Veejays!
They
are
the
most
sought
after
professionals
today.
Music
channels,
Reality
shows
and
cricket
fields.
Bollywood
too
has
opened
its
arms
to
them.
MTV
VJ
Ayushmann
Khurrana
has
tasted
all
sans
Bollywood.
A
self-confessed
cricket
fan,
Khurrana
was
delighted
at
being
part
of
Set
Max"s
team
of
anchors
at
the
recently
concluded
Indian
Premier
League.
In
an
exclusive
chat
with
TellyCafe"s
Mayur
Lookhar,
Khurrana
talks
about
Lalit
Modi,
the
much
criticized
IPL
parties,
regret
of
not
having
apologized
to
Indian
cricket
legend
Rahul
Dravid,
how
he"s
missing
good
friend
Raghu
at
MTV
and
more.
Read
on…
What
do
VJs
possess
that
they
are
being
drafted
as
reporters
into
cricket
tournaments?
I
don"t
know
about
World
Cup,
but
as
far
as
IPL
is
concerned,
it"s
a
cross
between
entertainment
and
cricket.
Unlike
your
usual
cricket
match,
which
mainly
caters
to
purists,
we
want
the
women
and
children
to
view
our
coverage.
Perhaps,
they
look
to
VJs
who
can
help
them
connect
with
the
game.
Besides
at
IPL,
we"ve
never
followed
the
mundane
rules
of
cricket
(broadcast).
At
times,
you
appeared
to
be
lost
on
the
cricket
field.
Was
it
tough
to
face
to
the
cricketers?
Tough?
Hmm,
I"ll
be
first
to
admit
that
I
had
my
set
of
faux
pas.
In
fact,
I"ve
tweeted
about
follies
daily.
The
first
happened
when
I
had
to
cut
short
Dravid
because
the
presentation
was
about
to
take
place.
Unfortunately,
I
forgot
to
apologize
to
Dravid.
The
second
was
when
I
referred
to
R.Ashwin
as
T.Ashwin.
He
was
quick
to
correct
me.
Honestly
speaking,
these
things
happen
when
you"re
dealing
with
umpteen
number
of
cricketers.
Besides,
all
this
is
live,
and
as
anchors,
you
have
no
retakes.
Even
a
Ravi
Shastri
makes
mistakes.
It"s
a
tough
challenge.
Apart
from
the
cricket,
IPL
made
news
for
its
controversies.
Did
the
players
talk
at
length
over
these
issues?
Everyone
gave
the
controversies
a
'royal"
(no
pun
intended)
miss.
I
just
smiled
at
Lalit
Modi
whenever
we
crossed
by.
I
have
interviewed
Modi
before
the
controversy
erupted.
He
was
all
jovial
then.
Though,
I
must
admit
that
smile
was
wiped
of
his
face
during
the
last
week
of
IPL.
I"d
never
seen
Modi
with
such
a
worried
look
on
his
face.
The
IPL
parties
were
criticized
a
lot
as
they
supposedly
spoilt
our
cricketers.
Did
you
attend
any
of
these
parties
and
were
they
sleazy
in
nature?
I
attended
all
most
every
party.
Were
they
sleazy
in
nature?
I
really
don"t
know.
However,
what
I"ve
learnt
is
that
such
parties
have
always
been
part
of
cricket
from
the
ancient
times.
Our
own
Ravi
Shastri
enjoyed
the
image
of
a
Casanova.
It"s
the
first,
and
the
last
time
they
are
televised.
However,
such
parties
will
continue
to
happen.
You"re
hosting
India"s
Got
Talent
again.
Despite
its
noble
format,
the
show
could
somehow
not
generate
the
high
TRPs
one
expected
it
too.
It
was
felt
that
show
lacked
a
bit
in
promotion.
Do
you
agree?
I
really
don"t
what"s
the
channel
is
up
to
this
time.
They
certainly
will
like
to
take
it
to
the
next
level.
Honestly,
the
hosts
or
judges
don"t
make
a
show.
In
the
end,
it"s
the
talent
on
display
that
will
bring
you
eyeballs.
Dance
India
Dance
is
a
prime
example
of
it.
At
IGT,
we
managed
to
have
a
good
mix
of
varied
talents.
People
remember
an
Abhijeet
Sawant
as
the
maiden
Indian
Idol,
but
no
one
talks
of
Aman
Verma
or
Mini
Mathur
today.
You
host
Wassup
Youngistan,
which
claims
to
the
voice
of
the
youth.
Looking
at
the
problems
that
face
our
country,
is
the
youth
really
standing
up
against
it?
Mere
voicing
of
opinion
in
such
shows
don"t
really
help
the
cause.
Well,
this
is
relative
subject.
Over
the
years,
we
Indians
have
evolved
from
being
passive
to
active.
This
is
a
positive
change.
Our
show
doesn"t
claim
to
have
revolutionized
things
overnight.
MTV
(Wassup
Youngistan)
was
among
the
first
channel
to
have
taken
up
the
Justice
for
Jessica
Lal
issue.
As
a
youth
channel,
MTV
has
a
huge
responsibly
towards
the
nations
at
the
same
time,
we
here
to
entertain
too.
MTV
is
the
perfect
mix
of
entertainment
and
news.
You"re
a
TV
star
but
your
show
Stripped
makes
fun
of
TV
actors.
Don"t
you
think
it
makes
you
unpopular
with
the
actors?
Personally,
I
have
nothing
but
utmost
respect
for
TV
actors.
They
are
talented
bunch
and
have
their
own
loyal
audience.
However,
there"s
also
an
audience
which
considers
these
daily
soaps
as
disturbing
and
pointless.
They
feel
that
we"re
merely
aping
the
west.
I"m
just
the
mouthpiece
of
youth.
I
didn"t
even
spare
my
own
show
India"s
Got
Talent.
However,
Colors
and
BIG
Synergy
had
no
reservations
about
it.
You"ll
be
surprised
that
I
received
lot
of
flak
from
the
same
audience
whilst
I
was
part
of
the
squabbles
in
Music
Ka
Maha
Muqqabla.
It
may
sound
moralistic
but
shows
like
shows
like
Splitsvilla
and
Roadies
may
be
hit
with
the
youth,
but
in
hindsight
don"t
you
think
in
some
way
they
go
against
our
culture?
Besides,
these
are
western
concepts
too,
so
aren"t
you
aping
as
well?
Most
people
who
take
part
in
such
shows
come
from
small
towns.
They
get
a
culture
shock
when
exposed
to
the
urban
lifestyle.
Throwing
each
other
in
a
pool
is
no
big
deal
for
you
and
me,
but
these
(small
town)
guys
construe
it
as
sleaze.
A
few
of
them
went
overboard
and
spread
leis
in
the
media.
I
will
advise
these
kids
to
grow
up.
As
for
moral
aspect,
do
we
really
have
a
culture?
Honestly,
the
culture
quotient
is
non-existent.
These
shows
have
their
entertainment
value.
They
survive
because
people
love
watching
and
participating
in
them.
Unfortunately,
they
take
this
as
short
cut
to
attain
money
and
fame.
You
can"t
fault
the
channel
for
it.
How
has
life
been
at
MTV
without
Raghu
and
Rajiv?
MTV
itself
has
been
on
upheaval
path.
MTV
is
now
trying
to
veer
towards
a
Hindi
GEC.
We"re
now
having
shorter
format
shows…
It"s
just
not
just
the
VJs,
but
executives
too
have
left
the
channel.
As
for
Raghu,
I
do
miss
him
a
lot
as
he"s
a
good
fried.
It"s
a
little
boring
without
him
at
office.
Besides,
he"s
not
betrayed
us.
He"s
only
produced
a
show
for
Channel
[V].
He"s
not
their
employee.
A
lot
of
VJs
are
making
it
big
in
Bollywood.
When
will
we
get
to
see
Ayushmann
in
a
film?
Frankly,
I
myself
don"t
know
when
this
will
happen.
I"m
prepared
to
wait
for
one,
five
or
even
ten
years.
Besides,
my
father"s
name
isn"t
Rishi
Kapoor.
What
about
returning
to
fiction
on
TV?
I"m
waiting
for
a
renaissance
to
happen
on
TV.
In
the
past,
people
loved
doing
Doordarshan
shows
as
they
were
considered
to
be
the
best.
The
situation
hasn"t
changed
even
though
we"ve
have
many
channels
now.
Finally,
how"s
it
going
for
you
at
home?
I"m
engaged
to
my
long
time
girlfriend.
We
know
each
other
since
our
college
days.
I
like
to
keep
my
personal
life
personal.