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Single, singular too

Rakshanda Khan talks about her new role, in which she will play mediator between celebrity couples

PHOTO: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

THE CHARMER Rakshanda Khan says believes she can anchor shows without a hitch

She is not keen anymore on the walking the catwalk, so she doesn't do it. She is an out-and-out food-lover, so she doesn't diet. She believes she can anchor shows without any hitch, so she is often seen hosting shows, both live and canned. She feels films can't bestow on you what TV can these days, so she is not in Bollywood.

Well, one can go on and on like this about Rakshanda Khan, former model and now a TV actress and show anchor. Someone you and me better identify her as the evil Mallika who made life hell for bholi bhali Jassi of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin on Sony TV. Admirable surely for this Mumbaiite who managed to generate in viewers oodles of interest about her role despite Jassi being the central character of the soap. Even after Mallika has ceased to happen now, as "a good girl" Tanya too in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Star Plus, Rakshanda is well accepted by the viewers.

But to return to her style of talking that seems to bank on easy logic of cause and effect, you realise, it essentially brings out Rakshanda's breezy, blasé nature. Tell her that and all she does first is taper further those cat eyes of hers and dish out a big, broad smile.

"If I don't have to feign myself to be successful in life, then I think that is the real success, what do you say?" she throws back the query at you instead. Excited about her new show on Star Plus, Jodee Kamaal Ki, a reality show featuring celebrity couples and their life that goes on air from next Saturday at 9 p.m., she says, "Just wait and watch, the show is really captivating. It is a great homegrown idea for a reality show. Viewers will have good fun watching the celebrity couples talking about their relationship in public."

And in case you are thinking what is so great about watching some Page 3 crowd saying goody-goody things about each other on camera, she clears the cloud, "The format of the show is such that they have to be spontaneous about their answers. It is actually to show the strength of their relationship. What is interesting is, both husband and wife would be asked the same question but they will have to write it down without one seeing the other's answer, so you can't fake it so easily." As an instance, she offers how on the first episode of the weekly show, actors Archana Puransingh and Parmeet Sethi were asked to write down their wedding date and year in ten seconds.

"One couple was asked, whom do you like more, your mother or your mother-in-law? A tricky question it is, as in order to keep your spouse happy, you might decide to say, mother-in-law and yet not want to make your mother angry," shares Rakshanda. A show produced by former actor Dheeraj Kumar's Creative Eye, it would feature three couples on each episode.

Those who are already canned for it include Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan, Varun Badola and Raageshwari, Shaan and Radhika, Rakhee and Rajeev Tandon, Baba Sehgal and Anju, Yashwant Sinha and his wife, Krishnamachari Srikanth, Mohinder Amarnath and Syed Kirmani with their spouses. Rakshanda says she will assist these pairs in orchestrating their tasks with each other donning some bright-hued Indo-western outfits designed specially for the show by Sheetal Design Studio. A spinster still, and talking on and on about couples and the strength of the marital chord, the only question that comes to your mind at this stage is, does she have any plan this year to walk the aisle and be counted among the couples too?

"I can't say. My Mr. Right seems to be extremely elusive. I don't seem to find him," she says. Well, those tidbits that filled the gossip columns pairing her with cricketers Zaheer Khan and now even Irfan Pathan were only rumours then. Of course, she states. And no, she is not looking for perfection in her man simply because she is full of flaws. Enough clues to those in the queue!

SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY

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