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Witty, wise and newly seen

Channel [V] recruits for the "best job on earth"

JUDGING THE BEST VJ Aditya on the hunt for that wild, wacky quality that makes a VJ

In the pursuit to walk, talk and look like a VJ, now there is an opportunity to be a VJ. Channel [V] has opened admissions for "VJ Freshers". Freshers have been short-listed from Delhi, Pune, Bangalore and Mumbai. A single lucky winner will be selected as a VJ for the channel. He/she will get to slap backs and crack jokes with the likes of Ranvir, Purab, Vinay and Juhi. Eight finalists will be taken to Goa for the final selection. The final rounds will be aired on Channel [V].

Cool quotient

In Delhi, this past week, VJs Aditya and Juhi identified the `cool quotient' of candidates. Known for his iconic and wilful curls, VJ Aditya says, "A VJ must be able to talk about anything. He needs to know current gossip. He should be spontaneous. He should know about Bollywood." Isn't he forgetting about music? He quickly adds, "Music is the number one on my list." Talking about Delhi he asserts, "At least there are roads here. The auditions have been good. While few are not cut out, many do have a good attitude. In Delhi we have found quite a lot of talent."

Those with a glazing of glamour and wit include Tanveer Gill. A 26-year-old banker, he explains why he wants to be a VJ. "It's the most fun job you can do. You get to meet different people and to travel to different places. It might be Shah Rukh Khan in the morning, and screaming college girls in the evening. The best part is you get paid for this!" Selling credit cards for two years, he says, "My life is an Excel sheet." The time for change is now.

After the auditions he realised that VJ-ing is about spontaneity. For the screen test he was told to emote, "What if I were a drill sergeant major?" When told to make the grandest possible exit, he did a New York hustle out of stage.

Maanvi Gagroo, a psychology student from Gargi College, has faced the camera before. But that did not equip her for Channel V auditions. "For other screen tests you have a script and have to play a particular character. But here you have to be yourself." Wit escaped her when she was told, "Introduce yourself in the form of a joke."

VJ Aditya jokes that if he has his way he will select a 45-year-old fat bald man! Do the freshers pose a threat to the veterans?

NANDINI NAIR

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