New Video Jockey

Six years ago, Juhi had no plans to be a VJ and had even turned down an offer for an audition from Channel (V). The channel approached her again for a second time a year later and this time she decided to give it a shot. Though the start was a bit shaky, Juhi has had a roller-coaster ride hosting shows both from the studio and outdoors.

When the offer had come the first time around, Juhi was working as a model manager for an agency. “I happened to meet the Channel (V) head and he offered me a job as their VJ. But I had a job and had to refuse his offer. But some time later, they came to know that I had quit my job and approached me again. Since I wasn’t working, I took it up,” she recalls. However, the job proved to be no piece of cake. She says, “Initially I was not comfortable in front of the camera. In fact, I was a bit shy and took some time to understand things and people. It took a few months to get comfortable and feel right for the job.”

Even though the job has been glamorous and has made her a household name, Juhi regards it as a normal job. “There is nothing grand about it, although it is quite exciting and charming. All that you need to be a good VJ is your personality and you need to be spontaneous, comfortable, confident and talkative. The rest follows,” she says.

“I have do so many shows that I have lost count. But the programme that I enjoyed the most was a call-in request show called Basement. It was fantastic,” she goes on.

Talking about the new show Bollywood Nonsensex which she is co-hosting with VJ Manish, Juhi says it’s a spoof on the highs and lows of the Hindi film industry. “It’s a funny take on the happening and non-happening films, stars, friendships, link-ups, fights and rumours,” she says, adding, “The novelty of the show is that it’s done in a stock market way. Films and stars are assigned a certain market cap and their fortunes are analysed like the movements of shares in stock market. It’s lot of fun.”

- Independent Journalist.