Sexual Favours Were Taken To Help Someone But That Girl (Joanna) Didnt Win: Nikhil Chinapa

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June 5, 2010 (Sampurn Wire):Kalengada Bhemaiah Chinapa! The world knows him better as Nikhil Chinapa, the man who has been the face of MTV for close to two decades. The 37-year-old VJ often keeps a low profile, letting his actions do most of the talking. For the first time in his career, Nikhil was forced to defend himself in the ‘Sleep-to-win’ scandal that rocked MTV Splitsvilla last year.

No merit was found in those allegations and Nikhil came clean. However the needle of suspicion keeps hanging in thin air. Chinapa made a public appearance to mark the launch of India’s Got Talent Khoj 2, a show which he successfully hosted on Colors at the time when controversy broke.

Chinapa being retained for the second season received a vote of confidence from Colors and BIG Synergy, who haven’t paid much heed to the needless controversy.

The VJ spoke exclusively to TellyCafe’s Mayur Lookhar at India’s Got Talent Khoj 2 press conference. Excerpts..

You’ve never been associated with a Hindi GEC, thus it was a surprise to see you take up India’s Got Talent.

I’ve been a huge fan of Britain’s Got Talent. So, when the show came to India, I was hoping to clear the auditions. I was keen to know how much I’ll be able to enjoy the show in India. I was taken by total surprise seeing the talent and the response of the people across the country when it all started. No matter how many years you’ve lived in India, but this country never ceases to surprise you.

What’s been you most cherished memory from last season?

Oh, there were plenty of them. What I enjoyed most is working with the crew. In terms of performances, .Richard and Sneha, the salsa dancers really impressed me. There was one moment in the finale act. There was a doughnut drop where Richards lifts her up and then drops her. Sneha falls down through his body and she’s basically holding on to her ankle and he catches her on a high. This to me, was the most outstanding moment.

Do you think that India’s Got Talent can go on to become a cult show in the Indian reality scenario?

I think so. India’s such a diverse country. Besides, this show is not purely about talent. It’s also about entertainment. Things you wouldn’t normally consider as talent, like the Prince Dance Group, who do the formation, are also given a chance here. It’s about the entertainment that really engages the viewer. Given the amount of entertainment we have in our country, India’s Got Talent is here to stay.

However, barring the first episode, India’s Got Talent couldn’t get high TRPs.

I have simply no idea of rating. I’m not a numbers person. I failed in my mathematics exams in class 12.

Prior to India’s Got Talent, was it a conscious decision to stay away from Hindi GECs?

No, not at all. What I liked the most was that here was a show where they weren’t looking for anchors who you find in other GECs. There is a typical way of hosting Indian GECs. They were looking for something different. When we first went on air, Ayushmann and I got a lot of comments on facebook/orkut wherein the fans expressed happiness over seeing the hosts who weren’t shouting through television. It’s far more relaxed and causal, almost like friends sharing something with other friends who are sitting in their living room.

It’s nice to see professional VJs/anchors coming on to Hindi GECs. What took so long for them to arrive?

Well, I wouldn’t know the reason. I believe people heading Hindi GECs are changing. There is an evolution in the thought processes. People are looking for different angles. Eventually, you’re producing a TV show. How many different ways can you present a show in? Possibly, one million ways or possibly one way. There are people looking at different angles in essentially doing the same thing where you’re kind of reinventing the wheel. There are subtle differences in every anchor that makes every show different. Our role is to be the string. The way we do it is very unique to India’s Got Talent, to the thought process of Colors and it goes with their aggressive way of thinking as well.

MTV started off as a music channel, but looking at your programming now there’s less of music and more of fiction shows. How do you look at this change?

How do you listen to your music? Where do you get your music from?

Internet Free of cost

There you go. You’re music channel basically caters to the need of the youth. The trend in the youth has changed. How they consume music has changed. Today, they listen their music on iPods, cell phones, and Internet. People are no longer looking at television as the primary source of music. The youth wants to watch programmes that deal with love, relations, career, bikes, cars and gorgeous models. So MTV has adapted in order to continue to stay relevant to the youth, because it’s eventually a youth centric channel.

20 years ago, the youth only cared about music. Now, he’s thinking what will he do for the rest of his life? What’s my career going to be like? Adventure on Roadies, Love and relationships on Splitsvilla. There are a lot of ways for reaching out to the youth. MTV has stayed ahead of the pack in this regard.

Coming back to music, if people don’t want to listen to music on television, what will you get by playing it? Mind you, there’s a still lot of music. Rock On was a great show. Other shows like Rockathon where they are taking music back to the grounds. There’s still music on the channel. It may not be on air but music is still an integral part of MTV.

MTV will soon alter its programming and veer more towards a Hindi GEC. Are you comfortable with this change?

Ah! I have no idea of programming. I only deal with music.

Coming back to anchoring, there’s a huge difference between VJs then and now. The current generation of VJs are very rustic in nature. Is that how a VJ should be?

It’s all matter of taste. You may like the older lot, but current lot is admired by the viewers too. It’s alright to be able to speak in polished English or Hindi, but it’s essential to attach the Indian tadka too. That’s what these rustic VJs bring to the table. This is an Indian music channel. I can talk 100 things about Brad Pitt but it wouldn’t appeal to my viewers. However, if I just speak one line about Sachin Tendulkar, the whole country will watch with keen interest. Today, we have the McDonalds, KFCs, but it’s still the vada pav rules the roost. I see no harm in being rustic.

Last year, a Splitsvilla contestant alleged that you were among those who took sexual favours on the show. Would you like to comment anything on it?

No, I’m done with it. There was absolutely no truth in the allegations. The biggest comment made was sexual favours were taken to help someone but that girl (Joanna (Maggie) didn’t win. So, it defeats the whole purpose (allegations). It’s like you take money to help someone, but when no money was given, the question of taking any favour simply doesn’t arise.

The music channels should be providing opportunities for independent singers, bands. But that hasn’t happened. One still looks to Bollywood which open its doors for only a few. Haven’t the music channels failed to provide exposure to budding talent?

Hmm! Today is 1 June. Wait till the fifteenth of February, 2011. I’m working on a music project with MTV. You’ll have your answer then.

A lot of VJ are getting breaks in films. Why is it that you haven’t featured in many films?

That’s because films is not my forte. My heart lies with music. Though, soon I’ll be playing a very tiny role in a friend’s film. I only took it up because Bijoy is a friend, and I liked the role.

Have you made you pound of flesh through music? Aren’t you lured by the big bucks in films?

Hey mate, it’s never been about money for me. For me, it’s always about finding a balance in life. I like to have a peace of mind.

Finally, coming back to India’s Got Talent, last year, Shekhar Kapur provided the emotional quotient. With him not there who’ll be crying this year?

Ah! I think I’ll be doing the crying this year. I’m a very emotional person. I was really moved by seeing that little physically challenge girl dance. If I’m correct, her name was Nitya, she had the most beautiful smile ever seen. She had no hands yet she loved to dance. Looking at her, you almost questions God’s wisdom as to why he’s done this to a poor child?

-Mayur Lookhar / Sampurn Wire