The new series is an absurd, burlesque, cringey take on the highs and lows of being on the arranged marriage carousel while looking for desi love

Listen to the trailer here

NEW YORK – February 19, 2026 – Today, iHeartPodcasts and Vaaka Media announced “Boys & Girls,” a new original series that will offer a new take on the highs and lows of being on the arranged marriage carousel while looking for “desi love,” the South Asian expression of romantic love shaped by social structures, family involvement, literary traditions. Hosted by Radhika Viswanathan, the new series will be available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard on February 19.

In desi communities worldwide, one truth remains: no matter how successful you are, until you marry, you’re still seen as a boy or girl. With 93% of Indians choosing arranged marriages, caste, class, family connections, and location act as stand-ins for compatibility. These relationships are engineered by a network of well-intentioned aunties, matchmakers and astrologers. For many, love comes later. Regardless of the outcome, the experience leaves an indelible mark on the boy and the girl, although they are rarely asked what that was. 

Host Radhika Viswanathan knows this carousel well. “I was just beginning to explore who I was. Choosing breakfast was hard enough, so choosing a life partner made my head spin,” she recalls. “It felt like I was in a fishbowl, watched by everyone around me. In this new series, my friends and show producers Samyuktha Varma, Menaka Raman and I will go on a journey to talk to the boys and girls who lived this same experience and survived.”

In the first episode, Viswanathan will introduce the show and unique process of arranged marriages. Episodes will release weekly on Thursdays on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. 

“Boys & Girls” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts. 

Cover Art Link HERE

iHeartPodcasts Show Page and Podcast Player Embed Code: Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-boys-and-girls-321882612/

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Omny Show Page and Podcast Player Embed Code: https://omny.fm/shows/boys-and-girls/playlists/podcast

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About Vaaka Media
Vaaka Media is an audio production house based in Bangalore, India, with a deep interest in creating original shows about society and the stories that shape who we are. This is their first podcast for iHeartPodcasts. For more information visit www.vaaka.in. To speak with the host and creators of Boys & Girls, please contact: team@vaaka.in