Q. What is more fun to host? A TV show or live event?
Whichever one ends faster.
Q. With so many hats to wear (like a video jockey, radio jockey, a theatre personality, writer, and so on) what work do you love the most?
To be honest I’m not emotionally attached to any of my work. I’m happiest when I don’t have to work at all.
Q. What has been your funniest/ strangest moment on stage?
I’m the king of making mistakes, and especially on stage. I have a knack for calling people by their wrong names, but the amazing thing is that the audience thinks I’m joking so they just laugh. Except the guy whose name I’ve called, he never laughs.
Q. Known for playing pranks and giving people a good time; what has been the best prank that has been played on you?
While visiting a sick friend at a hospital a ward boy came to me and said he had bad news about my friend. I really freaked out, before realizing he was only joking, basically I was caught off guard because I didn’t expect a prank to be played in a hospital, that too by a staff member!
Q. What is that one thing you love to do when you are not working?
I live with my wife, two kids and the grandparents, and I’m basically at the bottom of the power chain at home. It rarely happens, but I love watching TV, freestyle on the bed, with the AC set on the temperature I like, and towel placed on the bed where it should be, and no one asking me to do anything!
Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I wonder sometimes what it’d be like to be a woman. Also, I’ve always wanted to be taller.
Q. Your greatest achievement?
I recently learnt to shave left-handed. People don’t seem to think much of it, but I’m pretty impressed with myself.
Q. Your favorite event agency to work with?
Its basically people I have good relationships with. Encompass for instance. Its founder Roshan Abbas, recently pointed out that he’s older than me and that made me feel very good. So now I know two people who are older than me- Roshan and LK Advani- in descending order. I also enjoy working with Wizcraft.
Q. The event you had the most fun hosting?
MTV events are most fun because the pressure is always on the technicians. Also I’ve been working with its team for very long and it’s fun because we’re constantly pulling each other’s legs. I also enjoy hosting dealer conferences, the ones that are organized abroad, because it’s just a bunch of people wanting to get drunk and party, nobody really cares what I’m saying. You’ll be surprised how much slack one can get away with.
Q. Most interesting person you have interviewed/roasted?
I interviewed Bill Clinton in Barcelona and he’s really a very sharp and witty man, Shah Rukh Khan too is very charismatic.
Q. Speaking of Clinton- who were you supporting- Trump or Hillary?
Well, for starters, both their hairstyles suck. Hillary basically sounds like an Indian politician with an accent, but at least she doesn’t talk about stonewalling immigrants and starting a world war 3. She was definitely the better prospect of the two.
Q. Agencies that always pay on time?
I’ve smartened up and hired a manager who ensures I ALWAYS get paid in advance. Hah!
Q. Agencies that never pay on time?
Back in the day there was an event planner in Hyderabad by the name of Himanshu who packed up overnight and took off without clearing my dues. Himanshu, if you’re reading this, I’m still searching for you!
Q. Your pet peeve?
I run out of patience very quickly. I like to do things and move on, whereas I’ve noticed some people move very slowly. If it takes two minutes to fix a light they will spend 10 minutes talking about it and another 10 minutes staring at it. Like c’mon, get it over with.
Q. One thing that you believe is your strongest asset?
Wow I better be getting my Miss India crown for answering this question. I could seriously give a very long and pompous answer to this (laughs). But speaking truthfully, I think my ability to not be fazed easily is a big plus.
