Weekend Exclusive | Radio is a journey of undying passion: RJ Malishka

RJ Malishka is a brand in herself. The bubbly vivacious radio jockey is synonymous with the radio industry today. Her popularity and fan following continue to increase day by day. The young, the old, the teenage. You name it; she has enchanted them all through her morning dose of infotainment that she dishes out to the city of Mumbai. Malishka was recently in Mahim, to be a part of the “Malishka Hawa Mein Initiative” where she thanked her listeners for the love and support they had extended to her by recording live in a glass booth constructed at a height. Adgully caught up with the ever enthusiastic and lively Malishka as she talks about her journey in radio so far.

 

Speaking about her journey as the longest running and most popular morning jockey, RJ Malishka says, “It has been a fabulous experience.  I believe Radio is one of the most imaginative and creative mediums. You can do anything with the help of radio. Also, there is no face value so celebrities get relaxed.”

 

Pointing out to the interactivity that radio offers, which no other medium does, she said, “Radio can take news to the next level and make it relevant to the listener’s life. Radio can create awareness.  A newspaper can say something about an issue in the morning, but only radio can know what you are thinking about it right now. The biggest asset of radio is that it voices the perspectives and opinions of the common man.”

 

93.5 Red FM has gained immense popularity for its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives like “Bajaao for a cause”. Commenting on the same, Malishka said, “Bajaao for a cause has exhibited the power that radio as a medium has .It mobilized people in Mumbai to reach out to each other. We were able to collect 29- 30 lakh rupees for a charity organization in 3 weeks just on the basis of radio and credibility. The credibility that comes from a radio station that says Bajaate Raho and that has spoken its mind, and vocalized its thoughts without any fear.”

 

Providing useful insights into the same, she said, “Bajaao for a cause started with showing the common man that there is another side to Bajate Raho. It worked beautifully. To the listener, it meant going a step ahead. We have done Bajaao for a cause with Aids patients, terminally ill kids, school students who needed khichadi or money for admission and recently with traffic cops who needed water. The same initiative was held at different levels.”

 

Malishka exclaimed, “I hope CSR continues to happen. I think radio is the largest platform and once you have credible people at the helm where people trust the person or trust the brand, you can work wonders. Interestingly, it also helps the brand. I have never seen a time when we have done CSR and the numbers have not followed .One of the things that we won an award for is community service. Last year, we took up the “Hawaldar ko Paani Pilao” initiative. Even though we are a busy city, we want to do something and if we at Red Fm can facilitate that, I am very happy.”

 

RJ Malishka refuses to believe that the popularity of radio as a medium has declined. She believes that after government controlled radio, the private radio stations that came in have revitalized the FM radio scene in India. She also stresses that it is in the hands of the radio industry to come up with interesting innovations that build a connect with the listeners.

 

On being a popular face of the radio industry, Malishka said, “ It has been a huge journey of passion. I believe anything you do; you need a lot of passion. Radio is a kind of medium that allows you to take that passion to an altogether different level or you can also be completely lost with it.”

 

Talking about her personal journey of passion that has got her so far, she said, “Luck matters a lot. I believe there are a lot of people like us who are lucky to be in a particular place and we ought to share that with others. Also when you have a mass medium like radio to support you, you should do it. It is a pleasure to be associated with a brand like Red FM.”

 

Malishka believes that radio is a medium of the mind and offers creative freedom. It has helped her grow and she believes that undying passion, commitment and love for the work she does are things that have kept her on the go.

 

When quizzed about the challenges of her profession she says, “Some people believe it can get boring. I believe otherwise. If you find new things to do every day, it cannot get boring. I find strengths from my listeners. The very fact that the mayor says that he loves the show and it helps him to figure out what the city wants acts like a motivator. The love and the blessings of listeners keep me constantly motivated. The amount of difference that I make in the lives of people is the reason why I am constantly in love with radio.”

 

Expressing her views on how radio has been affected by commercialism, she said, “Radio is a free medium of entertainment and it has to make money. Today, radio jockeys have become brands and personalities in themselves. If radio has to make its money and carve a niche for itself in the competitive environment and if advertising is a way to do that, there is nothing wrong with it. However, it is extremely necessary that while doing this, you stay true to your brand.”

 

Malishka is extremely grateful to all her listeners for believing in her. She asserts, “Radio is a space where you can be real, naughty and quirky at the same time. It’s not an easy space to grab especially for a woman in the male dominated world. I love it when earn the blessings of people. I hope they keep blessing me.” | By Aditi Popat [aditi(at)adgully.com]