Modern love

The podcast helps ace the modern dating game

IT'S not ironic but apt that on a dating podcast the two hosts have great chemistry that plays out even over a phone call. It's almost as if listening to Aniesha Brahma and Aashna Iyer's show Modern Dating Be Like all over again, privy to an honest conversation between friends. That's also how their podcast came about. Brahma, author and founder of Buzz Magazine, says, "When I started talking to other people about [my dating experiences], we noticed that some of the patterns were similar, some were different." Iyer, a performance poet and marketing professional, continues on the importance of having those experiences reiterated, "It gives you a little bit of comfort when you know someone else has gone through the same things."

Season one's five episodes cover topics like dating as part of the digital world, dating across a few cites, and those memorable mentions that will always be carried with us. In blueprinting the show, 29-year-old Iyer explains that they tried to cover all the questions that would keep popping up when meeting new people, and also brought on guests for varied perspectives. Mumbai-based Brahma adds, "Everybody has their own way of dealing with different situations. But it helps to have a basic idea. That's the reason behind choosing these topics."

Aniesha Brahma and Aashna Iyer

There are as many dating podcasts as there are dating apps. But the hosts decided on this format to focus on a flowing conversation. "Podcast consumption patterns are easier. And the whole point was to have a discussion," Iyer concludes.

Our take

A topic like dating, love and relationships requires honesty, fun and a judgement-free space. This is what the show offers - personal narratives, some shared experiences and different perspectives. There's the occasional quotable remark in every show such as in the first episode about finding Romeo, Brahma says, "Recently, I came to terms with the fact that you don't need anyone to save you, what you do need is a weirdo to be there with you while you save yourself." The conversation is familiar like the ones you've shared before with friends, and it unfolds in a similar way - moving into adjacent thoughts, responding, laughing. In season two, we would like to see better production as well as a wider range of experiences and perspectives by voices from the queer community.

Log on to Modern Dating Be Like on Apple Podcasts or Spotify