Chai with Rai

Cuppa filled conversations about Entertainment, Food & Fitness.Hosted by Writer, Director and Actor Raimu Itfum. Chai with Rai is a weekly life and culture podcasts diving into the business and mindset of being a creative.

Chai with Rai is a arts podcast hosted by raimuitfum, with 123 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

raimuitfum hosts Chai with Rai, a arts show with 123 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #10

  "An Ode: Reframing the Classics"

  Mar 4, 20261h 21mS7

  Presenting the Second Audio Collections Series, produced by Chai with Rai and titled An Ode: Reframing the Classics . In 2025, in collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Community Centre at London Bankside, we introduced a new audio series: An Ode: Reframing the Classics—continuing its mission to amplify diverse voices and creative perspectives. Selected as Artist of the Month for July 2025, Raimu Itfum presented An Ode: Reframing the Classics as a public exhibition at Theatre Deli, which opened throughout July and was free to attend. This exhibition seeked to reframe and celebrate storytelling through a queer lens. At its heart was a curated selection of original audio works by ; Amar Bains , Rupinder Kaur , Tarek Khwiss , Punya Rajput , Bethany Henry Gemmell , Gayathiri Kamalakanthan and Anthony Pius . Complementing the audio stories were three short films: Queerifying the Dulhan by Sammy Kumar The Search by Rupinder Kaur Jheel by Raimu Itfum — a preview of their forthcoming poetry mixtape MYTHS: From the Diary of Just A F£@K Boy with Feelings, scheduled for release later this year. In this episode you will be listening to the following stories (in order): Fire in my Room by Amar Bains What the Waves Remember: Amrit Kaur by Rupinder Kaur Confessions by Tarek Khwiss The Sari Chronicles by Anthony Pius The Sabhã no Longer Stands by Punya Rajput A massive Thank you to Bethany Henry Gemmell for their work on the project. You can find the Transcripts HERE and artists Interviews HERE . To listen to the previous audio series Symphonies of Beaded Threads, click HERE . Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_ To listen to the short story, subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai. Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #9

  “I hear that... but” w/ Bethany Henry Gemmell

  Dec 29, 202553 minS7

  On today’s episode, I’m joined by writer Bethany Henry Gemmell for a special end-of-year conversation. It felt like the perfect way to close out the final episode of 2026—thoughtful, generous, and deeply inspiring. This marks Bethany’s second time on the podcast (or, as I like to call it, the Chai Room), and it was such a joy to reconnect. In this episode, we dive deep into the dramaturgical process, with Bethany leading the conversation around working as dramaturg on the second audio series of Chai with Rai, An Ode: Reframing the Classics , now streaming on Patreon . We also explore the “grass is greener” mindset, Bethany’s upcoming projects—including a new play and a new novel—and then shares valuable advice for emerging playwrights, freelance creatives, and dramaturgs. You’ll also hear a snippet from Catherine , the short story Bethany wrote for the very first storytelling series, Symphonies of Beaded Threads . Bethany's bio: Bethany (they/he) is a Northern playwright. They explore themes exploring family, our relationship to media, and humanity's capability to be good and evil. Examples include being a co-writer for Royal Court Theatre's Listen Local project in 2019, 'WOLF' at Theatre503 in 2023, and 'well, you could be a guy (non-binary edition)' for Baron Court Theatre's Queering the Canon Festival in 2023. Their most recent project was 'The Trial of Thomas Greene' at Hope Mill Theatre for Qweerdog Shorts/Hope 200 Festival in 2025. They were selected for Young Vic's inaugural 2022/23 Creators Program, Soho Theatre's 2023/24 Writers' Lab, and for Nottingham Playhouse's Amplify Program in 2025. Their audio-duologue 'Catherine', dedicated to and involving their mum, is now featured in the Chai With Rai exhibition at the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre. They have provided dramaturgical support for community companies like Neurospace Theatre and Wild Forest Theatre from 2020 to 2023. Now, they're developing their dramaturgical skills by supporting artists for An Ode: Reframing the Classics. Topics Breakdown: "Grass is always greener on the other side" mentality. Starving artist vs life experience and the success metrics we place on ourselves. Evolution of personal artistic storytelling. Playwriting with and through ADHD playwriting. Exploring time and thoughts as a playwright. Dramaturgy process for An Ode: Reframing the Classics . Reflecting on the Chai with Rai's Summer exhibition 20245 in London/ Theatre 503 Rapid Writers response to Stray Dogs by Theo Chester. The Royal Court Theatre’s Listen Local Program. Dramaturgy process / advice for emerging talent. To Listen to Bethany's audio short story CLICK HERE . To subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai. Social: Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_/ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/hgemmellian/ & https://twitter.com/hengemmell Links: Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_ Guest: https://creatorsprogram.youngvic.org/member/11946 Hope you all enjoyed it and Thank you for tuning in. To Subscribe, share, follow my work and everything else is listed above.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #8

  “Being Arab, Being Queer” w/ Tarek Khwiss

  Dec 24, 202559 minS7

  Now joining me today IN THE CHAI ROOM (should I keep calling it that?) is my dear friend—dancer, choreographer, model, performer and now writer— Tarek Khwiss . This was Tarek’s second time on the podcast, and what a special episode it was. A lot of you often ask what it’s like having friends on the podcast, and this episode is truly the epitome of that. We have a deep conversation about dance culture in the UK, friendships within the industry, and kindness toward ourselves and others while navigating the creative world. Tarek and I also get into politics and activism—using our social platforms to speak out, and the balance (or imbalance) of doing so while managing a creative, freelance life. We discuss how this seeps into our work, the challenges it brings, and how it has shaped our personal viewpoints. We also talk about being Arab and queer, and dive into Tarek’s new business, Haus of Hurriyah , as well as queer spaces such as Hishek Bishek in London . Of course, we discuss Tarek’s story “ Confessions ” for An Ode: Reframing the Classics —which, by the way, you can stream in full now on Patreon . You’ll also hear a soundbite in this episode. Tarek's Bio: Hey, I'm Tarek Khwiss known globally for my fresh and fierce vision. Empowering the world through dance, encouraging all to be you, be free, be fabulous! Energetic, sassy & bold choreography, positively disrupting through the medium of dance Based in London, Tarek is a British Palestinian who believes in the power of dance to unite, elevate and help uplift brands through movement. Being a brand ambassador, their aim is to build partnerships with clients to create artistic visuals sharing the story at hand. Working in TV, Film, stage & online, Tarek is capable of adapting no matter the size of the project. Tarek’s credits consist of choreographing for Layla, the feature film directed and written by Amrou Al- Kadhi. Working with musicians such as Martin Almasri, Decker Park and Valerie Sibanda. As well featuring in commercials as a dancer & model for brands such as: Levis, 02, Spotify, Sky Atlantic, Hunter Boots and shows such as Sex Education, to name a few. As a content creator Tarek is the ambassador of AKT and has collaborated with brands such as JBL, Dyson, Pattern Beauty, Dirtea, Dunellm, Asda and Tik Tok to name a few. Topics Breakdown: It’s Boiling – 5-Second Rule rapid round, Creating friendships and community as a dance teacher, Changes in dance class culture: student consumption and how Tarek’s relationship to teaching has evolved, The growth of social media posting culture, both as a consumer and a content creator, Conscious posting and the balance (or imbalance) of activism through creative work. Balancing a political voice with creative expression. New creative venture: Haus of Hurriyah How embracing identity has shifted Tarek’s perspective on his craft and the wider industry. Being queer and being Arab. The importance of the people you surround yourself with, while remaining open to giving and receiving kindness. Choreographing and movement directing for Leyla (feature film by Amrou Al-Kadhi ): lessons learned and the experience of working on a large-scale queer Arab film. The writing process and creative thinking behind Tarek’s short “ Confessions ” for An Ode: Reframing the Classics . To listen to the short story, subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai. Social Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/tarekkhwiss/ & https://www.tiktok.com/@tarekkhwiss?lang=en-GB Links Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_ Guest: https://tarekkhwiss.com/

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #7

  “Taking Form” w/ Punya Rajput

  Dec 22, 20251h 3mS7

  Continuing on with introducing you to the writers behind the new Chai with Rai series An Ode: Reframing the Classics - welcoming to the Chai room Punya Rajput. She wrote a short story titled The Sabhā No Longer Stands which reimagines Draupadi, not as a divine heroine, but as a woman confronting the shame, jealousy, and emotional labor imposed on her by a heteropatriarchal world. Through a deeply affective conversation with Krishna, she lays bare the moral contradictions, expectations, and embodied violence present in society. Her body becomes a site of symbolic control, her desires policed, her identity fragmented. P.S- you can stream the story now on our Patreon channel HERE . Speaking of this episode we definitely discuss mythology, Punya’s storytelling experience, she was in the midst of her masters- so discussing academia and creativity. The path and trajectory of an actor in India vs UK . So, I cannot wait for you to listen to this episode and just get some good ol nuggets. Punya's Bio: Punya is a freelance creative who believes in the power of stories—on stage, on screen, and on the page. A proud member and ambassador of the National Youth Theatre, she’s brought her love for performance to short films, ads, and creative spaces in both India and the UK. With a background in sociology and a master’s in education policy, her work weaves together research and creativity. Her dissertation explored drama-based pedagogy and how emotion, imagination, and connection shape how we learn about gender. She hopes to tell stories that spark something—joy, reflection, maybe even a little magic. Big feelings, big laughs, and a strong belief that everything’s better with a little chaos and a lot of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Topics Breakdown: Storytellers and Styles of writing that have shaped an understanding of text and building worlds as a storyteller. Balancing surrealism, subtext and access as a storyteller. Process as an actor. Working and process as a South Asian Actor. Working as an actor in India vs in the UK. Passion for storytelling and connection to mythology . The writing and audio story The Sabhā No Longer Stands for An Ode: Reframing the Classics . To listen to the short story, subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai. Social Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/punya_rrajput/ & https://www.instagram.com/noirae00/ Links Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #6

  “Imagery appears” w/ Amar Bains

  Dec 17, 202517 minS7

  Welcoming into the Chai room- writer, dancer and actor Amar Bains . Now this is going to be a very quick and intimate one, as Amar doesn't really do interviews. However, I used our friendship and some emotional coercion to beg and request him to be a guest. We discuss his world building as a dancer and now a writer. We get a sneak peak into his short story for Chai with Rai's audio storytelling series An Ode: Reframing the Classics titled Fire in my Room . I hope ya enjoy and you can stream the full audio story on our Patreon Channel. Amar's Bio: Amar Bains is a British born Artist of Panjabi heritage. Born in the West Midlands he moved to London to pursue the arts, to study Musical Theatre. After graduating he worked professionally as an actor for major brands featuring in adverts, short films and online campaigns and as a dancer for musicians featuring in videos for Ed sheeran, Kwabs and Priya Ragu to name a few. He has also worked on productions for Disney and Marvel and has danced at the Platinum Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II. Amar's artistic expression also comes through other various forms, such as in his personal time he enjoys illustration and writing. To listen to the short story, subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai. Social Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_ & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai Guest: https://www.instagram.com/_amaramar/ Links Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Chai with Rai. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.