You must have heard him many times on RED FM 93.5 . You may have been at the receiving end of his "Bajate Raho" show antics. He is a self confessed masti freak & a cartoon. And through RED FM's Bajate Raho theme, he does take Nagpurians for a joy ride on his show "Bajate Raho Express"
Meet the friendly & ever smiling Rj Akki!
So Who is RJ Akki in real life?
I am Rj Akki urf Lucky urf Rohit Khandwe. Bahot masti karta hoon main. And i am happy that i have got a platform through 93.5 RED FM where i can do masti & work together! Akki is the name given by my RED FM family & i love the name - especially when some one calls me Akku!
I am graduate from Hislop College & i have worked in various other fields before getting my lucky break in RJ world.
How did you get this lucky break & be a RJ?
I was working with a telecommunication company as a sales corp executive. I got a call from my friend Kaustubh who told me about RJ interviews going on. Since i was on job, i could not attend it & felt sad of having missed the chance. However lucky that i am (laughs), i came to know that interviews will be going on till 9 PM. I immediately rushed to the center & gave the auditions.
19 days later, i appeared for the second interview. And 45 days later, i was told that i have to go to Bhopal for training! I was selected & it was a dream come true! Thanks to my friend Kaustubh who had called me up at the right time. I owe my selection to him.
How was your experience as you joined 93.5 RED FM?
It has been two & a half years since i am working at 93.5 Red FM and it has been superb. The kind of work culture, environment & quality of work is amazing. And I get to do all the masti that i can (Chuckles).
I currently host "Bajate Raho Express" from 12-2 PM. Its a call in request show to dedicate a song where i do what i am best at - "Logon ki Bajana". Nagpurians do take it in very sporting manner & I love them for that!
I also do a lot of Outdoor Broadcasting work (OB Jock). Its fun to go out on streets & various places in Nagpur - & interact with Nagpurians.
What has been the source of all this masti & fun that you have ?
The passion about being RJ & interacting with people - That fires me up every morning.
I leave my problems at home. When i am in front of microphone, i just forget everything else. Sometimes i do share my problems with Nagpurkars & ask them for help! With so many good people around, there's hardly any thing to worry about. That's a good way to keep both my work & personal life balanced.
Being an RJ must have caused a lot of changes in your life, your personality & your outlook.
Yes. Definitely.
I would say i was very irresponsible person five years back. But there has been a complete change now. I never thought of being an RJ & here i am. I have been able to find some hidden talent within me.
I have done some creative jingles that have been played on centers all over India. I wrote a rap song on Indian Premier League (IPL) which has also been a big hit. I have been crowned the Rhyme King of 93.5 Red Fm as i can make rhymes very fast. I had also written a song on the occasion of Gudi Padwa.
All these things have been possible because of the RJ tag. It is a very powerful tag & i respect it a lot. In the media world, i have been able to explore myself and find lot of hidden treasures.
And thanks to Ravi Bhagwat who was then the programming head of Nagpur (now National Head in Delhi). He is the person who brought out hidden talent in me.
Share some of your memorable moments during your career.
Meeting MTV VJ Jose was a wonderful experience. I am big fan of him. I remember meeting him in a rest room (laughs). I told him that i wanted to be like him & he said "Believe in yourself & work hard. You will reach your goal".
I dream of being a VJ like Jose, someday!
And what about memorable moments on air? Any love proposals?
Yeah! I do get some love proposals. And the first reaction is i feel shy. It happens that sometimes a girl feels jealous when i talk nicely to other girls - And then i get a call where i get the "Bajate Raho" treatment from that girl.
Your connection with Nagpur!
I just love our orange city. It has given me everything.
However Nagpur roads is what i am concerned about. My bike has a torrid time on these surfaces. I hope Nagpur roads regain their old glory!
What do you have to say to aspiring RJ's ?
You should listen to RJ's - find out how they talk, modulate voice & handle situations. Being an RJ is only 20% voice. Having a good voice wont get you there. You have to have talent, spontaneity and a sense of humour. Keep yourself updated & learn new things. Remember 'Talent kabhi waste nahi hota'.
To all Nagpurians -
I am a big fan of SRK. All i would say is "Khulke Haso, Jiyo, Muskurao - Kya pata, Kal Ho Na Ho!"
And keep listening to 93.5 Red FM!
