Maniesh Paul on Radio Day 2024: Radio will always have a special place in my heart
On Radio Day 2024, actor Maniesh Paul talks about his love for Radio as he started his career as an RJ.
As the world celebrates Radio Day, television host, actor, and comedian Maniesh Paul takes a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminiscing about his humble beginnings as a radio jockey. “The journey has been very long but a great one,” reflects Paul, adding, “I started as an RJ at Radio City as an evening jock but soon I was shifted to the morning drive time, which I had no idea was the most prestigious show. I was quite young and had no idea, so I just jumped on. I was 23 when I started doing radio. It has been wonderful, I learnt a lot from radio and it has given a lot to me so God has been really kind.”
Paul acknowledges the pivotal role radio played in his life during his formative years in Mumbai. “Being an RJ paid my bills at that time, which was very important for a boy who had just shifted from Delhi to Bombay with nothing in his hands,” the 42-year-old shares. “That was the first priority at that time, but I also learnt a lot about how to make scripts because I was making my own scripts at that time, there was also a lot of improvement in my talking because of radio, and how to emote your voice, because it all depends on how you relate with the audience through your voice. Aap bahut kuch seekhte ho radio se.”
Reflecting on radio’s impact during turbulent times, the Jugjugg Jeeyo actor recounts, “I remember how radio was the only way people were connected to each other at a point during the bomb blasts in Mumbai around 2006, when it was a chaos all over. I was connecting people and trying to calm them down, especially those who were travelling by train. That is the crucial time when I actually realised the power of radio and how people were dependent on it.”
Paul emphasises the unique connection radio fosters with its listeners. “I feel that the personal touch a radio can give, nobody can,” he affirms. “Every time you listen to the radio, they are actually talking to you. They are not talking from a script which was made way back, they are talking to you then and there about what you are doing right now.”
In an era dominated by digital media, he remains steadfast in his belief in the enduring appeal of radio. “The way the world is moving so fast, mediums are changing. Vo aap rokk nahi sakte, but people who are still connected to radio, I don’t think unka pyaar kam hoga,” he expresses. “Personal touch jo aapka RJ ke saath banjaata hai, nothing can replace that. Radio mere heart mai aur life mai bahut special jagah hold karta hai. Initially, it became home for me. At times, I used to spend the entire day in the radio station,” Paul ends.
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