RJ Ophelia better known as BIG Imsai Arasi (Queen of torture) was recently chosen as the best RJ or the Talent of the Year in Tamil by the Indian Radio Forum. That being known, Imsai Arasi is all excited about her new found fame. “I did expect an award. I was praying for it. But I never expected to win best RJ,” says the excited RJ. Her show, Imsai Unlimited is now called 'Jil Jil Neram', giving the BIG FM listeners, an aural treat of fast and melodious music. Beyond the hits that the RJ plays, it’s the tact of making any dull listener, happy by her wit that has made the show a big hit among the youth and homemakers. “I get a lot of mails from listeners who are working at that time. They would ask me to talk something that would wake them up,” informs the RJ, who’s show is aired between 3pm and 6 pm.
Besides the witty conversation that Imsai Arasi strikes with her listeners, it’s the style of speaking in the Madras language that makes her show more interesting and have an edge over others pepping listeners up. “The Madras slang is something I use when I speak normally. It was only in my college that my friends noticed it and that probably helps me make people laugh,” she says.
Not intending to apply for an award, she was reminded of it only when her colleague RJ Dheena was preparing to apply.
She later decided to try her hand and applied in the Best Non-Breakfast show category, not knowing what had been destined for her. “I was shopping when I got the information that I won. Then, I discovered that the procedure of applying for the best RJ and best non-breakfast show was the same. So, I was chosen best RJ,” clarifies the queen of torture. “I am sure to have competed with all the other RJs in the other stations here,” added the RJ.
Changing the title of her show, she has now introduced a lot of variations, making it more entertaining. Besides her usual poor jokes and punch dialogues, she has introduced the character Jolna Pai Kavinzhar, who recites rhyming poems everyday based on some current issue.
“The character is actually the boy who picks up the phone calls in my show. He writes good poems. So, I decided to involve him in the show,” says RJ Imsai Arasi.
“Most of the time, I plan on the punch dialogues and poems on my own which I submit at the station before my show.
Sometimes, when I am late for my show, my dialogues are on the spot,” she clarifies adding that the award has only pepped her up and motivated her to achieve more.
tejonmayam@epmltd.com