Jay Bhanushali | The actor and presenter, who is back to host DID L’iL Masters S5, speaks with SUPRIYA RAMESH about how hosting has changed over the years, challenges he has faced and his future plans
You are back to host the dance show. What does it feel like to return after years?
It feels great to be again associated with DID and that too with DID L’il Masters Season 5 and am very happy to be a part of it again.
This show was my first ever reality show as an anchor as this show has given me an opportunity to host and my journey on this platform has been amazing. My audience and fans have loved me hosting this show and I owe all my success journey to DID. This show has given me my real identity and am grateful to be back on the kid’s show as I enjoy being around them.
According to you, how has hosting changed over time?
Hosting has definitely changed over the time, and I believe I was the one who took the first step forward to transform and change the rule book of hosting. I still remember there used to be an anchor who just used to come and tell his script, reading from the tele-prompter.
But when Mithun Da and I got together for DID, and he started pulling my leg, that’s where the whole profile of an anchor changed.
Now the audience not only wants to see the anchor delivering his lines but also entertain them.
Host holds some responsibility for making a show enjoyable for viewers. How challenging has it been for you?
It definitely gets challenging every year, but I am a very different person on the stage and otherwise. I like the attention that I get and enjoy teasing the contestants and the kids around. They react according to my vibes, if I behave seriously, they are also serious with me and if I behave and casually talk to them, I get the same in return. I think it is the one of the ways that content gets created on its own, and once my connection with the kids has been established, they let me know everything. I try to spend a lot of time with the contestants as well as their family, which helps their families talking on the show too. I enjoy interacting with them and the kind of response I get from them is very enthusiastic. They know that if there is anything they want to talk about, they can come to me, either the kids or the parents.
How is your rapport working with Remo D’Souza, Sonali Bendre and Mouni Roy in the fifth season of DID L’il Masters?
I have known Remo Sir for a long time, and we have been so close until then, we spend our vacation together in Goa too and used to play cricket. He is a very good person at heart and is such a great choreographer and director, but he is very down-to-earth. He never demands for respect, and this is something I really love about him. With Mouni, we have started our television career together, so we have known each other since then, so I was sure of gelling up with her so fast since she herself is a very happy-go-lucky person to talk to. Talking about Sonali Mam, I believe you get a vibe from the person
whenever you talk or meet them for the first time, and when we met for the first time on the stage of DID, I knew I won’t take much time to gel up with her too and now, all four of us have a very good chemistry on-screen as well as off-screen.
What are your future plans?
I am really looking forward to some good work, interesting shows. I want to get back to my acting and showcase my talent as an actor. My fans have loved me as an actor, and so I need to get back into acting soon and entertain them. I always keep getting messages from them that they want to see me acting in shows and I think I need to get back into my acting zone for them.
Any message for your fans or viewers?
I just want to ask them to keep showering their love on me and the show DID L’il Masters Season 5 as they always have done. Also, DID is on-air now and I request them to watch it once for me and I know they will not regret