YFLO Calcutta had set up the podium like a makeshift courtroom inside Park Plaza’s Victoria Banquet to welcome television anchor Rajat Sharma, who rose to fame with the two-decade-old show, Aap Ki Adalat, where celebrities from various walks of life come and share significant chapters from their lives. At YFLO Ki Adalat, Sharma was in conversation with YFLO chairperson Shradha Agarwaal, before taking questions from the 300-strong audience. “I am a great admirer of Rajatji. To me, he’s like a guide and a mentor! It was indeed a moment of pride and celebration for YFLO. We had created YFLO Ki Adalat as I thought it will be fun to ‘interrogate’ the gentleman who has so famously grilled over 800 leading personalities from diverse walks of life! The event was a huge success and we have been flooded with an amazing feedback,” said Shradha. YFLO members were dressed in black and white to create the ambience of a courtroom.
What Rajat Sharma said about...
His struggle: Ten people in our family lived in a small room without electricity and water supply. We used to go to a nearby railway station to study. At that time, there was only one TV channel, Doordarshan. We used to go to our neighbour’s house to watch TV. One day, my father told me, ‘Tum TV pe aao aur log tumhe dekhe!’ I feel everybody should dream big.
Hosting Aap Ki Adalat: I am not here because of myself. It is because of the people who came on the show. They made the show big. I value the relationships and the bonds that I have formed with all our guests. I have always made them feel comfortable.... Shah Rukh Khan is very witty. A person in the audience had asked him who did he consider number one in Bollywood, SRK had replied, ‘Main hoon na!’ Then I had asked Bal Thackeray, ‘Aapko dekh kar Mumbai shehar kyun kaanpne lagta hai?’ He replied, ‘Kaanpna hi chahiye!’ The charm of the show are these kinds of answers! When Narendra Modiji had come, people saw him laughing like that for the first time. Whoever comes to the show puts no condition. Many people didn’t come to our show in the past 21 years because they had placed conditions.
His driving force: My wife (Ritu) is the reason behind my success. She directs Aap Ki Adalat and prefers to stay behind the camera. She gives me the credit for everything. She is my biggest critic and my driving force.
His success mantra: I always ask questions that the audience wants to know from the famous personalities. Always ask the questions with respect. Never get angry. Do your research properly. Don’t look tense and afraid.
Calcutta: Since childhood, I used to read a lot of books. Our librarian was a Bengali. He introduced me to Bengali authors like Shankar, Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay and others. It seems that I know the place, its culture and the people very well. I don’t feel like this anywhere else in India.
Joining politics: I don’t want to join politics. I am happy with what I am doing.
