Presenting her style

Charul Malik who started her career with All India Radio shares her journey up the ladder of success

Why did you to quit Aaj Tak?
I was there for two-and-a-half-years. I was anchoring ‘Saas Bahu Aur Betiyaan’. But in India Today channel I’m heading a team and also anchoring for my show ‘Saas Bahu Aur Suspense’. So responsibilities differ too. That is why I left Aaj Tak.

Your idea for the show is similar to the shows on other channels? How did you pitch the idea?
India Today doesn’t have a show like that. They approached me. I’m adding value by doing different themes in my anchoring. Content is same for all of us. But we package in a divergent manner. The presentation is a challenge. I follow the adage “Though you do ordinary but do with extraordinary enthusiasm.”

Tell us about your stint in journalism?
When I was 4-years-old, we bought a TV. I cut the cardboard box of the TV. And I used put myself in that box and I would start anchoring, my sister was my audience. In 1995, I started working with All India Radio for a children’s show. After that, I started working in City Channel Chandigarh, as a news anchor and rest is history.

You conducted a unique interview on skates. How does it feel when you stand out of the crowd?
It is a very great feeling. All thanks to my former boss Shazi Zaman from Star News. He called me one day and asked: “Can you skate?” I said: “Yes, but I did it when I was a kid”.

So he said tomorrow Deepika Padukone and Neil Nitin Mukesh are coming for the promotion of ‘Nadaan Parinde’. You just skate along with Deepika because she is portraying the role of a skater. I got skates which did not have brakes. In the meantime, Deepika arrived. I thought Deepika will do skating and I would just stand. But when she arrived, she said she can’t skate on a live show.

Then my boss said, “Charul you have to manage!” As the channel released the teaser of the show, so Deepika and Neil were sitting and I was the one who was skating. One thing I should share here is, if I had fallen down that day it would have been also a record, but it did not happen. Even today whenever I meet Deepika she says, “You are one of the best anchors I have ever met.”