japanese manufacturing discipline, supply chain thinking, radical workplace equality, and leadership through learning. He also reflects on integrity, frugality, and the 20-year legal battle he faced while protecting the company’s interests.
Transcribe →