“I am so excited...,” that’s the first thing Poornima Indrajith says about hosting a new show, ‘Kuttikalodano Kali’, a “ first-of-its-kind” quiz reality show on Mazhavil Manorama. It is more like a homecoming for the actress-cum-television anchor and celebrity fashion designer.
What made her wait for so long? “After I hosted ‘Katha Ithuvare’ on Mazhavil Manorama, I got a lot of offers, most of them of the same format. I was not enthused about it. I had set a benchmark for myself as an anchor and I was waiting for something different,” says Poornima, who was last seen as a judge on a reality show ‘Ugram Ujwalam’, again on the same channel.
What made her say yes to the new show is children, Poornima says.
“I really wanted to do a show for children. It is unfortunate that we don’t have shows that cater to children alone. Whatever shows we have for them tend to treat them as adults. So, by default, the children watch shows that are meant for adults. I had several concepts in my mind and had many discussions with television producers. Finally when this concept came up, I was so glad that they thought of me. My first love is cinema and television. I am an artiste first. This is food for my soul. I have explored myself in this medium and the audience has been a part of it,” she says.
She says the programme is a test of intelligence and alacrity. The adults are pitted against children in the age group of nine to 15. “It is not just about testing one’s general knowledge,” she says.
There are five rounds in all in which a four-member team of adults take on a group of seven kids. “We have shot episodes with naval officers, teachers, lawyers, techies… who play for big prize money that is related to the age of the kids,” she adds. They can take home the money only if they beat the students in the final round, otherwise they return empty-handed. The episodes will see the participation of children with remarkable achievements to their credit.
Poornima admits that anchoring the show is no cake walk. Right from announcing the name of the show, when “they made me do it several times”, to dealing with boisterous children, she had a tough time. “I had to go for a grooming session for the show. And once we started shooting, it was all about matching up to the energy and spirit of the children and the adults. I had to keep on cheering and encouraging both the sides. The show is so tightly packaged that there is no moment to relax. There is no drama, everything is spontaneous. I almost lost my voice for a few days after shooting the initial episodes. It is always fun to be with children. I think I am a hands-on companion for kids having grown up watching my mother run a school for 48 years. I strongly believe that I am still a child at heart,” laughs Poornima, a mother of two girls herself.
So the fashionista that she is, will we get to see her fashionable avatar on the show as well? “No. I will be myself on the show. I don’t want viewers to discuss what I am wearing. It is normal for people to relate me with the brand. In fact, even if I wear a T-shirt, there are people who ask me if it is my brand - a Pranaah!” she says.
And what about her return to the big screen? “I would love to. This is the best period in Malayalam cinema and I don’t want to lose out on that. I am completely open to doing any substantial role that comes my way,” she signs off.
‘Kuttikalodano Kali’ airs on Thursdays and Fridays on Mazhavil Manorama at 8.30 p.m.
