The team Indian Women Blog talks a lot. We are just good at it, and it comes completely naturally to us. So, we knew what it meant to head out for a weekend activity that would teach us how to be Radio Jockeys!

Blogger Mansi had told me, “What does the inside of a radio station look like? Does it have a lot of studios inside? Do they fall asleep while talking? Does all of that ever happen?”

And, I just said, “Oh, you’ll see. It’s so much fun.” Honestly, I didn’t know much about it either. But, if Mansi thought I did, there was no harm in bluffing. Tehehe.

We stepped into Radio Mirchi’s office, and I suddenly felt like DeeDee from Dexter’s Laboratory. Literally, I wanted to touch every single thing and say, “Ooooh Dexter, what does this button do?” But, I had to be more responsible than that because I was a grown up. Ugh, I don’t like being a grown up.

Turns out, we could put it all away. We didn’t really have to be grownups inside the station where RJ Puru was waiting for us.

“Hi, girls! You should know that the entire staff at the station was wondering who these girls are!” He said. When everyone heard RJ Puru’s voice and his style of speaking, we could easily figure out why he was an RJ.

“Is it a fun job? Being an RJ?” Blogger-in-chief Lavanya asked him.

“I think I get my kick the moment I step in. I’m always surrounded by music, and there’s nothing better in the world. I get this sense of positivity by talking to my listeners. It is truly an everyday experience.”

A kick of happiness every day, now that’s the kind of life everyone wants. “And with that view!” I added. The Radio Mirchi office is at the top floor of a building in Vaishali Nagar, and speaking to your listeners with a view like that, is, I think everyone’s dream.

“Can we ever become RJs?” I popped a question.

“Only one way to find out.” He said.

RJ Puru explained us a little about the controllers in his room. We looked at them blankly. I, honestly, felt like Dee Dee, again. “If you want to become an RJ, there is one simple thing you need to keep in mind. You need to stay focused on everything that happens around you, and you have to be spontaneous, too. Everything that happens here is impromptu.”

“Do you write your own scripts?” asked Lavanya.

“Yes, everything that you hear on the radio is done by us, ourselves. We prepare scripts, record audios, and use Sony Vegas Pro to edit the audio files.”

“I know how to use Sony Vegas Pro! I know, I use it for my videos.” Sorry, the Monica (Friends) in me had come alive.

RJ Puru also happens to be a singer, who finds time to inculcate his singing within his shows. Heck, he recently released a music video called “Humsafar” on YouTube. His voice is really beautiful. He even gave us a demo in the midst of our class RJing 101.

RJ Puru introduced us to a couple of activities that would help build spontaneity in us. We were made to sit next to one another, and ask questions. Only ask questions. No answering was allowed. Needless to say, the first attempt was horrible.

Puru watched us play the game as Mansi and I had to immediately build questions in our heads.

Mansi: “What did you have for breakfast?”

Komal: “How was the burnt bhindi last night?”

Mansi: “You don’t let me work in the office, let’s break up?”

Komal: “This building is tall and beautiful, how would you like to jump off?”

Mansi: “Didn’t you buy your new phone on an EMI?”

Komal: “Didn’t you get your new phone as a gift?”

Wow, Mansi it sounds like we can really get each others’ secrets out! “Phew, wow. I know that Mansi had jail hui bhindi last night, and I know how you two got your mobile phones!” See, so much for spontaneity!

Mansi and I looked at each other. We were really idiots!

After I won the first round  (in your face, Mansi!), my next competitor was Lavanya. We were supposed to enact a scene. For the purposes of privacy, I won’t get into the details. But, I can promise you that when the scene ended, Lavanya was in tears. She couldn’t stop laughing. Sorry, you’re going to have to let this one go, folks. *wink*

As we proceeded, RJ Puru gave us a chance to speak on the mic. All three of us stood at a distance from the mic as if it was going to come forward to bite us. Lovy and Mansi pushed me forward and asked me to speak. I don’t like them.

And, when I spoke, I realized that maybe I am better off singing and blogging. But, Lavanya tells me that she wouldn’t mind being a part of the Indian Women Blog community radio if we ever develop one. How does that sound, Lovy?

Photo Courtesy: Chhaveesh Nokhwal