Exclusive! Priyanka Chopra is My Inspiration for Her 'I Will Do It Despite All Odds' Attitude: RJ Malishka

Mumbai Ki Rani, aka RJ Malishka, is the epitome of talent. Her show on the radio is netizens' absolute favourite. Her witty and relatable content makes it more praiseworthy. She never shied away from addressing social issues, no matter how much backlash she had to face. The audience has always hailed her for every stint, whether in films like, 'Tumhari Sulu' or a reality show like, 'Khatron Ke Khiladi'.

In an exclusive interview, Malishka talks about her journey, radio, and more.

How was your experience at 'The Kapil Sharma Show'? Which character from the show did you love interacting with the most? 

 It was fabulous because Kapil is a long-standing hallmark show on TV, and I was the only woman amongst a bunch of men. Even while being roasted, I had maximum fun because even when you're being roasted, it's a mark of respect for your achievements and career. There was a section where Kapil was talking about my various talents, and I said to him, 'main actor bhi hoon Kapil' to which he said I was coming to that in my long list and repeated ', ye bahut badhiya actor bhi hain' thrice! That was my favourite moment, alongside a lot of witty banter with Kapil and my radio industry peeps. I was asked to sing with Kapil, and I danced with Krushna, and I think they are my favourites on the show. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Malishka / MumbaiKiRani (@mymalishka)

Would you like to share the most memorable experience of your career? Whether it be interviewing someone or a special segment you hosted.

In my career as a Radio Jockey and host, there are so many, but if I had to highlight one, it would be when we were celebrating 10 years of my show, and I had gone to Dharavi to hang out with the kids who played for the Dharavi rocks band. They said to me they wanted to play for Mr Bachchan. After a moment's hesitation, I decided to write to Mr B, just trying my luck because he is very fond of me and the show. He replied almost immediately, and before we knew it, the whole Dharavi band was performing at Mr B's bungalow in the garden with samosas and snacks and a little party. Mr B was thrilled to meet the kids, and the kids were elated to perform and speak to Mr B. I was overjoyed because I connected two worlds in a beautiful event.

You have trained Vidya Balan for the iconic movie 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'. How would you describe that experience? 

Radio was fairly new back then, so I remember Vidhu Vinod Chopra speaking to me and saying he used to listen to me in the gym every day and wanted to have his main character display the same energy and spunk. I met the beautiful Vidya, who I had known since college, a few days later with Rajkumar Hirani at their offices, and the journey began. We went to a radio station, and I did some on-the-spot links between songs. I remember sitting in her car and going around Bandra with her famous lines as a monologue and reading it as I would say it on the radio! She was impressed by how we spoke, especially without scripts to help. Vidya didn't need too much. She was fabulous. Years later, in 'Tumhari Sulu', I got to play a radio jockey alongside her, and she was once again a radio presenter. This time I was an actor on her turf, and she was so gracious and fabulous again… as the character and a co-star. You will love the lady because she's a fab human. 

Your short film 'Parde Mie Rehne Do' has been released, and now you have won the Best Actress Award in the short film category. How did you prepare for that role?

 I have always been an actor in school, college and even beyond. I've done plays at Prithvi and the NCPA. However, my day job has been very rewarding and awarded, so I wasn't sure if someone would picture me in a role like Kuhu's in PMRD. Kuhu is, in many ways, the opposite of me. She is more of an introvert, has body image and self-confidence issues, is dealing with an impending divorce and wants to date without actually showing her face. But I feel like we have all been Kuhu. I was sceptical but knew I would pull off the role because I'm a hungry actor. I do this with all my projects. I will give it my all and learn whatever it takes, whether it is an accent or a new skill. Like I learnt to ride a Bullet even though I only had to ride a scooter in the film. The character had almost no make-up, and I also had to kill my curls so she looked plain. All that there was to show the raw character. I had a fab director and team, and I asked a lot of questions anyway, so we pulled it off beautifully together. I did. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Malishka / MumbaiKiRani (@mymalishka)

What is the creative process behind your daily show, and how do you keep producing fresh content? 

 My show is people-centric and rooted in reality. It's an eye-opener, a perspective-giver, and a lot of fun along the way. I've always wanted my show to have people laughing along when we are having fun, and when I say something is serious, the world sits up and takes notes, plots, plans, and introspection on how we can get better. It is entertainment with a conscience. I've also wanted to learn with the audience, so there's little pretence of knowing better unless I know better. There's enough happening in the world to be content, and there are enough people in the city who also provide content. I have listeners who write to me or call me and say you should take this up. Those who volunteer for causes I take up. Those who call In with everything from traffic to speaking truth to power. I have a good team. We laugh a lot. We put our minds together a lot. We eke out the world's quirks and have a fun conversation. We keep it real. We keep it so we are part of your day, and you will miss us if we aren't, and most importantly, I enjoy my show. I know if I want it, my listener definitely will. 

Who is your inspiration or your role model?

I'm just going to say inspiring people: My mom's ability to pick herself up from almost anything. Oprah Winfrey brought empathy, humour, and humanity to the issues she discussed on her talk show. Priyanka Chopra for her 'I will do it despite all odds'—Ricky Gervais for his devil-may-care attitude and for making a Point with such humour. 

What role do you think radio plays in today's society, considering the prevalence of other media platforms? 

No other medium will awaken you like the radio, literally and figuratively. Radio to me, has never been just about the music or the entertainment. It is LIVE, AND it's LOCAL. As such, it speaks to the relevance of an audience in a place at a time. It discusses questions, knows the pulse of the people, can be a huge instrument of change, and has done phenomenally well with bringing about change. It can do much more than your podcast or downloaded music, or any other non-LIVE content can ever do. Then there's the information you need, traffic, the rains, celebrities, wit, banter, and humour. The chance that the next person on the airwaves is you dedicating a song to your loved one, winning a prize, or getting pranked …and it's always evolving with times to provide people with content for the NOW.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Malishka / MumbaiKiRani (@mymalishka)

Can you share an instance where a listener's message profoundly impacted you or influenced your show's direction? 

Listeners are the show's backbone, which happens almost every other day. Listeners who have faced domestic abuse or need help have aided me in doing the show on Domestic Violence or my favourite Bajao for a cause where the city pitches in to help a certain cause or people troubled by civic issues or even the current Gokhale bridge that have prompted us to make rain songs or call authorities for accountability. Once A listener called with a story of being coerced to kidnap his Boss' son by some people he was hanging out with. I was told not to get into it because it sounded like trouble. He was too scared to connect with the police directly because he was sure he would be imprisoned. I just could take that chance, so I connected him to the police and assured him it would be fine. After a whole operation, the cops caught the kidnappers red-handed, and the man called me back and explained the whole thing and was so thankful. We spoke about it on the radio for quite a while. I assume it gave a lot of faith in their local radio to others listening. 

What advice would you give aspiring radio jockeys looking to make a mark in the industry? 

Be solidly focused and know who you are to build your brand accordingly while staying in the game long-term. Have enough varied interests so you can bring that back to your show and so that you have avenues to grow and channel your talent. Take enough breaks, be willing to unlearn, and be real. Be human and have fun. 

If not a radio jockey, what other profession would you choose?

An actor, that's what I am. 

 Also Read:

The Human Billboard: A Canvas of Brand Loyalty