I am not going to forget last evening’s outing for a long time in my life. I had gone out with Vikas and a few of his German friends to watch a play called ‘Black Tie’ from a German production. If you ask me the play was more of a Korean one than a German perspective yet I must admit the message was strong enough to bring in new insights about adoptions. For one I am going to think hard if ever I decide to adopt a baby.

Anyway coming to the chance celebrity encounter, we finished the play late in the evening around 9.45 pm. A causal conversation amongst us on the actual message of the play took a little longer and thankfully made us stay there. Soon enough we saw someone getting mobbed with camera flashlights. We found it surprising that the cast of the play is getting so much attention and thought probably others were more appreciative of them. Suddenly, I heard Vikas scream “Aamir Khan”! I turned around and saw Aamir in skin and blood just there, three steps away from us! I plunged my hand into my handbag to get hold of a notepad, to get his autograph. As the bodyguard of Aamir was hurrying him out there was not much time to think. My mind was racing with options of getting to enquire about his availability here, a possible radio interview, tele-con anything if at all. I started flipping through pages of my handy telephone book and was finding no page empty.Thankfully I finally found half a page vacant with no scribbling of either numbers or names and I rushed myself amidst the crowd right in front of Aamir Khan. I confidently asked him Aamir, “autograph please”. In the back of mind I was hearing a voice asking me to ask Aamir for a possible interview. Somehow I couldn’t make the decision in all the hurry, fans trying to get themselves photographed et al. Oh yes the moment when Aamir took my telephone book to sign, he asked me, “Sure, do you have a pen?” I was taken aback as I didn’t really have a pen in my hand. Suddenly I saw Vikas diving amidst others to give me a pen and then was the Kodak moment.

Aamir signed it for me as I told him that my name is Reshma. He looked at me, froze the eye contact for a split second before smiling and moving away. Trust me, I felt maybe he liked my grey blue eyes. Though countless people have admired my eye colour, yesterday I felt privileged! Later I felt maybe he thought it doesn’t matter if you are Reshma or Nargis or Anjana or maybe the glance didn’t mean anything at all.

Yet I cannot deny the fact the emotion running throughout the evening was similar to a twelve year old teenager having seen her first celebrity crush live in front of her. I can never forget when I had fallen in love with Aamir when QSQT was released and over the years I guess the crush has obviously metamorphosised into respect given the person and his comments in public life or his roles on screen.

Oh yes the Kodak moment became more special when a popular Hindi news paper – Rajasthan Patrika, that I seldom read but henceforth will value more, this morning published a photograph of Aamir Khan signing the autograph for me! And guess what, Aamir Khan and I were dominant in the picture.

Thank you Aamir and thanks to the Rajasthan Patrika photographer! Yes, I do have the autograph which I was trying hard to convince folks at home that it is really Aamir’s signature but the next day’s picture said it all. I have mentioned this briefly on Aamir’s blog as well in the hope of another encounter during his stay in Bangalore. God willing let’s see.

This prompts me to write more on the many celebrity encounters I have had. Keep visiting the site.

I do not know what to call this lengthy gap in my writing on blog, indiscipline, structured way of putting things certainly not lack of content. Have been thinking every week on the issues that I want to write on, but haven’t really put it across.

Just finished a series on women to mark International women’s day on March 8th. Thought of a program went to my senior, got it approved and got the guests for the show. To make it work everyday with a thought-provoking interview meant backbreaking background work but hey it was worth the effort. Beginning from Mansi Prasad to Dr. Nirmala I received interesting viewpoints of a woman. Just loved the show. Was glad many found it informative and it was well received. Hope to do more such shows or may be even better ones. If at all any of you had listened to any of the shows, do leave a comment how it was?

Of late I have been meeting people who are making me write more and talk more. Yes both in print and on radio, I have come across people from various backgrounds, professions and various sensibilities. Right from an enriching meeting with noted theater personality & director M.S Sathyu to the otherwise quite Ramanujam Sridhar (or maybe he talks when there is the need to. He was there in our studio to talk on public relations as a career) to whole lot of women who provided me inputs in writing my features for publications, each is a different person with different attitude.

Someone asked me if I get a thrill in meeting personalities than just ordinary people. The question made me think – are those who are not popular because of publicity and media ordinary people? I do admit people who are known because of publicity have an aura and they need to retain it. Yet people who are not known and are continuing with their regular work; are thought to be ordinary. Why should one think so, for they may have better ideas, opinions and intellect that is yet to be made public?

When I write on specific issues that make me think about them deeply, generally I do understand I cannot move ahead without other’s inputs on them. So at least for me people, who give their comments for my articles, give their opinions; hold equal importance if not more than the people I meet for radio chats.

Have given the program idea to my program officer and have got it approved. As of now we have got Ramanujam Sridhar to speak on PR. This coming Monday we will be having Oum Pradutt to speak on event management as a career.

Hoping to rope in some more people from the field to speak on various careers like animation, hotel management, travel and tourism and more.

In case if anyone is interested, do tune in every Monday   on FM Rainbow on 101.3MHz between 2.00 and 3.00 pm. In case you need will send you more details if you send across a mail to me.

The other day, I was listening to Radio One just before dozing off in the night. Yes, I have absolutely no qualms in admitting that I do listen to other stations as much as I listen to the station I work for, which happens to be FM Rainbow on 101.3MHz.

So coming to Radio One and the RJ’s show. A person who has been an RJ at Rainbow; in fact almost all RJ’s on Radio One have worked at rainbow. Nevertheless talking about the show I listened to, Anjaan the RJ mentioned he would give couple passes for an evening party at Hint. To be able to go the party one had to get the name of the lounge restaurant Hint right. Three options were given, in that one happened to be HYNT as well. I thought for fun let me send out an SMS. So there I sent out the SMS like a ordinary listener with the answer as HYNT. In a couple of minutes I got a call from Anjaan. He didn’t recognize me at that moment that I was Reshma Krishnamurthy, RJ of FM Rainbow & his ex-colleague. Anyway he asked me the question and I gave the answer as HYNT.

Overexcited Anjaan said I have won the tickets and mentioned I could go HYNT the next evening and ask for my name in Radio One guest list. I said fine as I was happy to be present the next day at the said venue.

Oh, not to forget most private stations including Radio Mirchi and Radio One record the so-called live calls, so if you listen to a listener on air speaking to the RJ, it is most likely to be a recording done a couple of minutes ago. Thankfully, even now we have live calls at FM Rainbow, which does make the job all the more challenging than playing a recorded version of the live call.

All right coming to the goof up, so myself like an ordinary enthusiast intending to have a good time at the restaurant, asked for my name in Radio One guest list at Hint, above Bangalore Central. The lady at the venue – Hint, yes firstly I realized I had given the wrong answer and was announced as the winner on air. With me were several others who gave the same answer as HYNT while the place is spelt HINT!

So, I asked the lady to check my name in the Radio One guest list. She looked at me weirdly and said my name cannot be found, as they do not have a tie up with Radio One but with Radio Indigo. Stunned, I asked her how could the RJ announce on air that there is a party over here and I have won the couple pass. I showed her my SMS too. And then I mentioned how did Anjaan do this?

Suddenly the lady sprung up in action almost screaming, “ Oh, Anjaan! that guy has been sending listeners here while we do not have a tie up with the radio station.” I decided I’ll walk out as it was no fault of the restaurant. Just then the manager intervened and said myself and my husband could walk in.

I finally did have a good time though I wondered the so-called private radio stations boast of flawless transmissions and ‘connecting’ with the listener. If this is how you connect, then the government run radio stations are much better! At least they don’t put you in embarrassing situations!

(Previous comments on this article has been lost during the website upgrade)

People say wisdom comes with experience and more likely you will get that experience as you age. But of late the people I have seen in their old age they seem to be completely disconnected with what’s going around them. The grasping power, alertness, fitness level, and enthusiasm everything comes down. Sad but true, such points make me feel I hope I will be in my senses completely till I am laid to rest.

Difficult but one day we too will be old and youngsters around us may feel at one point we are a burden. So the next time your granny or any other aged person around you, show that extra bit of courtesy, which requires extra effort from your end.

Until then age gracefully. So while you contemplate on getting botox or other modern day treatments, try and keep your brains active too if possible.

Here are a few tips for all those would be RJ’s. These suggestions are based out of my experience as a RJ at FM Rainbow, 101. 3MHz in Bangalore.

RADIO AND YOU
Reaching to the TA – Target Audience

·Connecting with people – Relate to people, understand their routine, talk about what affects them.

·Talk as though you are talking on a one-on-one basis to each individual listener.

·Extend your personality through your voice.

·Communication and Language skills – The shows you host should not be for a dead audience. You obviously need to posses good language skills; be warned I don’t mean that you use words that no one will understand but use simple and clear words – do not chew up on words, every breath you take and the gesture you make is heard and I think it is as good as ‘seen on radio’. The listener gets to know if at all you are interested in being there or not. And do not show off your language skills by using hi-funda words – it’s not required.

Variety – the Keyword

·Do not have a set format- don’t get the listener predict your show. It shouldn’t be that the listener gets to speak out as to what you are going to do next. You can have some things like one of our rj’s has this doom pataka gana of the week and another rj puts indi-pop hit of the week but it shouldn’t be that everything is textbook format.

·Modulate your voice. Know very well which pitch is to be used in what situation. Immediately after a song like Paani Paani re from Maachis which is a slow and soft number; suddenly at the end of the song the listener does not want a voice coming up and saying “ Yo that was Paani Paani re from Maachis, a soothing number by the nightingale of India and so on. Your voice does not make a pleasant hearing and on the other hand you have a number like Dus Bahane, a foot tapping number and when it’s time to speak you start of with “ That was dus bahane from the movie dus”. That can really irritate your listener, as you don’t sound enthusiastic after an energetic song. The point being -Analyze the situation and then speak.

·Choice of music can be varied as well; but be sure to know your music. If you don’t know the song take time to play that in the Cd library the previous day or just before your show so that you know the tempo of the song and you also know which song is to be played at what time of the show. Like for example selection of music for the morning programmes should be a mix of energetic wake up numbers and soft music.

Do the back end work·

Listen to other shows hosted by other radio jockeys of all transmissions. Do listen to other stations also. You definitely get to know what competition is doing.

·If need do have a written script; but do not read them – Please remember RJing is not News reading.

·Get the right feedback from people who are willing to give constructive criticism. Mind you ignore cynical critics.

·Be well aware- RJing is not only about music. If there is a current event happening in your cityor anywhere else, that is of major importance get some knowledge before you enter the studio.

Be Careful- It’s a Live and Hot medium

·Be responsible in your work- your image may be fun loving, cool but you are representing the station.

·No slang, offence to any religion, be careful while pronouncing names of people.

Critical things to remember

·Stay local – speak the lingo of your city people. Know the regional language of the city you belong. It helps to connect with a wider audience.

·Talk on things that you are aware of.

·Common complaint – All RJ’s sound the same. Don’t be under the false impression that speaking fast, high pitch, jabbering away is RJing.

·Try and develop your own style – Add a zing to your show.

·Do not copy others.

·Don’t have a fake accent. Listener is not foolish to accept your accent.

·Image, popularity is all like age, withers away soon. So you may be the rj of the current times but do not let this get into your head and behave normal in public. You don’t have to let everyone feel that you are carrying the baggage the being an rj.

·Don’t use slang after you keep the phone with the listener. You had it if the call is not disconnected completely.

·Most importantly remember that Rjing is there for today and maybe gone tomorrow. So don’t carry around this ego that you are a celebrity. Keep your head firmly on your shoulders – as long as you are in this profession do your best.

So good luck to all those who are dreaming of grabbing that hot seat!