Ever since Jay Bhanushali hosted Dance India Dance Li’l Masters, he has become the chosen one for kids’ reality shows. In the last three years, the actor-turned host has anchored Voice India Kids, Sabse Bada Kalakar — a children’s acting talent hunt and is now gearing up for the next season of Voice India Kids. “There seems to a karmic connection between me and the kids as I am getting back-to-back offers to host children’s shows,” laughs Jay.
Does he feel they should be exposed to such cut-throat competition at such a young age on TV? “My only answer is that in every field, even in studies, there are rankings — first, second, third and so on. It starts from nursery. When you can have that competitive spirit in studies why not in dancing, singing or acting reality shows? Yes, children come with great expectations and there are rejections,” he explains.
Jay is of the view that children should be happy they have got a chance to face the world. “When I was a kid there were no such shows. I don’t even know what I was doing at that age, but these kids are so prepared. There is no stage fear. From the age of six-seven, they speak in front of 100-odd studio audience with 16-17 cameras catching their reactions. If the kid has entered the show with 60-70 per cent confidence, the day he is out he has hundred per cent! That’s an exercise you would love to give your child.”
But what happens when they don’t win or are out of the competition? “Every kid comes to win but there can be only one winner. So they are bound to be disappointed and feel sad about it. But that lasts for a day. I tell the family members to give the child an ice cream or take her/him to a picnic or an amusement park whatever the child says and distract them. Kids bounce back soon,” he says adding that it also depends a lot on the parents. “I have seen some family members pressurising their child. That gets too much to handle for a six-seven-year-old. I tell them just let the child be and enjoy. There are also parents who just want their child to be happy, which is good.”
Also, Jay makes it a point to interact with kids much before the shoot starts to make them comfortable. “Once you become their friend it is easy to create content. Even when I am waiting for my shoot I don’t sit in my vanity van, I’m with the kids so that they can talk freely to me. I pull their leg, play with them and they end up telling me all their secrets,” smiles Jay.
No wonder, even after the show is over, they keep in touch with him on social media and their friendship with their Jay bhaiyya continues.
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 "Jay Bhanushali")
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