| 'A
morning show should provide fun without being too demanding on listeners' time' |
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| Posted
on 19 December 2007 | He's
23 and considers 'Baba Bangali' from the film 'No Smoking' as his mentor –
this is RJ Varun – one of the most popular RJs in Delhi, who loves hanging
out at Café Morrison, can't resist Dilli da chicken and his favourite songs
are the ones which he can sing.
This peppy youth has taken over almost
all the Dilli hearts. Aaishwari Chouhan in an unplugged conversation with
RJ Varun of Radio City.
Excerpts:
You have a
great fan-following in Delhi which doesn't really happen with every RJ this early.
I'm not too sure about the fan following, but I certainly know that some people
like the way I speak and how I present the show on air. That's a big thing for
me and I'm thankful to my listeners for their love and support. However, I believe
that there is so much more to learn. Each day brings in new learnings. I think
I've a long way to go and it's a wonderful 'Whatte Fun' process!
Why
did you venture into RJing after completing a degree in computer engineering?
Even
while I was in engineering, I knew that I wanted to be a media professional. Radio
in particular is far more 'instant and dynamic' compared other options in media.
This makes it a very exciting place to be in! How
was your Radio City Jaipur experience?
I started my career as a radio jockey from Radio City Jaipur. I have very vivid
memories of my very first show on-air, my first ever link on live radio and my
first caller ever! Now that I'm in the capital city hosting the Radio City Breakfast
Show, I can proudly say that I'm in love for the second time again!
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Your first experience
with radio in Delhi, and you are already hosting the morning drive-time show on
Radio City. How does this feel?
It certainly feels good! Delhi
is a reasonably evolved market when it comes to FM radio. After Mumbai, it comes
in second with the maximum number of listeners. Also compared to Jaipur, there's
a lot more happening in Delhi. The audience is comparatively more evolved, demanding
and clued on to developments, makes it a totally a different ball game to host
the fast paced Breakfast Show. | | |
But it's
a learning process for me and I'm enjoying every minute of it! And what's even
incredible is that I have a remarkable co-host RJ Simran; a veteran on radio and
one of Delhi's best known voices, she is very quick on the take and an absolute
joy to be around! Do
you think a two-RJ show works out better than a single RJ show?
It all depends on the profile and premise of the show. Mornings are generally
quite busy for most people with everyone getting ready for the day ahead. It's
important for a morning show to provide fun and meaningful infotainment to listeners
without being too demanding on their time. Having two RJs hosting the Breakfast
Show makes it very interesting for the listener since he can connect in to the
discussion at any point in time while Simran and I engage each other in conversation
about informative snippets on the show.
Does
a time slot have anything to do with the number of RJs hosting a show?
Not really! It all depends on the profile and premise of the show. Any number
of RJs can host a show as long as there is a rationale behind it. And of course
it's important that they have conversation that's meaningful for the listener
and that they sound good on air!
Given
an open opportunity to select your time slot, which slot would you opt for and
why?
I love hosting the Radio City Breakfast Show and that's the way to go for me!
Do
celebrity RJs work better than a lay man who takes the seat of the jock?
Any RJ who meets 'the concept of the show' would be the best bet to host the show.
Celebrity RJs are best used to host shows when the program concept requires celebrity
expertise which helps add a unique dimension to the show. What
genre of music do you personally enjoy listening to?
I enjoy listening to Haryanvi hip-hop these days. Other than I also appreciate
A.R. Rehman and Sonu Niigaam. What's
your day-job scene like?
I come into the studio by 6 am every day, ready to serve the choicest infotainment
for a really sharp, demanding set of fast paced people! And trust me, it is as
exciting as it sounds! If
there is one thing you can change about the Indian radio industry, what would
that be?
On a lighter note, can we get it to play it on television?
What
is the next big thing you are looking forward to?
Another day brand new day on The Radio City Breakfast Show! | 
