When he was in college, RJ Anjaan used to present small radio shows and do some theatre. “I see myself as a communicator, who can entertain people as well. The medium does not matter to me much, as long as I manage to do my job well. Radio has been fun and I love it,” says the RJ and programme manager at Radio One.
He was currently in the news as one of the finalists for the “Best job in the world”, a job that involved managing a tropical island in the South Pacific, He was was short listed from nearly 20,000 applicants.
“It was a tremendous experience. The finalists were from varied backgrounds, pursuing different jobs, but sharing many similarities including a love for nature and adventure.” Anjaan is not very unhappy at not being selected for the job. “If I was selected, it would have been more of a vacation than a job. I have the best job in the world already,” he quips.
Talking of the recent attacks on Indian students in Australia, Anjaan says: “Some of these attacks may be racial, but you cannot generalise the behaviour of a few thugs as the character of a country. The Australians I met were fun, relaxed and extremely friendly. Many of them are as concerned about these crimes.” He adds, “It is a country that manages to combine natural beauty with a vacation atmosphere.”
Making of a true RJ
He feels that an RJ should have the capability to hold the interest of an audience and must be able to articulate his point of view forcefully. “You need to be confident. If you manage to command the attention of even a small group of friends, you could be good RJ material.”
He feels that an RJ does not have to keep on speaking, when a show is on air. “Actually, we speak for only about 10 minutes in the course of an hour-long show.” He contends, “As far as preparing for a show is concerned, we do not operate with a teleprompter or script. Most of it is spontaneous, though some RJ’s like to rehearse a bit before the show.”
He is thrilled about the boom in the Radio FM industry over the last few years. “It is very encouraging that private radio hit towns in India, when the death of radio was being predicted. With the government planning to ease more regulations, radio will further diversify. The emergence of better technology also helps.”
TV and radio are very different, he insists. You can afford to be yourself on radio, but on TV, a lot is based on your appearance. “I feel that if you are able to get the message across to the people and are able to entertain them well, irrespective of the medium, you are successful.” Anjaan feels that he would have been successful as a stand up comedian as well.
Anjaan is also a health freak and is currently following a ‘strict’ diet programme. “When you are in your late teens and early twenties, you do not care too much about your body. But, as you reach 30, the body begins to show signs of wear and tear.”
He adds, “That is when you realise that your body cannot be taken for granted. I exercise on a regular basis, eat healthy foods. I do indulge myself once in a while, with the occasional pizzas and other high-carb food.”
“My gym instructor now wants me to build muscles and tone my body a bit. Once, I had a toned body, but I lost it to flab. To help in my exercise routine, I cycle to work every day. That not only saves time, but also provides great exercise.”
He refuses to divulge his musical preferences and states, “My favourite music is never constant. It keeps changing. I like western classics, Indian music, rock, pop and also listen to Hindi and Kannada songs. My latest fascination has been listening to a lot of Persian music, including Iranian rap. I don’t understand a word, yet love the music.”