It has been another brilliant week with lots of feedback pouring in about my previous article that captured moments from my show, Direct Dilse. I want to share something that came in on FB… check out the screen grab!

Otherwise, there were plenty of activities. On November 15, Friends Live Plugged took place at Nazrul Mancha with Chandrabindoo, Anupam Roy and Fossils. With an amazing crowd of 3,000-plus people, I got to see and hear some amazing performances, besides going live from stage for those sitting at home. The week also saw Friends FM OB (Outdoor Broadcast) jock Animesh in conversation with Big B.

And now, as promised in my previous article, today I will share a chat with two iconic RJs. In my 20-plus years with radio I have come across a lot of amazing personalities and wonderful colleagues. These two have been a part of this wonderful journey. I’m talking about Rakesh and Pragya, self-made personalities whom I first met in September 1994. At present, they are doing the prime time breakfast show Good Morning Friends from 7am to 10am.

Pragya and Rakesh

Radio. How did it all begin?

Pragya: It was a happy accident. I was in college and had gone on a tour of AIR Shillong where I met the news editor. He asked me to take an audition and voila, I found myself in the role of a newsreader. After a year or so, I came to Calcutta and started working for AIR as a presenter of western music. One road led to another and the delightful journey is still on.

Rakesh: I was in Delhi trying to make it as a theatre actor. One day, while waiting for my train to Calcutta, I met somebody at the station. The train was 12 hours late and he invited me home. We talked this and that before he asked me if I would like to work for something called FM. And the journey started.

Describe radio in a sentence.

Pragya: My first love... the love of my life.

Rakesh: The best and fastest way to reach people... touch their hearts.

Tell us a li’ bit about the real Rakesh and Pragya…

Pragya is a very happy person, loves what she does and has many interests –– gardening, cooking, reading, singing, connecting with her very cute little nephew on G-chat, and so on.

Rakesh is an extrovert, a people’s person. Adda is his lifeline, sports and politics are his other interests.

A fan-frenzy incident...

Pragya: Once during the Kolkata Book Fair there was a meet-and-greet with RJs. Rakesh and I were mobbed! Listeners were falling over each other to meet us and take our autographs.

Rakesh: Pragya and I had planned an episode of Filmy Quiz, live from a showroom. When we reached, the mall was teeming with listeners. The crowd swelled so much that the market had to shut for some time and we had to be escorted out by private security guards!

What’s your message for listeners and readers?

Pragya: FM is great fun, tune in and get addicted.

Rakesh: FM is vibrant, FM is young... it has much more youth connect than any entertainment channel on TV.

Both: Like we always say, FM suno Rakesh-Pragya ke sang, always raho young!