Filmy Chokri aka RJ Apurva (Jhadav) Radio City – Pune, in a dialogue with #RakeshAnandBakshi
Strangely, I found out that the term ‘rj’ to address people of her profession, of being a radio host, is in use only in India and Pakistan. World over they are most commonly termed ‘Radio Hosts.’
Apurva was born in Kolhapur, and brought up in Kolhapur and Mumbai. Eventually, the family settled at Pune. Her father is a government employee, and her mother is a business woman.
The radio played from even before she brushed her teeth
Her childhood memories of the radio playing are from the time the household awoke to the early morning devotional bhajans playing on AIR and or Vividh Bharati. Most Kids then still woke up to hearing radio, and not tv shows, during her formative years. “…. some of the rjs’ that spoke on these government owned channels were so pale, drab and boring, that I waited for them to start playing the songs.” (laughs) Her mother being a song buff, the radio played practically through the day and night.
I think, subconsciously her mother choice of daily entertainment and realisation must have influenced this ‘filmy chokri’ as a child.
Hooked
When Apurva reached her teens in the 90s, the Indian airwaves opened to private radio fm channels and they arrived like a bolt of welcome thunder and lightning for her. The manner and style of rj-ing by these privately owned radio stations, Mirchi and Radio City, was revolutionary. Their fast paced rants, nonstop random chatter, interesting contests for listeners, and very interesting advertising spots, made fm listening fun for her. Apurva was hooked to this new style of sound waves coming out of her radio.
The seed
When the private radio fm channels arrived, it was her mother who may have laid the first seed that a decade later germinated in her taking birth as a rj. Her mother suggested to her to give an audition as an rj, when she found out they were hiring. Apurva did not entertain the thought and went on to graduate in media studies from a college at Pune.
Chai and Coffee wali
However, for her internship, Apurva chose to work for Radio City, Pune. She never thought of becoming a rj, but liked the idea of working for them. “My very first intern-job, in those days internship was unpaid, included doing all the minor & technical jobs involved in radio broadcasting. As an intern one had to do everything, and we did, happily. Unlike today, many interns arrive with certain preconceived notions that some things are too lowly and out of bounds for them to do as interns. Sad. Nowadays, I think because everything is becoming so easy to get, so much is available on smart phone apps instantly, interns want to achieve great jobs and success as easily as ordering a pizza or booking tickets online.”, she laughs and laments.
Angels
“Jeetu Mahatre”, says Apurva, “is one of the angels of my professional life. When I was interning with Radio City, it was Jeetu who saw in me something I did not see in myself. He goaded and prodded me. He pushed me to polish my interview taking skills.”
The second angel she credits her career graph and growth to is her ex-boss, Meenal Patil. Meenal gave Apurva her first break as an rj, and the name that she gave her, ‘Filmy Chokri’, stuck. After her first few shows as an rj, some people criticised Apurva, saying uncomplimentary things like “… Apurva’s voice is ‘cartoonish’, like a caricature. Get her off air, she is unsuitable to be a rj…”
However, Meenal stood against the criticism like the formidable Everest, and trusted filmy chokri to continue her filmy radio rants.
“I feel immense gratitude to both these people, as they helped me prove my worth. Because, I confess, I too had felt then I do not have a smooth flowing voice of a rj. But their confidence and unrelenting faith in me helped me sail my boat over my own lack of confidence in myself.”
When critics labelled Apurva’s voice as ‘cartoonish’, it was Meenal who stood by her in defence and defiance and said her voice is unique, and hence noticeable in a crowd of voices.
Bravo to her vision, is what I thought of Meenal on learning this.
That reminds me, that is exactly what my own father, lyricists Anand Bakshi, had once told as aspiring singer who approached him for advise. When the young man had said he sings like Mohamad Rafi, Anand Bakshi had told him … “If I want to hear Rafi, I will hear one of the many songs of his I have in my collection. Why will I hear you? The day you find your own voice, you will became a successful singer. Go find your own voice.” Your uniqueness is what will make you stand apart from the herd.”
Asked to dedicate a song to Jeetu and Meenal, Filmy Chokri says “Musafir hoon yaaron from Parichay, is for Jeetu. Every word describes him. And for Meenal, it would be Ru Ba Ru from Rang De Basanti. She is like that song. Her energy is infectious.”
Hello Mikey
Apurva wishes her mike when she arrives in the studio, “…. Hello Mikey, how are you today.” Accompanied with a kiss. (Smiles) She feels her mike has a soul, and absorbs her feelings and emotions and that is how she is able to pass them on to her listeners. She has a way of saying goodbye to her mike when she signs off her show, “talley ho talley ho…” accompanied by a kiss. Her show is aired from 11 am to 2 pm daily.
A happy listener, a grateful mother
One of her most valued listeners is a mother and child. The child is paraplegic, and hence mostly home bound to a wheelchair or bed. The mother had told Apurva, “… my son smiles when he hears you on your show.” This made her cry, and this duo remain her most valuable listeners. Because she never thought that someone like her who has a non-rj kind of voice, allegedly a cartoonish tonal quality, and rants about Bollywood, punctuating her rants with sarcasm, could make a home bound paraplegic child smile, and bring him happiness.
This is a sincere compliment, I thought, that no amount of money and expensive PR-machinery of social media can buy for anyone.
Asked to dedicate a song to this mother and son listeners, she says “Ruk jaana nahin tu kahin haar ke, from Imtihan. May his strong spirit and that in this song keep him going.”
Kolhapur chi mirchi aka filmy chokri
Any special diet for her vocal chords? No! She eats anything and everything her taste buds overwhelm her with. She is not conscious about things that other professionals, like singers, are very careful about - not eating cold things or chillies. In fact, she loves chillies. The famous theeka Kolhapuri ones. (laughs) “I like the most theeka food. It is just like the theeka sarcasm on my show” (laughs even louder)
Sense of humour or sarcasm
I think a good sense of humor is very important for a rj. Maybe because some of my favorite rjs are the ones with a great sense of humor. Apurva told me, “Humor or sarcasm. Choose one of these two, I would say, to be a rj. I chose sarcasm.” (laughs)
Favorite song
Rjs play requests from listeners, often the favorite songs of their listeners. I asked the filmy chokri her favorite song. “Chak Dhoom Dhoom” from Dil Toh Pagal Hai, she mentioned as her favotite. Written by lyricists Anand Bakshi, I proudly mentioned to her. (Smiles)
She said, “it’s my favorite because the lyrics encompass all those little things, like the Elephant, his tail, the forest, the cloud burst, the swag of an Elephant, the Horse…, reminds me of the lovely song from Sound Of Music, the lyrics – These are few of my favorite things. The heroine, Madhuri Dixit, and even Karishma Kapoor, are my favorite heroines, and I think I am a mix of both their characters in that lovely film. So I would like to award this song as one of my favorite ones.” (Big smile)
Directors’ Diaries
I was keen to know what she thought of our book. She said, “It is an important read. It portrays the struggles behind the successful film directors, and the anecdotes from their lives are unknown and inspiring. My uncle, who was recovering from Cancer, told me that reading about the lives of these directors made my own pain and suffering less, and I think that by itself says a lot about what this book means to me, my family and can mean to scores of other people, who are not necessarily from filmmaking and media.”
Asked to dedicate a song to our book, she says – “Yeh honsla, from the film Dor. The song inspires one to move on against all odds, and that is what the book did for my uncle too.”
Favorite film director
“…. Farah and Ashutosh, I love. (Smiles) One makes truly filmy entertaining fun films, and the other makes the best historical drams. Yet, my favotite to name would be, Gulzar Saab” Apirva finds his movies, though he has not made a film in a long time, as timeless classics. “My favorite Gulzar film has to be Ijaazat, 1987; the minutest of emotions, and a story which no film maker would have dared to make, only Gulzar saab could have done justice to it. The music, casting, lyrics, everything is just how it should be - perfect.” (Smiles)
Actor
According to me most rjs modulate their voice well, and so do actors. So, is Apurva keen to be an actor, someday? “Yes! I would love to, That’s if anyone is looking for a fat actor with a cartoonish voice!” (laughs)
And that for me defines this filmy chokri. – Her ability to be self-critical and create humor from oneself. Both these qualities can keep us grounded and compassionate, I think.
Finally, Filmy Chokri’s parting note –
“Meri awaaz parda mere chehre ka...
Mujhko wahan se suno, jahan se main khamosh hun.
- Late Nida Fazli saab.
“talley ho talley ho…”
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#RJsDiaries with #FilmyChokri
#RakeshAnandBakshi
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rakesh-anand-bakshi-0453b437?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile
#DirectorsDiaries https://www.facebook.com/DirectorsDiaries and https://www.facebook.com/DirectorsDiaries
The directors’ on Cinema & Filmmaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bnPI95HCs
The directors’ Beginnings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgbvst-mhOw
The directors’ Convictions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQgoJwP1sd8
The directors’ Challenges: https://youtu.be/1BmjGGurM5U
Imtiaz Ali’s 1st film being his film school & our book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzC18coaoLw
Zoya Akhtar on being a 1st time film maker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdg8UNfwKs
Shyam Benegal on ‘… Why directors’..’ : https://youtu.be/3-u3GRgkt8E
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