Radio Hosts’ Diaries with Hrishi Kay
@ Radio One.
In conversation with
#DirectorsDiaries
I was introduced to Hrishi Kay
(Hrishikesh Kannan) when I was featured by him for our book Directors’ Diaries
in August 2015. (Thanks to M J Arvind, Harper Collins India & Mirabilis
Inc. Link to our radio chat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT9d70UMC8I )
Of course, I had heard his radio
rants on and off on my short distance journeys within Mumbai. But now knowing
more about his journey I was pleasantly surprised in the past he has hosted
shows on current & classic Hindi film music too.
A river begins someplace
Hrishi Kay was born in Delhi, but
spent his childhood years in Kolkata and Lucknow. During his formative years
and teens Hrishi lived in Kolkata (schooled in Kolkata till the seventh grade),
then Lucknow (studied in Lucknow from the eighth to twelfth grade), and did his
graduation in Delhi, and his post-graduation in Bombay at XIC ( Xaviers
Institute Of Communicaion) St Xaviers College in the "Film, TV & Radio
Production" course.
Within the first five to six minutes
of meeting Hrishi for the first time in Aug 2015, at his studio, I found him to
be someone who could gel quickly with his guest who is a stranger. It may be
because he had lived and studied at various cities for two decades he was able
to bridge the distance between himself and strangers easily, having to begin
writing on another fresh slate of friendship every time the family migrated due
to his father’s job-related postings.
His maternal grandfather was a
lawyer, and his father an Engineer with L & T. No one in his family was
from the media. Hrishi’s earliest memories of music are the Tv shows Mahabharat
and Ramayan. As they would be playing when he woke up in the morning. He began
hearing radio in earnest when he got a job in radio broadcasting.
Crazy passion
Music was a crazy passion through his
school and college years. However, he was not passionate about radio until he
got his first job as a radio presenter. Before that it was just theatre, and
music on cassettes and Cds. He was a music collecting connoisseur. Strangely,
for me, radio became a part of his daily existence only on becoming a producer
and radio host, and that was while he was still in college.
An angel
During his college years in Delhi,
Hrishi was winning ‘best actor’ best debater’ awards at college festival. In
1993, Times Of India bought a few hours of radio time on AIR frequency and
branded it as Times FM. A couple of guys from his college auditioned for Times
FM and returned praising their experience and the opportunity to host shows on
radio and earn Rs 500 per programme (“a king’s ransom in those days” he said)
Hrishi responded questioning, “But, who hears radio nowadays?!”
He had often heard his mother praise
legendary presenter Ameen Sayani, but he was never attracted to hear radio
passionately until then. That’s when, I think an angel, Roshan Abbas suggested
to Hrishi to have a go at it, the audition – “Boss, why don’t you go and give
it a shot? You are doing theatre, you are passionate about English music, jaa
ke try toh karo yaar.”
When Roshan Abbas had suggested this,
Hrishi was already doing professional theatre in Delhi, and Roshan was familiar
with his performing arts talent.
“Thank you Roshan Abbas” is what many
of Hrishi’s listeners and I would like to say on learning this fact. I think,
Roshan saw in Hrishi what he (Hrishi) had not as yet seen in himself then. :)
Love at first sight
“The moment I did a mock link
(recording/audio byte) at the Times FM studio in Delhi, in the first ten
minutes I felt, ‘Wow! This Is It! I love this.’ I am passionate about music, I
am passionate about acting. This combines the two brilliantly!” It arrived
naturally to Hrishi, speaking on a mic extempore, a script he wrote then and
there within a few minutes before he was asked to perform the voice test. And
he got a show! Hrishi’s very first job, in radio, with Times FM was as a
producer cum radio host, and he even got paid too. No ‘jao chai lao’ wala
internship. ;) And he was still in college.
I asked Hrishi to dedicate a song to
Roshan Abbas… Hrishi named: ‘Aint Got You’ by Bruce Springsteen, because Roshan
Abbas would play this to his acoustic guitar during their theatre days
together.
Dial-in love
Hrishi’s first job with Times FM
Delhi was presenting a dial-in show (Amul Chocolates Dial-in Love), he conversed
with listeners-callers about their love problems, expressions, heart aches.
(Hahahah Ya, I laughed at it too! He was just 17-18 then!) Of course, they
understood that he (Hrishi) was not a qualified professional to offer
solutions, so he would not offer them advice, but rather engage them in a brief
conversation and give them perspective.
So true, I thought, hearing Hrishi.
Often, getting another perspective is just what we really need, not advice.
“The content of my very first show
helped me mature at a young age. My mind grew faster than my years. Such a
beautiful learning it was to be. (Pauses) Those two years gave me fantastic
opportunity to experiment with various formats. Even though we were small fish
in a large tank of broadcasters.” (Smiles)
Shifting channels
Then came his shift to Mumbai, for a
post grad degree and along with it luckily a shift from Times FM Delhi to Times
FM Mumbai – The Mumbai team at the time were happy to have a young achiever
from their Northern station, So, 1995 - 1997 Hrishi was with Times FM Mumbai.
However, the government changed its
policy and the slots, hours, leased out to private players by AIR was
withdrawn, and there the opportunity for radio presenters shrunk to people
leaving radio for other unrelated and related professions. Hrishi could not see
the light at the end of the tunnel, yet he chose to stick around and continued
to host shows now with AIR. The love of presenting music kept him rooted in
radio, even when others saw only silence.
Hrishi continued to study for his
post-graduation while he worked with AIR in a part-time capacity. He was not as
yet seeing radio as a ‘career’ choice. He was just liking the opportunity to
share music via a large platform like radio, impact people through music, I
would like to think.
Rain
I mean, how many people can you share
your joys with when you experience such joys hearing songs playing them only on
your headphones or phone? Because in our showers only we get wet and we dance
alone. But when it rains from the clouds, Earth erupts in dance. That is what
makes radio so benevolent, I believe. Its reach. The reach of its melodious
rain.
As luck would have it
Graduating in Economics had not
brought his happiness. Although he had even wanted to study English Literature,
he decided to post-graduate in media. Even though for his family choosing media
as a career then was alien and not cool. His father worried his son will become
a ‘wasted-soul’. In recording jargon, a NG take. ;)
“Could not blame them. In those days,
other than Ameen Sayani Sir (@ AIR) there were no other known presenters. My
parents allowed me to pursue media only because I wanted to educate myself in
that field. It made them feel more secure, as that’s the way they did things as
traditional Tam-brahms (Tamil-Brahmins)
So I applied to Jamia, Indian
Institute of Mass Com and XIC. I got into XIC. And as luck would have it, my
father got transferred to Bombay, in 1995, and I could join XIC.
By then my dad had reconciled to the
fact I will study media, and he advised me - Whatever you choose to do you must
excel in it! (Pauses) I topped my class at XIC.” (Smiles)
I think Radio Host Hrishi further
honoured his dad’s wish on the path he continues to tread today, with a live
mic as his companion and dawn and dusk as melody. Ranting away, impacting
souls, days and nights. ‘Impacting lives’ is a subconscious need Hrishi has
felt his programing must fulfil right from his earliest days with radio.
I was keen Hrishi dedicate a song on
Radio One to is Dad, who instilled in him the virtue & habit to excel.
Hrishi named: ‘Father to Son’ by Phil Collins.
Win-Win
In 2000, while Hrishi was studying at
XIC, Times of India established their private radio channel in Mumbai branded
as Radio Mirchi. The smallest and a first-time player in the Indian airwaves
then, Gautam Radia (Win 94.6) who had previously run radio stations in Sri
Lanka, offered Hrishi to join him in Mumbai. Gautam had been listening to
Hrishi in the years he had been ranting on AIR Mumbai and he had had liked
Hrishi’s presentations.
Hrishi agreed, in spite of the fact
that large players like Radio City and Radio Mirchi had also invited him to
associate with them. “I chose to go with the smallest player because Gautam had
a vision I could associate with. While the giants spoke of scale, license fees,
and numbers, which are also important, Gautam’s vision emphasized more on
content and impacting listeners. He had a tremendous vigour and passion for
music.” Virtues that resonate in Hrishi. Even today.
Gautam and Hrishi presented a hybrid
format on radio, never done before: English and Hindi music playing
alternately. “…. which is a Fantastic! Format. Purely music driven content.” he
adds. (Smiles) Unfortunately, Win 94.6 could not survive. “But we still have
Win 94.6 reunions. We all get nostalgic, Gautam, Malishka, Malini, etc. Gautam
is currently running Hits FM in Delhi.” (Smiles).
I asked Hrishi to dedicate a song to
Gautam Radia and their years together at Win 94.6 FM. Hrishi chose: ‘Young
Hearts’ by Rod Stewart.
Mother
Hrishi was a lover of the Hindi
classics too. Thanks to his mother’s radio listening habits, I would like to
think. His mother’s music choice must have contributed largely to the vast
ocean of music that Hrishi charts daily on his various produced shows, and not
just those he hosts.
This was yet another interview which
reaffirmed my conviction, that life is one adventure with many heroes. So many
people to thank for where we reach today.
Bumper to Bumper
Hrishi’s first full-fledged Hindi
film music show was with Radio Mirchi, Bumper To Bumper playing and talking
about current Bollywood hits. And I recollected it in a flash, because
sometimes his show too saved my mind from going numb in Mumbai’s jams. Radio
has often helped me reach home leaving my inanities behind. ;) :)
Thank you to music. The Earth has
musicality. If you listen, and if you listen to the music that makes radio
presenters tick too.
Sporty guy
This was followed by a stint in
Sports Radio on India’s only sports talk radio channel on the World Space
Satellite Radio Network, a station called ‘Play’ where Hrishi hosted a daily
morning show ‘Cutting Edge Sports Broadcasting from Hrishi.’
Tryst with the classics
Then arrived the tryst with Hindi
classics, the ‘Sunday Morning Classics’ giving Hindi music a fresh appeal with
not only the golden oldies but the youngsters tuning in too.
The Radio Hosts’ companion – the Mic
Says Hrishi “I always tell people who
aspire to be radio hosts, your voice must sound natural, warm & friendly,
conversational, when you are heard through the mic. Unless you are selling a
brand via a voice over. A listener hearing us speak on the radio must feel he or
she happens to be eavesdropping on our conversation. That was the beauty of
Ameen Sayani Saab’s voice. Sounded conversational. And we did not have
sophisticated mics then.
Another thing about Ameen Sayani
Saab, he introduced his shows with “Beheno aur Bhaiyon” (Sisters &
Brothers) Not with Bhaiyon aur Beheno” My dream is to be a radio presenter like
him, converse with my audience beyond 70 years of age. Even if I run my own
radio station someday, I will still speak directly to listeners. I never want to
not be able to know them and hear them through on-air music and conversations.
Continue to impact lives in a small way. I will then die a peaceful man.”
A gig with those he admires
If we were to propose a show that
brings together him and radio presenters from various channels on one platform,
what would Hrishi title the show and who would he like to share such a unique
(never done before content) show with? I asked him. Hrishi pondered, and said
“Jeeturaj, Malishka, Rohini, Archana, and Mr Ameen Sayani. Ameen Saab would be
there to guide the show.” (Smiles) “And I would name the show Kal Aaj Aur Kal.”
(Laughs)
I asked Hrishi Kay to dedicate a song
to these five radio presenters. He named: ‘Radio Gaga’ by Queen.
My radio pals
And that made me want to dedicate a
song to my radio pals: my childhood radio companion Ameen Sayani Saab, my
best-radio-buddy Arvind @ Radio One Kolkata, Filmy Chokri Apurva @ Radio City
Pune, Tadke wali Nilofer Abji & ‘Kamaal’ ki Kaur @ East FM Nairobi &
their true artist pal Ritesh Barot, the best job in the world wala Riyaaz Safi
@ EastWave Johannesburg, and Poetess Priyam Sharma @ Radio Zindagi USA.
I love the show Arvind presents where
he shares ordinary people’s extra ordinary deeds and his inspiring expressions
with us, inspiring and entertaining us which is a significant, delicate and
fine balance that even Hrishi Kay believes in. It’s my dream to be interviewed
by Arvind someday at his studio for #BicycleAngels and I will ride to his
studio that day with him. Will Hrishi Kay play this song on air which I
dedicate to my radio pals?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsjiSfAmEeo The
answer my friend, is blowin in the wind, the answer is blowin in the wind. :)
Radio One Tag line
Radio one has no tag line, for
whatever reason. I asked him to give it one right there and then.
Hrishi pondered and said, “Maybe,
Jagte Raho, or Jagate Raho” And that is when something he had said earlier
returned sprinting to me: ‘For me it is very important that radio should not
just entertain. And our programming hopes to achieve that. Cracking gags is
important too. But at the end of the day your choices must have a positive
impact on your listener’s lives. People message me during and after my show and
tell me they were having a really bad day and something said on our show or the
song we chose to play changed that.”
Defining radio
When I was child and teen, I heard
radio nearly every night. I could not sleep without a pillow resting below and
my radio singing besides. In the 70s and 80s, I swear on my radio many hot
songs that played on Binaca Geetmala and others were my fathers. So, that was
another reason. Hearing ‘daddy’s’ name from a stranger whose name (Ameen
Sayani) and voice only I was familiar with coming from a box with lights was
mysterious and fascinating. That is what radio meant to me as a child and teen.
I was keen to know what radio means
to Hrishi Kay, the Radio Host of Radio One. “Radio is the theatre of the mind”
Hrishi said that even before I placed the question mark at the end of my
sentence. I have never heard a more vivid and beautiful description ever. It
would do injustice to your imagination and dreams if I asked him to elaborate
on that. It would be like asking someone to translate his or her poetry.
Radio One song request
I asked Hrishi which song he would
like to hear right now, within the next two seconds if I called Radio One and
they were playing live requests, and why?
He instantly said, “Ordinary World,
by Duran Duran. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDLiVwpv89s) It appeals to me
because you must live in the present. The past and future we have no control
over. And often, the present is ordinary. Yet we must find beauty in that. I
myself continue attempting to find beauty in my daily and ordinary existence.”
Directors’ Diaries
Talking of living in the present, and
presently we are on my blog, and knowing Hrishi has read our book, so I was
keen he share with us what he thought of our book.
Hrishi said “Rakesh, your book gave
me the feeling I am eavesdropping into the personal and professional lives,
experiences, learnings and opinions and suggestions of iconic filmmakers. Told
me that you respected the time these filmmakers gave you, even if it were to
have been just 15 minutes on and off during their busy schedules.“ (Smiles)
I too smiled, upon hearing a mind
that I value value the work of these directors and my attempt to share their
journey with others, just like radio presenters do.
Epilogue song
Long after his mic goes silent, when
all that remains are the impacts his presentations and productions had in human
consciousness and our environment, which song would he want played for himself,
if we were to request one of his favorite radio presenters’ to play a song for
him on a special day when his close friends and family have gathered around a
radio set? What would he want his epilogue song to be?
Hrishi pondered. “Rakesh. No one has
ever asked me this question.” He again went silent for a while. Then said, in a
softer tone, “Better Man by Robbie Williams. The lyrics are … "Lord I am
doing all I can to be a better man.”
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY2ekm_krNU )
Then we both went silent.
Hearing the lyrics ‘Lord I am doing
all I can to be a better man’, I felt, looking at him gazing in the distance at
the sea in front of us, that I can tell someone someday, “Hey, you know I
eavesdropped on Hrishikesh Kannan’s soul.” :)
#RJsDiaries #RadioHostsDiaries with
#HrishiKay
Letters want to be words. Words want
to be stories. Stories want to be told. #RakeshAnandBakshi
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/rakesh-anand-bakshi-0453b437?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile
About our book:
#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
