HYDERABAD: Hellowz hwz ur day...April ke baaad May...Said saying say ...Hehaaa happppy elephant day.. Meet the girl who weaves in such verses as Hyderabad’s most famous and hilarious radio jockey.
How it all began
I was studying BCom first year at St Francis College, Begumpet, and we were conducting an event called Arthashastra on behalf of Commerce Organization for Emerging Entrepreneurs (COFEE). I had approached Red FM for media partnership. It was meant to be a simple deal to promote each other. During one of those multiple visits to the radio office, they asked me if I could audition for a radio jockey. It sounded good as I could go after college. I agreed, got through the screening and so I hosted my first show on November 6, 2006. Gradually, the show ratings picked up and in a few months, it was among the top shows.
How it went
Initially, I was told to brush up my Telugu as I spoke hardcore Telangana dialect which was considered uncool an uncouth then. I was advised to read newspapers and sound a bit more formal. Soon enough I realised that a natural chatterbox like me should be made to talk direct dil se. I had never spoken anything apart from the local dialect since day one. While some laughed it off, I told them that I can’t continue if I am not allowed to speak in this style. I had decided that if I am asked to put on a fake, new accent and sound different, I would rather give it up. Luckily, the AP head Muthu gave me the go-ahead and asked me to be myself. Anthe iga rechipoyina on the mic. Within a week, it became a hit. Inka callers, compliments, claps shuru.
Looking back
I worked for eight and half years non-stop. My show was among the top rated ones in the channel and in the evening band. There was no dearth of callers or tuners. Things were hunky dory. But then me being me, I wanted to take a break. In 2010, I decided to go to the US and pursue further education. I did psych myself up to take the big leap of faith. I already hinted to the listeners that the next day would be an important announcement. On April 9, a day before I left my job, I announced that my listeners won’t be hearing me from the next day as I will be taking a break. I thought the words ‘so long then’ would be easy to utter and I would wrap it up decently. But what happened in the next six hours of the show was mind blowing.
The day that changed her life
The evening of April 9 that year witnessed an unprecedented barrage of calls, mails and messages. Things went viral. In about six hours, the numbers swelled and you won’t believe that 4,018 people - the figure is etched in my heart - visited the studio in Somajiguda. Frankly, I expected about 50 people to say goodbye to me. But this number took my breath away. The callers and visitors astounded me. A retired personnel brought reports to show his BP before and after listening to my show. Another said how I made his otherwise boring and even depressing evenings into a merry-go-round. I also had invited my parents to the studio that day as I was not sure I would get back. And there was a boy who came there to show my name tattooed on his wrist. I laughed off saying he spelt my name wrong with an extra h. He said he can’t too anything because it wasn’t a fake one! The management then realised that I indeed had an impact on the city.
Stay-at-home
Within a month after I quit RJing with the idea to fly for my MS, I got the Indian Radio Forum Award for the best show. Next year, I bagged the best RJ and CineGoers Award. I was to leave for my MS leave in July, but when I retrospected, I felt that I had the best going for me. I was the queen of my little kingdom. I faced the existential question - what would I do in the US. I dropped the idea.
Break ke baad
During the time I took the break for five months and came back to the same channel and same show in August 2010. Surprisingly despite having quit the show, I continued to be the top RJ with the best mind recall and that was revealed by the prestigious Nielson survey. I joined back the channel on public demand until 2012.
Moving to TV
That was also the time I got married in 2013 and I was in a mood to try out something new. That was when V6 channel approached me and I was told that if a girl could blabber in the language four hours six times a week, we can definitely host an entire channel in the dialect. I hosted The Prateeka Show and did 60 episodes of the live show. Again the vacation bug bit me and I took a bigger break to travel to Andaman, Thailand, took Zumba classes and baked awesome cupcakes. I lived an entire lifetime during that time.
Digital stint
Another year and half later, TORI approached me and I felt it would be a good international exposure. Now I host LOL with Me Prateeka - Monday to Saturday 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm. I take calls on Skype so the canvas is bigger and more callers too. We are on an app too. There are big expansion plans if that happens every phone will be tuned into me.
Prepping up
My drive from my home in Film Nagar to my studio in Srinagar colony serves as my space to think of a topic. From a brilliant and witty hoarding on the city road to an old man trying hard to cross the road, anything inspires me to think of a topic. I take about an hour to think of the day’s playlist. Then of course, people love my poetry. Callers give me their name or keyword and I am supposed to weave in a limerick sort of thing for them. They love the rhymes. I take to poems like a fish takes to water. They find it hilarious.
Prateeka impact
In my radio days, I spoke about a teenager who suffered a hole in her throat. Although we did not do any targeted campaign as such, talking about her helped us raise `1.8 lakh for her. That is when I started believinig in the power of spoken word. There was another child from Chennai who was confined to the bed due to health complications but often signaled to her mom to tune into my show. I met her once before she passed away. A few months earlier, a doctor - a listener - from Maryland recently told me how she is able to handle her postpartum depression (she recently delivered a baby) thanks to my show as it makes her laugh.
Finding her Mr Right
I am pretty traditional in matters of the heart. I would go to the Shirdi Saibaba Temple near my home. That is where Praveen my husband’s parents entered the scene He confessed his love for me through them and like good Indian parents, they approached mine. After a few meetings, it was clear he was the male version of me. We synced and bonded. He was custom-made for me. He works as a VP at Prime. After a few meetings at our favourite café and Subway, we got married in August 2013.
Three hashtags that define you
#Happy #Happening #Helping
Three things you think you should not have done so far?
Three things you think should change in India: n We must stop being too judgmental n Our traffic sense n Crime towards women
Three most embarrassing things so far
Three downsides of being a celeb: Invasion of privacy, not being able to stay bindaas in presence of others, not being able to eat at Sindhi Colony