THIRUVANATHAPURAM: She oozes confidence, charm and energy and is truly the anchor of the times. Dhanya Varma is more or less the identity of the show ‘Talking Point’ on Rosebowl and has earned the reputation of “never being fake,” of being “the one who looks as good as she talks.”
Dhanya’s sincere and straightforward way of anchoring the show has obviously paid off. Seventy episodes and it continues to be one of the most popular talk shows in Malayalam. In an interview with expresso, Dhanya speaks about what makes her tick.
What’s the secret behind your ever-high energy levels?
Well, let’s just say I am not acting out there. I’m inherently a curious cat always looking for answers. In fact, at school, they used to call me ‘Doubt kunjamma.’ It just reflects on screen. I research a lot before every episode. Put all your ego aside — that’s the only policy I follow.
I was never one to take things easy. Even while doing mass communication, I would go for internships during the sem breaks (Dhanya left Kerala after school and took her degree from Pune University. She later joined the Star Network and was in the core team when the Star News channel was launched).
How was the experience at Star?
I was a production person and it was our CEO who told me one day, ‘You should go on screen. You have a very convincing face.’ But Hindi was a major hurdle. On my way to work, in the train, I would read Hindi newspapers aloud. People must have thought me mad. But finally it paid off. If you say ‘ka’ for ‘ki’, the audience will forgive you but if you say Prime Minister for President, they won’t. Ultimately, it’s your dedication and intelligence which
carries you through.
How did ‘Talking Point’ come about?
I never dreamt that I would do a show like ‘Talking Point’. After marriage, I took a two-year break and moved back to Kerala. It was Sumesh Lal, creative director of Rosebowl, who suggested that I do a talk show. I took it up as a challenge, knowing that doing a talk show is the toughest job on screen. You have to listen to several people, think, and plan the next sequence simultaneously. And all of it in real time.
How would you describe its success?
Since it was nearly 10 years after I left Kerala, I didn’t have an idea of how things worked here. I owe it all to my producer Manjusha, who chooses the guests for the show. A unique feature of ‘Talking Point’ is that we don’t call the usual faces who always appear on channels. We pick people from different professions, who have travelled, analysed things and have indepth knowledge of a subject. Finding them is the real challenge. The guests have been really supportive, too. Director Shyamaprasad agreed to be a guest in one of our first shows and Rosebowl is not even a satellite channel! But the response to the show has been overwhelming, especially from the youth. We realised that the media needed a show like this.
The subjects we deal with interest a lot of people but are not generally discussed — for example, ‘Single in the city’ or ‘Woman bosses.’ We consciously keep politics out of the show. There is enough of it already. I’m interested in politics but I’m no activist. I don’t have an agenda but it is difficult to convince people about it. I am just an ordinary citizen who wants to know things.
Do you have a personal stylist/ designer?
No way! I pick my own clothes and accessories. I think it is ridiculous that a journalist should be in khadar or Fabindia. I like to dress up well but that doesn’t mean I am not intelligent or incapable.
Future plans?
However much you enjoy your work, you should find something drastically different to do after a point. Otherwise you don’t grow as a person or professional. Which is why I chose to try the reality show ‘Mammooty the Best Actor’ on Asianet. A lot of people told me a reality show would spoil my image but I feel there is no such thing as an image.
Thoughts on work
I’m glad I’m doing what I love and am lucky in that respect. I’ve never planned anything in life and just followed my heart. But life has given me unexpected things and I’m happy to live the moment. Getting into the media without contacts is a tough task and I’ve been through a lot of setbacks; been ridiculed. But now, I’ve come past all that.
I will always remember the words of Amitabh Bachchan whom I was fortunate to talk to — ‘If you make a plan and it doesn’t work, why worry? God has better plans for you.’
ashaprakash@expressbuzz.com