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He has stopped being judgemental

DNJAI29086 | 12/20/2011 | Author : Manjari Singh | WC :664

"I am no saint; I have been corrupt too," Rajeev Khandelwal said candidly when confronted with his own 'Sach' regarding corruption in any form. "I am a human being, after all," he said in his defence.
And yes, it was mostly those who hadn't had the chance to make money who talked about corruption, he went on to admit!
This was over the telephone to After Hrs from New Delhi on Monday when the Jaipur lad was promoting Season 2 of his show Sach ka Samna by interacting with the students of SRCC (Shri Ram College of Commerce) on the burning issue of the day'corruption.
"But life has been in the change mode for the past three years," Rajeev said. "I have been observing life more closely and trying to become a better human being," he said honestly in a freewheeling chat on about corruption, Sach ka Samna-2, movies and life...

So, why corruption this season?
Why not corruption? Everyone seems to be talking about it! It had been the debate of the year and, most importantly, many of us learnt that it's not only about pointing out fingers but also looking inside one's self.
And Sach ka Samna has always been about corruption; people from different walks of life come clean on the show.

What happened in the SRCC auditorium?
Like I said, it was a part of show promotion. We COULD have done it in a grander way, like in a mall or somewhere else. But we chose SRCC and I was amazed to see the enthusiasm among the students, not about the show, but their mindset about the corruption (prevalent in the country). These 18-19-year-olds are so aware of all that is happening that it gives me hope that things are not bad as they seem to be. They are the future, after all!

Have you ever bribed anyone or faced instances of corruption?
I am not the ideal citizen, I get tempted. Corruption is not all about fraud in financial transaction; a person can be corrupt in many ways. But, for the past three years, I have been trying to be a better person. No, it's not that something drastic happened three years ago, but it's just that I have started understanding my responsibilities better. And then, Sach ka Samna has had a huge impact on my life.

What kind of impact?
I have stopped being judgmental. Things are not exactly as they appear to be. People from different parts of the country come on the show and they all have different stories behind them. I have started respecting people more. I have a very high regard for people walking on the road (now); I believe they can be as good or as average as I am.

People open up their lives on your show. There must have been times when you get nervous or felt bad about being intrusive...
What do I say? I connect the way human beings connect to each other. I get emotional sometimes.

The last season ended up creating loads of controversies'
We were not looking for controversies. A lot of people say controversies make a show popular, but I would like to say, it was the content that made Sach ka Samna made popular not the controversies.

And, what of your Bollywood affair? You are recognised as a good actor but do you feel the commercial success is missing somewhere?
Nothing is missing. I am getting to do my kind of films and I am happy about that. And I will only talk about my films when they will be ready to release. There had been a lot of talk about UTV's Peter Gaya Kaam Se, but the film never happened. I have a film coming next year but I do not want to talk about it right now.

And what about TV, any soap?
Only Sach ka Samna is happening on TV, no soaps. Why should I do something I have done before?

P.S: Credit Goes To

http://www.dnasyndication.com/

Rajeev Khandelwal: I am jealous of Salman Khan

Like most actors the Soundtrack star too might want to break box-office records in the company of blockbusters likeDabangg, Ready and Bodyguard, but for now he is envious of superstar Salman Khan for more personal reasons. Rajeev Khandelwal, the host of Sach Ka Samna 2 reveals some comfortable and some uncomfortable truths…

It's easy to put someone in the hot seat and grill them to reveal secrets. So we thought why not put the Soundtrack actor, who is hosting the second season of the controversial TV showSach Ka Samna, on the spot. And to our surprise, the good-looking Rajeev Khandelwal does a pretty good job of dealing with truth. At times he shows his human side, filled with strong emotions like anger, jealousy and pride, and at other times he comes across as detached, a mask he likes to hide behind at most times for survival in the glitzy, glamorous world of films

Have you ever wished you were not an actor?
No. Who would want to give up his/her passion!

Have you ever regretted quitting television?
No. Never! On the contrary I am glad I did that. I wouldn't be where I am today had I not quit TV back in the day.

Have you ever wished you could change something about your launch vehicleAamir?
No. It's a classic. A consummate film.

Have you ever wished you were a Khan or a Kapoor?
No. I am proud to be Khan-delwal.

Have you ever wished you had acted in a particular film?
Yes. All the films of Mr Yash Chopra.

Have you ever regretted saying no to a film?
No, thankfully!

Have you ever turned down a film because you were not happy with the money offered?
No. I have lowered my price to be part of interesting and exciting projects.

Have you ever felt that you are a better actor than some top male stars in Bollywood?
No. I am top in my own category.

Have you ever suggested an actor's name for the part of leading lady to your director?
Yes, whenever I have been asked for my suggestions.

Have you ever wanted to desperately work with a director?
Yes, Mr Yash Chopra!

Have you ever felt the industry has been unfair to you?
No. I don't blame others for my hardships, just as I don't credit them for my achievements. Every individual faces challenges. Self pity is a sad approach.

Have you ever lied to your parents or wife?
Yes, many times.

Have you ever looked at another woman after getting married?
The questions are getting tougher. Hmmm I will have to say 'Yes'. Plenty of times.

Has your wife ever had a problem with your kissing and lovemaking scenes?
No. At least, that is what I feel.

Have you ever been jealous when your wife appreciated another actor?
Yes. She loves Salman Khan.

Have you ever broken a law?
Sadly – yes. Traffic laws at times.

Have you ever wanted to hit a person?
Yes, recently, not one but two people. I will write about it in my autobiography.

Have you ever wished you did not live in Mumbai?
No. It's unthinkable now.

Have you ever wished you were a superhero?
No. I like humans. Humans created superhumans. I'd rather be the creator then the creation.

Have you ever dreamed of going Hollywood?
Yes. I would love to go international.

Have you ever got bored of acting?
No. I don't think I will ever get bored of acting. Not in this lifetime.

http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/rajeev-khandelwal-i-am-jealous-of-salman-khan/

Team Anna members to face Sach Ka Saamna?
Source: Bhaskar news   |   Last Updated 19:15(20/12/11)

 

New Delhi: If things go according to plan, some prominent members of Team Anna may appear on reality show Sach Ka Saamna-2, which is Indian version of the popular American reality show The Moment of Truth.

Show organisers are in constant touch with some key Team Anna members like Arvind Kejriwal, Kumar Vishwas and other prominnet figures like Yoga guru Ramdev and former Team Anna member Swami Agnivesh, sources said.

Reports say Kejriwal, Agnivesh and Ramdev have agreed to participate in the show.

Ramdev may appear on the show after culmination of his ongoing nation-wide anti-corruption yatra.     

Hosted by actor Rajiv Khandelwal, Sach Ka Saamna-2 is a reality show which claims to bring out the undisclosed truths about participants' life, is being telecasted on a new TV channel Life OK.

Prior to appearing on the show, contestants are asked 50 questions while being hooked up to a polygraph machine. His biological indicators such as pulse rate and blood pressure are measured and used by the polygraph to decide whether the answer is true or not. The contestant is not aware of the results of the polygraph.

During the actual show, the contestant is asked 21 of the same questions again. If he answers honestly, he moves on to the next question . If a contestant lies, the game ends and he loses all the prize money.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-team-anna-members-to-face-sach-ka-saamna-2657648.html

After Shah Rukh Khan, it is Rajeev Khandelwal who has made a succesful transition from TV to films. With an impressive variance in his work, Rajeev is back to host the second season of Sach Ka Saamna on the new TV channel Life OK.

The show has a new tagline - Bhrashtachaar Ke Khilaf Awaaz, Sach Se Nayi Shuruat. Says Rajeev, "I think this is going to be a great journey and I hope there is no end to this beginning. It's a brilliant attempt and I'm not saying this because I am the host of the show. The show has potential to bring a change in society even if it's miniscule."

Does the idea of launching on a new channel add to the pressure? "This is a huge show, but to come up on a new channel shows trust in the show. I have a very small role to play on the show. The contestant is the real hero, as both the show and the story is about him. I am just holding the mirror."

As for whether he feels any guilt while asking uncomfortable questions, Rajeev says, "It is their choice if they want to go ahead with the next question, and they are well aware of the what could possibly come up. I even warn them at times, when I feel that the answer to a tricky question can be explosive, and only after their green signal, do I ask those questions."

Watch Idea Presents Sach Ka Saamna, empowered by Karbbon Mobile, daily at 10.20 pm on Life Ok.

I benefit from new filmmakers: Rajeev Khandelwal

Prime-time Confessions

A new channel, a new reality show and a new concept. Sunaina Kumar explores how Life OK aims to be different

Retuned Life OK wants to cash in on the new trend of airing more believable stories

ENTERTAINMENT CHANNELS, more specifically, Hindi General Entertainment Channels (GECs), try to stay as far from reality as possible, unless it is reality television, which is actually a wholly concocted version of reality, often stranger than fiction. But a new show on a new channel is set to change that. Sach Ka Saamna: Bhrashtachaar Ke Khilaaf, Sach Se Nayi Shuruat is not technically a new show, but in its second season, it has been repackaged as a show that takes into account the overwhelming anti-corruption sentiment in India. It made its debut on Life OK, the new GEC by the Star TV network.

Participants are encouraged to take the "sach ki shapath" pledge of honesty, and confess to their participation in corruption. Like the man, from a small town in north India, who rebels against his family and exposes their corruption. To the camera, he unburdens the sins of his family as the lie detector validates his honesty. The host, Rajeev Khandelwal, says that even though it's a game show, it makes you introspect about the choices you make. "We have doctors, lawyers and people from all walks of life troubled with their conscience and choosing to confess on television. I wonder how they gather courage to do that. Is it for money? Sometimes it is, but often it is about experiments with truth," he says.

Gaurav Banerjee, programming head, Life OK, expands on this: "Though we are an entertainment channel, we want to be part of the debate that has galvanised the country this whole year and do something about it."

Star TV network, after ruling the cluttered Hindi GEC space for nearly a decade with Star Plus, has launched Life OK this month, and put to bed its other less successful sister channel, Star One. Though, the network refutes that the demise of one is linked with the launch of the other, in the end it comes down to TRPs. Star One, the seven-year-old channel oriented towards the urban youth, failed to garner TRPs, despite recent successes like the romcom Geet Hui Sabse Parayi and the medical drama Dill Mill Gayee. Television Measurement Audience Ratings, for January to November 2011, put Star One on No 7 amongst Hindi GECs, trailing behind Star Plus, Colors, Sony, Zee TV, Sab and Imagine TV.

The new entertainment channel, Life OK, has been so named to differentiate it from Star Plus, and to express its philosophy about appreciating life's little moments in a society in transition. Take for example, the daily soap, Tum Dena Saath Mera, a show that delves into the lives of a young couple that comes to Mumbai from Bhopal and their struggle to make it big. Sanjay Gupta, COO, Star India, says, "In the rat race that is life in India, we are trying to get ahead, fixed on a better tomorrow, and disconnected from today. We tend to celebrate success and achievement, and in that rut, we're letting go of our traditional beliefs. Through this channel, we want to celebrate the small joys of life, that make life okay."

The Hindi GEC space, which commands nearly 40 percent of the total TV viewership in India, has become increasingly competitive inx the past couple of years, with an overcrowding of channels offering much of the same content to the estimated 150 million viewers of Hindi television. Hindi GECs, with their set of loyal viewers who tune in to the daily soaps, are the most lucrative for advertisers and claim the largest portion of the total advertising revenue at 30 percent. With more players vying for the same audience base, there has been a decline in the segment, the main beneficiaries of which have been regional and Hindi movie channels. And they have consolidated their TRPs and eaten into a significant share of advertising dedicated to the entertainment channels. In the dog-eat-dog world of Hindi entertainment, reinvention is the only option. Life OK is looking to differentiate itself from other GECs. The most obvious difference is in scheduling, as the channel airs three shows in one hour for 20 minutes each. All shows will air seven days a week, against the general norm of separate weekday and weekend programming, as TRPs tend to drop for the weekend programmes. With a seven-day package, the channel hopes to keep the audience hooked through the week.

The new channel is also hoping to cash in on India's newest NRI returnee and popular screen idol Madhuri Dixit. Madhuri, as the face of the channel, will constantly interact with the audience through the different shows and provide a context to the story. "Through our narration and intent, we want to stand out. Yet, the audience base for the channel is universal. It is not aimed at housewives of a certain age group, or any specific target audience. It is television for everyone," says Ajit Thakur, general manager, Life OK.

This 'massification' has worked well for Star's flagship channel Star Plus, so far. While other GECs have made niche appeal their strength ' Sony caters modern content, Colors explores social issues, Sab TV does family comedies ' Star continues to experiment with multiple formats and cater to a wide mass of audience. Divya Radhakrishnan, media buyer and founder of media company Helios Media, says, "India already has more than 500 channels, and the next six months will see the launch of more than 100 channels. With many households having multiple TV sets, entertainment needs to become niche, just like cricket, which has divided itself into three categories ' Test cricket, ODIs and T20. In the days to come, we will see niches getting further defined in Hindi entertainment."

Life OK's agenda is entertainment for all, but will it work the way Star Plus has, is a question that will be answered only after a few months as the audience gets attuned to a new channel. The focus of the fiction shows on the channel is on gritty reality, and everyday issues and challenges of the middle class. Saubhagyawati Bhavah, a daily soap, tackles domestic violence through the story of a woman in an ideal marriage whose rich and good-looking husband harbours extreme possessiveness and jealousy. Sapno Ke Bhanwar Mein, the story of a young girl from Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, who moves to Bhopal and gets enmeshed in the quagmire of power and politics, may be inspired by the Madhumita Shukla case, but could have been the story of any young girl with stars in her eyes. The channel's strategy is in keeping with the recent shift in Indian TV towards more relatable shows, after beating to death the saas-bahu formula and soaps exploring social issues.

And even as Life OK seeks to break the mould, it toes the line with its primetime show, Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, proving that mythology is the one way of reassuring the Indian audience that life is okay.

Sunaina Kumar is a Special Correspondent with Tehelka.com.
[email protected]

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main51.asp?filename=hub311211Prime.asp