Kuch Ankahi Baatein with RJ Vashishth

Haan, thoda sa dard toh hai Tere Jaane se thoda sa dard toh hai… RJ Vashishth, RJ with Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM, YouTuber

1. Blessed with such a womanizing and fantastic baritone, when was the exact period that you really thought of being a voice artist Vashishth?

– Honestly, I never wanted to become an RJ and did not know any of the radio stations or Rj’s names in my city.

At that time my parents used to listen to Purani Jeans on Radio mirchi, which was the only info I had then, later destiny brought me to Mirchi Rj hunt, in which out of 3-4k people I was selected as one of the winners and was offered the show named Purani Jeans. Yes, Destiny.

2. Though these days, the physical identity of a Radio Jockey are not at all secretive, but have you ever enjoyed being admired by a known person, who didn’t know that the person who they admire was you?

– My school teachers. As I was Ishan Nandakishor Avasthi (Taare Zameen Par) of my school, so seeing me or hearing me on such a big platform was a big shocker to them. Arre? kya yeh wahi Vashishth hain jo school mein zara bhi nahi bolta tha? 😮 Even my schoolmates. Those who used to bully me during school days, are now calling me for free passes. 😛 WAQT. 🙂

3. Being a radio personality, what do you think about the importance of broadcast media at present? And do you feel that the quality of voice is the most important criteria for being an RJ?

– This is one common mistake or perspective that people have in mind, ‘achhi aawaz matlab achha rj’. Nope.

I still remember words of one of my radio mentors – Teri aawaz achhi hai par hamesha content pe dhyan rakhna. That’s no.1 priority for any content creator.

So according to me, voice is imp. but not MOST IMP.

Content is king/queen (ya both, because equality.)

4. How does it feel when you are bundled with affectionate letters by people who fell for you just because of your voice?

– Sach bataau? It’s been more than 6 years that I am in this industry and have received lots of compliments going gaga about my voice. I still don’t get what is that thing which attracts them. Sachchi! Also, I want them to focus on my content too. Warna main kaise grow karunga as content creator? 😀

But it feels super great when they say, #sukun hai aawaz. 🙂

5. How does it feel to read out your own pieces by yourself when you know that most of the nation is listening to you?

– Super challenging. We, Rjs don’t know who is listening to us right now. Still we must make sure that more than 20 lakh people get entertained and stay hooked for next 3 hours. So, it feels challenging every single second. It feels like you are converting someone from one sided love to actual love. All the time!

6. You do beautifully read out poems sent by others. What would be your reciprocation, if you find out someone reading out your writings but too bluntly?

– ‘What if?’ well it has happened a lot of times. So, if I see someone killing my words, I’ll have one thing to say – Hey, I really love you. But rehne do, tumse na ho paaega. Please.

Okay! Not this bluntly but I would make a point that the person learns how to recite a poem.

I mean Come on! I was not born with great talent of reciting poems. I am still learning.

Humne bhi gulzar saahab ki gaaliyan khaai hogi. 😛 So, instead of bashing someone, I would have told them to listen to great poets and learn from them. That’s how you win people.

7. “To Kya Hua”, a poem of yours is very beautiful and motivational, but if we say the same thing in a different context like, conflict between the religions in the present days, To kya hoga aap ka answer? Do you believe that poetry can change a man’s life?

– Thank you for your kind words. I have received a lot of mails and messages saying ‘agar dedh do minute pehle yeh poem na padhi hoti, toh yeh main aapko na bhej paati.’ Ya, that person was about to commit suicide but those few words at least stopped her to do so.

So, of course words can change a man’s life only if he/she is having willingness to. ‘Aap ghode ko taalab ke nazdik le ja sakte ho, paani toh usse khud se hi peena padega. Agar talab hogi toh’.

8. What is your inspiration to your writings? Do you have a muse?

– Sometimes my experiences and sometimes observations. But the way I deliver them, it makes my V fam members feel like “Yaar, kitna dard hain iski zindagi mein”.

Okay dard hai, par thoda sa. (ref. One of my most viewed poems – dard toh hai.)

9. In your channel, “kuch khaat mayesha ko” is a very popular series. Your fans want to know who is ‘Mayesha’?

– Gulzar saahab ka ek gaana hain uski kuchh lines –

“सिर्फ़ एहसास है ये रूह से महसूस करो

प्यार को प्यार ही रहने दो कोई नाम न दो”

Waise hi Maayesha ko Maayesha hi rehne do, koi chehra na do. 🙂

10. “Love Lover” is a very striking term. How would you explain it’s meaning?

– After some bitter experiences in relationship, people start hating love. Arre? Gulab pakadte kaanta chubha toh gulab ko gaali dete ho? nahi na, agli baar gulab kaanto se bach ke pakadte ho. Waise hi, dil kitni bhi baar tut jaae, the feeling of being in love with someone always makes me feel alive. And that’s why I am baajaphaad lover of love.

And here, love as in not just with a person but whole concept itself.

11. We have seen that you have a very affectionate bond with Katiya. Can you please share some special memories?

– There is a smile on my face while answering. Katiya is like Jaya Bachchan of K3G and I am SRK. The moment I step out of my car and lock it, this kiddo out of no where appears and welcomes me with his enthusiasm. That everyday welcome is my happiness tonic for whole day. Also, my V fam Members love Katiya more than they love me. And I love that!

12. A Radio Jockey to a famous Youtuber, how is the journey so far?

– This journey has kept ‘a learner’ alive and inshallah it shall keep me learn more things so that I can be better person and share it with the world.

13. In your YouTube channel, you upload videos every single day. How do you manage to find a new content everyday?

– Radio. This medium has trained me for everyday stuff. Imagine, we at Radio mirchi do shows 6 days a week, in one show we do 12 links (jocktalks) and in almost every link there must be something new. So, if I can or I have to come up with something new in this quantity and quality everyday, one video per day is not that challenging.

BUT, managing both everyday becomes difficult sometimes, as radio and video, everything is managed by me only, from thinking to scripting to camera angles to lighting to editing to uploading to post promotion to replying few comments and many to. At that time, it becomes little difficult.

14. How did YouTube and Facebook affect the essence of listening or the audience of radio?

– I don’t think it has affected. We don’t see the beauty of both the mediums.

Users of both the mediums or their treatments are different.

Still due to apps or aux cables, things are going out of our hands. But what I believe, with the help of social media one can easily bring people back to radio, which I have been doing for two years. For example, if a V fam member from Kolkata asks me ‘Hey, I love your videos, I wanna hear your show too. What station do you work for?’

Half of my battle is won there! For obvious reasons that person can’t hear my Ahmedabad wala show in Kolkata, but the local audience can easily be brought back to radio if you really have a strong connection with your audience. So ya, there is no war between two mediums if we see it like that.

15. In the “Tedx Talks” your topic was “A man who can cry”. So, what was the thought behind choosing this topic?

– Frustration. Seeing Everybody being stereotypical about crying. We are humans not pressure cooker. Even cooker can’t handle pressure beyond one limit, hum toh phir bhi bhagwan maante hain khud ko. 😀

I believe crying is a simple emotion, which should be expressed the way it comes. and it has nothing to with gender.

But we men, love taking up challenges, so title was kept as ‘A man who can cry’ while breaking stereotypes in title itself.

16. From “yeh laal ishq” to “yeh virgin virgin kya hain”, you always choose some real issues which are not acceptable to every people in our society. How do you get the courage to face this kind of criticism?

– Not just criticism. I also have received death threats for doing such videos. (hope mom is not reading this.)

If I talk about criticism, I feel, if I am receiving 100 mails for appreciation and 2-3 mails for bashing me, I know I am doing it right. And that also makes me realise, the content has reached where I wanted it to reach.

17. Nowadays, most of the people suffer form loneliness & frustation. But we see you going to lone trips and you enjoy it thoroughly. Well in that case, do you want to give any message to those people, who are suffering from this depression? Don’t you think people are becoming too complicated these days?

– My 10-minute video on solo trip or a happy 15 seconder insta story, is not my life or is not the 24 hours of my life. There are lots of ups and downs which I choose not to share or share it in much better way. But we as audience fail to see the thin line between someone’s happy Insta story and same person’s life after those stories. So, don’t get trapped in someone’s so called happy life. Take pinch of it and use it as fuel.

Also, what’s happening these days, we people have n no. of ways to communicate, but there is no one to listen to. Sab ko sunaani hain, sunna kuchh nahi. That’s how loneliness and depression start.

Not expecting anything from people is not a right thing. But expecting everything from one person is also not correct. That is happening with our generation.

So, my only tip to all the millennials is – watch my videos. 😛 Ok, serious tip. Stop expecting everything from that person who is online all the time but not responding to your messages. Stop feeling bad if he or she is not there. Calm yourself and find someone else, and if you can’t find one, write diary. Trust me, ink heals.

18. In today’s world, everybody wants to lead a very luxurious life, but we saw you spending time with unprivileged children. So, what do you want to say to the people who neglect this special part of our society?

– The concept of having luxury in people’s mind is f*cked up. Of course, you’ll need money and house and car etc. But that’s not it!

Real happiness comes from seeing someone happy because of you, and that too that person who is not at all related to you. That brings real smile on your face. Also, while spending time with those kids, I keep the celeb me away. I become just like them, win them, and try to make them better people. That’s how we all grow. That’s real luxury.

19. If you could voice for your favourite comic character, who would it be? And what would be the dialogue you would want to say being that character?

– Shinchan! Not a favourite. But love the innocence that he has.

Dialogue: Why so lassan? (that’s what I always keep saying on my instagram stories.)

20. If you come to Kolkata (Please come), then what would be in your bucket list to explore Kolkata?

– You won’t believe, I am from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, but for some reason most of my fans are from Kolkata and then Ahmedabad. So, you guys already have a heart from my side.

I would be visiting Howrah bridge, Rabindra sarobar, Kalighat and wherever Kolkata takes me and bring me peace.

I am a foodie (veg though), so I want to try Phuchka, and Chayo. And how can I forget Sandesh and Rosogolla 🙂

21. You have been an ideal for many aspiring voice artists. Though stereotypical, but we would like you to enlighten them with your encouraging words.

– Honestly speaking I have not achieved or made a mark that I can say something to them, still I would give one advice to all (not just artists.)

Stay grounded. Look for something that really makes you a better person. Don’t just update your phone but also update yourself as soul.

22. We would be overwhelmed if you say something about our organization, LaughaLaughi and our viewers.

– I loved the name!!! And you guys are potential stalkers. Manje, great questions and great research folks! Hopefully shall see you soon. Goodluck!

Love, V