TV HAS A VERY WIDE REACH TODAY Sonali Kulkarni tells Jyothi Vanketesh on the sets of the new reality show Hulla Bol at Ramoji Studios in Hyderabad that she is enthusiastic about being a judge of a reality show for the first time.

Tell me something about the new reality show Hulla Bol?
Hulla Bol is a reality dance show on air on ETV Marathi in which twenty top actresses from both the small as well as the big screen in Marathi are taking part.

The USP of the show is that each actress is accompanied by two choreographers, by virtue of which Hulla Bol can easily be called the biggest ever reality show on the Indian television till date.

How has the experience of being a judge for a reality dance show been like?
It is for the first time that I have been invited to participate as a judge in a reality dance show by a channel. I should say it has been learning and rewarding experience for me as an actress as well as a human being. I enjoy being a judge because it has given me an opportunity to be in touch with talented new performers.

How tough is it to be a judge?
I think it is quite a tough task to be a judge. I feel like I am taking part in an examination though I am the judge, because I can easily relate to my participants. Most of the participants are fresh talents who are taking part for the first time in a reality show. I have also gone through that stage.

How did you get the offer?
It was my friend choreographer Umesh Jadhav who I have known for a long time ho invited me to be a judge since he is not only producing the show for ETV Marathi but also the creative director for the same besides being my co- judge.

Who are the anchors of the show?
Tushar Dalvi and Sai Deodhar will be anchoring the show which will be on air on Mondays and Thursdays on ETV at 9.30 pm

What made you opt for a reality dance show like Hala Bol?
Basically it is Umesh Jadhav's passion for dancing that lured me to say yes to the offer to be a judge. Also I have had a long association with ETV. I can also see many of my friends among the participants in the show Hulla Bol

Is there any other reason?
There are a lot of Maharashtrian dancers in the dancers union in the film industry who languish for want of work and hardly get the recognition that they deserve, though they have always even behind the scenes.

I am glad that thanks to reality dance shows like Hulla Bol, they are now getting an opportunity to work round the clock and hence get their rightful dues.

Did you agree to be a judge because you were fed up of doing intense roles as an actress all the time or because you have been offered obscene sum of money?
It is a personal choice and hence I do not think that I desire or deserve to answer this question.

How tough is it for you to manage to take time out for the show?
It is quiet tough, to tell you the truth for me to take time out to judge the show because I am required to fly down to Hyderabad every week and stay here for a couple of days to take part in the show. However, I feel that if you try you can do anything, provided of course you have the will and the inclination.

What is your take on TV today?
I do not think that TV is looked down upon by the film industry any more what with all the big stars now taking on assignments as an anchor for game shows on TV like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan.

I am one of the participants in the game show Fear Factor anchored by Akshay Kumar. It was a very scary experience for me. TV definitely has a wider reach today, with the advent of the satellite channels.

To what extent are you rude to the contestants in the show as a judge?
I am a very sensitive person. Neither do I like some one to be rude to me nor do I like to be rude to any one else. I do not think that it is necessary for you to abuse or be rude to any one in order to create the element of drama in a reality show.

Do you feel the pressure as a judge in the show?
Yes. I think I am subjected to more pressure than ever before as a judge of a reality show like Hulla Bol, though let me make it very clear that the channel has not given me any brief and has let me do whatever I feel is right, as a judge. I am very happy about the fact that there is no creative impediment from the channel at all.

What is it being in the shoes of a judge in a reality show like Hulla Bol?
I am quite enthusiastic about being a judge because though I have taken part in a reality show like Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, I have never till date been a judge in any reality show.

Why did you take part in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa?
I decided to take part in a reality dance show like Jhalak Dikhla Jaa where my co-actors judged me, because I was very keen on learning western dance.

Would you agree that you are too laid back as an actress to go out and ask for roles?
Contrary to the notion that people have about me, I am very receptive to going out and seeking roles. What is the big deal if I come to know that there is a role which I think will suit me and hence go and ask for it?

How would you evaluate your growth as an actress over the years since you had made your debut with the Kannada film Cheluvi way back sixteen years ago?
I have no complaints about the way my career has progressed though it has been a case of slow and steady wins the race as far as I am concerned. I feel that I want to achieve a lot as an actress because I am not 100% satisfied as an actress.

What do you like the best about you as an actress?
The best thing about me is that the same madness and passion that was there in me when I had started my career continues to be there in me even now.

Till date I have not had any baggage, because I have always believed in having a linear approach as an actress. I do not like the tactic of coming late to prove that I am a busy actress, though there are times I feel I am taken for granted because of my no-nonsense attitude.