RJ Bravo - I Didn’t Choose My Career As An RJ But Rjing Choose Me, I Received A Call From Dubai, And They Hired Me As An RJ For Their Radio Station (RJ, India)

I talk about investment while others talk about savings. By talking about this people’s idea on savings will be changed. That was for example. One must know to convey things properly. He must know to understand and convey things effectively

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I'm a middle-class boy from Valparai, Coimbatore district. I address myself as a small-town boy. I did my schooling in Valparai and graduated from Ratinam College of Arts and Science in Coimbatore where I completed my under graduation in Visual Communication. I used to stammer in my childhood.

I studied in a school where everyone encouraged everybody, While some schools don’t encourage people who stammer to participate in speech competitions or something similar to that. My father was a politician he used to speak a lot in social gatherings where people would recognize his speech and admire him when he talks. Every time he speaks I used to admire him. Since I have his blood running in my veins, I thought even I could do something like that.

That was the time when my teachers, Mercy ma’am and latha ma’am who was in charge of cultural’s in my school days came to my class to collect names for speech competition. I gave my name, even though I stammer my teachers encouraged me by giving regular practice. I even got 2nd prize in the competition.

From that moment I started to practice a lot to get rid of my stammering problem and eventually I did. At my college, I used to actively participate in cultural events to host the function or to do something similar since I like to talk. Though I didn’t get many chances I enjoyed what I did so that was the point of self-realization.

I realized I like to speak a lot and even more, like to a wide range of people can hear me talk. After college, my friends started working in their respective fields. I stayed in my sister’s house for a while in Coimbatore. I didn’t know what I should do. At that time in my life, my friend approached me and asked to host an event in a mall for the AIRCEL company.

I agreed I did, the event was a grand success and I received Rs.2000 as my first salary. That is when I started my career. My career started as an emcee.

2. Why did you choose RJing as a career and what were the first steps you took?

While I was setting up my career there was a point where I was forced to think what is the next step I should take. At times I used to get 10 events in a month and I had a pretty good amount of cash but the next month I would be broke with 0 events in hand.

That was the life I had. My dad passed away. After that, I took my career very seriously And thought about what should I do for a stable career. Amidst these, I went for auditions in Star Vijay where I made some good friends like Rio raj. I was working as an intern in Radio city, there was not any stipend but I liked what I did. My initial days in RJing were the work I did as an intern in Radio city.

After that, I did an audition in Sun Music and I was selected. During my college days I used to do many part-time jobs, I thought of doing the same for earning some extra cash. After so much practice from my friend Rio, I gave my audition for sunmusic and I got selected. I worked as a VJ for 2 years in sunmusic. I didn’t choose my career as an RJ but Rjing choose me.

I received a call from Dubai saying that they would hire me as an RJ for their radio station which was started recently. They saw me on TV Channels and some of my videos on the internet and they approached me saying they wanted a young but talented RJ.

I am an explorer so I agreed immediately and started my journey as an RJ.

3. What challenges can one face during live calls?

It's very difficult to handle live calls. It is like if a stranger calls you and you are not comfortable with the person initially. The person knows you but you don’t know him. Mostly live calls would be nice when we talk about some entertaining topics but it becomes challenging when we talk about the nation or ongoing problems in our society or politics because the person you are talking with may be favourable to one leader and he may not like the other one so they start giving hate speech.

So to handle the situation becomes difficult during live calls. So one time during a live call there was this particular person who often asked me when I'm getting married, I asked him if he was a matchmaker. Basically live calls themselves is a big challenge.

If we start a new show people take time to understand us so for them to connect with us easily is to understand their interests and create content out of them. In this way, we can connect to them easily.

4. What are the skills required to be a radio jockey?

There is no particular qualification to become an RJ. But one must have filmy knowledge, Music knowledge. An RJ has to be spontaneous so one must be spontaneous to give back the right answers. One basic important point to become an RJ is to find out your way of expressing something.

Some people humorously express their thoughts. Some people make it short and crisp, some make big research and give a detailed report on the incident, some people change the tragedy to motivation.

So an RJ must know his way of consuming knowledge and expressing the same. He must know to give the right answers. Even if the question has no answer to it an Rj must know how to diplomatically handle the situation. If a teacher asks a student to answer a question for which the student doesn’t know the answer he will try to face the situation by trying to not get the punishment.

Similarly, an RJ must know to handle the situation at times like when he doesn’t have an answer for any question. He must know current affairs. He must know what is happening around him and must be active on the internet to know the latest trends and stuff.

We should make a difference, I think this must be one of the important skills. I talk about investment while others talk about savings. By talking about this people’s idea on savings will be changed.

That was for example. One must know to convey things properly. He must know to understand and convey things effectively.

5. Does one also need to be technologically savvy in your favourite?

I would say that being tech-savvy ain't that essential but it would be useful to create content if you knew the trending news and stuff.

6. What makes a person connect with their audience as an RJ?

To connect with his audience an RJ must know what is happening in a common person’s day to day life. He must know what things people are curious about or what things people should be aware of.

If we deliver what people are thinking about it gives a great connection to the audience. For Eg, if it is 5 pm and it is tea time we can connect to the audience by talking about similar things where people can relate.

7. Which is your favourite book?