Mini Mathur on Indian Idol 3
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Bubbly and beautiful Mini Mathur talks about anchoring Indian Idol for the third time.
Q.
How
does
it
feel
being
the
constant
factor
in
Indian
Idol
while
your
co-anchor
and
judges
have
changed?
A.
It
felt
wonderful
to
be
asked
back
on
the
third
season
because
that
says
I
was
appreciated
by
the
viewers,
the
channel
and
the
producers
and
that
my
contribution
was
valued.
Also
I
am
much
too
attached
to
the
show
and
would
have
felt
very
odd
watching
someone
else
in
my
place.
Q.
Hussain
is
your
new
co-
anchor.
So
how
is
your
rapport
with
him?
A.
I
have
had
no
prior
interaction
with
Hussain
but
everybody
I
know
has
only
nice
things
to
say
about
him.
I
look
forward
to
working
with
him
as
its
very
important
to
vibe
and
work
well
together
for
a
show
like
this.
Q.
We
have
heard
that
Indian
Idol
has
got
bigger
and
better
this
time
around.
Are
there
any
changes
in
the
format
or
the
look
of
the
show?
A.
Indian
idol
has
a
set
format
that
does
not
change
across
seasons
and
countries.
But
yes,
all
efforts
are
being
made
to
make
it
more
interesting,
with
fresh
ideas,
a
more
informal
feel
to
the
reality
part
as
the
viewers
are
now
completely
comfortable
with
the
process.
Q.
Are
there
big
surprises
in
store?
A.
Well
the
media
has
already
sniffed
out
the
change
in
the
judges
and
my
co
anchor.
That's
quite
a
surprise
in
itself,
is
it
not?
Q.
How
are
the
auditions
going?
Any
interesting
incident,
which
you
would
like
to
share
with
us?
A.
I
have
just
returned
from
Jodhpur
where
we
auditioned
contestants
in
the
magnificent
sand
dunes.
There
is
a
whole
lot
of
bright
talent
out
there.
It
was
very
trying
physically
as
we
have
left
no
stone
unturned
to
reach
out
to
cities
that
we
haven't
been
to
before.
Earlier
seasons
had
just
four
locations
whereas
we
are
going
to
10-11
cities
this
time.
If
the
talent
can't
reach
us,
we
will
reach
the
talent.
It's
a
great
feeling!
Q.
What
do
you
usually
look
for
in
a
contestant?
A.
Voice
quality,
a
thirst
to
make
it
big,
personality,
X
factor
and
congeniality.
Q.
Tell
us
something
about
the
new
judges-
Alisha
Chinai
and
Udit
Narayan?
A.
Well,
I
have
only
interacted
with
them
while
I
was
a
VJ
at
MTV.
I'll
answer
that
one
when
I
meet
them
again
(smiles).
I
absolutely
adored
Farah
Khan
and
Sonu
Nigam
and
I
will
miss
them
on
the
show.
However,
both
these
judges
are
hugely
successful
and
will
add
to
the
show
immensely.
Q.
Will
Aman
Verma
be
sorely
missed
too
along
with
Farah
and
Sonu?
A.
Like
I
said,
I
loved
working
with
Farah.
Her
sense
of
humor
and
direct
approach
was
very
appealing
to
me.
She
never
ever
faked
any
reaction.
She
says
everything
from
her
heart.
Sonu
is
by
far
the
best
singer
in
the
country
and
he
is
a
great
mimic.
Aman
and
I
worked
out
our
chemistry
pretty
well
and
there
were
no
silly
insecurities
about
each
other.
I
hate
watching
one
anchor
trying
to
steal
the
show
from
the
co
host.
It's
very
tacky.
Luckily
both
of
us
knew
our
job
and
just
did
it.
Q.
Tell
us
a
little
about
your
wardrobe
this
season.
A.
I
know
my
look
in
the
earlier
seasons
was
really
appreciated.
I
had
all
sorts
of
people
asking
me
where
I
had
got
a
particular
outfit
from.
It
becomes
very
tough
to
match
it
every
season.
My
stylist
Rishika
Hegde
gets
all
my
favorite
designers
to
do
clothes
for
me-
Suneet
Varma,
Manish
Malhotra,
Amber
and
Shirrin,
Tarun
Tahiliani,
Ogaan.
This
time
I
hope
to
be
trendy,
chic,
contemporary
yet
Indian.
Q.
Indian
Idol
1
was
more
sucessful
than
its
second
season...How
does
the
show
plan
to
withstand
the
stiff
competition
this
time
around
(from
shows
in
other
channels)?
A.
Indian
Idol
is
India's
first
reality
show
and
will
remain
the
original.
I
don't
think
any
other
show
has
matched
the
first
season's
popularity.
As
far
as
I
am
concerned,
all
others
are
way
behind
Idol.
I
am
a
loyalist.
Q.
Were
you
always
a
music
lover
or
have
you
turned
one
after
Indian
Idol?
A.
Not
many
people
know
this
but
I
myself
used
to
sing
and
play
the
guitar
till
I
was
an
MBA
student.
I
was
a
part
of
a
band
till
I
was
in
college
and
would
have
loved
to
pursue
vocal
music.
My
immense
love
for
music
led
me
to
MTV
as
well
where
I
spent
four
years
interacting
with
international
musicians
as
well
as
the
best
in
India.
Indian
Idol
is
like
the
perfect
show
for
me
as
it
combines
all
my
experience,
talent,
competence
and
passion
in
one
single
show.
I
am
a
TV
presenter
who
is
fairly
good
at
one
on
one
interaction
with
people
and
loves
music.
I
couldn't
have
asked
for
a
better
job.
Q.
What
about
acting?
Will
we
ever
see
you
in
a
serial
or
a
film?
A.
You
know
there
is
not
a
single
role
on
TV
that
entices
me.
Everybody
is
a
clone
of
each
other
and
nobody
stands
out.
So
no,
you
will
never
see
me
in
a
serial.
I
cannot
work
for
a
piece
of
regressive
work
30
days
in
a
month.
I
have
a
great
life.
I
need
a
great
project
to
get
me
out
of
my
home.
Films
are
not
ruled
out.
I
get
a
lot
of
offers
from
new
filmmakers
but
I
don't
want
to
do
insignificant
roles.
If
something
is
worthy
of
my
talent,
I
will
do
it.
Till
then
I
am
very
happy
being
a
TV
presenter.
It's
a
specialized
job,
not
a
stepping
stone
to
being
an
actor.
Q.
You
have
been
with
your
husband
Kabir
Khan
while
he
was
making
and
promoting
Kabul
Express.
How
was
the
whole
experience
like?
A.
It
is
a
hugely
emotional
experience
for
any
wife
to
see
her
husband
start
the
germ
of
an
idea,
struggle
to
put
it
together
and
finally
debut
with
Yash
Raj
films.
Kabul
Express
was
a
very
tough
film
to
make
and
it
took
a
lot
of
courage
and
hard
work
to
make
a
film
in
a
war
zone.
I
am
very
proud
of
him
and
will
always
be.
Q.
Are
you
involved
in
your
husband's
production
company?
A.
At
a
creative
level,
yes.
Me,
Kabir
and
Rajan
Kapoor
who
was
the
executive
producer
of
Kabul
Express
and
a
friend,
work
together.
Q.
Tell
us
about
being
a
super
mom
-one
who
handles
career
and
family
with
equal
ease?
A.
Its
a
question
of
prioritizing.
I
focus
only
on
work
when
I
am
at
work.
I
am
a
fulltime
mom
when
I
am
at
home.
It
works
for
me.
That's
why
I
don't
jump
at
every
project
offered
to
me.
I
am
very
proud
to
be
a
working
mom.
Q.
How
does
your
son
Vivan
react
when
he
sees
you
on
TV.
Tell
us
about
any
special
compliment
that
he
has
given
you...
A.
He
thinks
everybody's
mom
is
on
TV.
He
once
said
to
me,
"Mini
Mathur,
will
you
be
my
beautiful
dancer?"
(read
dance
partner).
Q.
Your
other
projects
and
future
plans?
A.
No
plans.
Just
have
lots
of
dreams.