VMPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 28: In a defining moment for sexual health advocacy in India, "Sass It Up", a bold and barrier-breaking podcast hosted by choreographer-turned-entrepreneur Karishma Chavan, took home the HT Smartcast Award for Best Podcast in Health and Wellness 2025. Powered by Sassiest -- India's first doctor-backed sexual health and pleasure brand for women and the LGBTQIA+ community -- and produced by MnM Talkies under the visionary leadership of Mantra, this win is not just about recognition, it is a cultural milestone.
Launched three years ago alongside Karishma's investment and eventual co-founding of Sassiest, "Sass It Up" was built with a clear mission: to give India an unapologetic, informed, and safe space to talk about sexuality, gender, pleasure, intimacy, and everything in between. The podcast features an eclectic lineup of experts including relationship coaches, gynecologists, andrologists, sexual health educators, intimacy specialists, and queer activists. Its topics range from understanding orgasms and navigating sexual trauma, to decoding gender identity and building confidence in intimacy -- all through a lens of empathy, science, and empowerment.
"This win isn't just mine," said Karishma during her acceptance speech. "It's for every young person who grew up thinking their pleasure didn't matter, for every woman told to hush her desires, and for every queer soul who never saw themselves in health conversations. With 'Sass It Up', we asked the tough questions, sought the uncomfortable answers, and created space for people to feel seen, heard, and safe."
Karishma Chavan, widely known for her fiery choreography and creative direction in Bollywood, pivoted her career to build Sassiest along with Aishwarya Dua ,into a purpose-led brand with a powerful vision: to close the shame-filled gap between health, education, and pleasure for women and queer individuals in India. Backed by a team of medical professionals, Sassiest offers a curated range of doctor-approved massagers, lubricants, intimate washes, and educational resources designed with real Indian bodies and experiences in mind.
That "Sass It Up" is the first podcast of its kind to be awarded on such a mainstream platform speaks volumes about the country's shifting consciousness. Until recently, conversations around sexual health in India -- especially for women and LGBTQIA+ communities -- were relegated to whispers, myths, or misinformation. By blending candid conversation with clinical accuracy and cultural sensitivity, Karishma and her team are changing the narrative, one episode at a time.
For Gen Z and Gen Alpha growing up in a more digitally connected, but emotionally confused world, this podcast is more than entertainment -- it's education, representation, and liberation. And in a country where sex is often taught with silence, "Sass It Up" is teaching us to speak up.
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