If you are a journalist and have to interview a well-known personality about their professional work, you read up on the person you are going to interview and prepare a set of questions that you would like to ask them. Sounds pretty basic, doesn't it? But then you have some, like the journalist who wanted to interview actress Renuka Shahane -- known for her roles in Hindi films and in television serials such as Surabhi -- and began by complimenting her for her work in the 1990's TV shows Swabhimaan and Shanti. As Shahane was constrained to point out to him, she had never acted in those tele-serials. Things rapidly went downhill from there but hilariously so, thanks in no small measure to a supremely good humoured Shahane.
Read the entire conversation here and if you are a journalist, this is how NOT TO do an interview.
A "journalist" called on behalf of a well-known daily, I'll call him J for short.
J: Ma'am we would like to 'do' your interview for a column about veteran tv actors.
Me: Okay
J: So apart from Surabhi which I remember you've done Swabhimaan right?
Me: Many serials but not Swabhimaan
J: Oh no no it was Shanti right? It was very popular....
Me: It sure was but I wasn't in it?
J: (sounding utterly gobsmacked): Er....then what were you in? Please tell me names of your serials?
Me: Why didn't you do your homework?
J: Please ma'am help me now...I will do it from next time....only a few questions
Me: Okay
J: What is the difference between the serials you did & the serials today?
Me: Serials I acted in were weeklies.
J: Weeklies?
Me ( patiently): We have daily soaps now...they are called dailies because they are shown daily. My Serials were called Weeklies because they were shown once a week
J: Oh so only once a week? You mean one story for one week?
Me: No....how do I explain this? You have daily newspapers, weekly magazines, fortnightly ones & monthly ones.....some are printed quarterly? Right?
J: Oh so you had a lot of variety like Weeklies & Fortnightly
Me: No no....I mean we had variety....but I was just drawing an analogy so that you could relate it to your work
Pause
Me: Are you there?
J: Yes ma'am....I thought you were drawing something so I waited
Me: Hmmmm are you writing anything down at all?
J: Ma'am I've got an excellent memory.....you've acted in Surabhi....and you've acted in Shanti which was a weekly & you acted in a variety of Fortnightly & quarterly Serials too ma'am
Me (trying to hold back the mirth): You're amazing....you've got it spot on....now may I please go back to er....drawing analogies
J: Sure ma'am....if you what's app me the photo of the drawing of the "allergy" I can include it as your hobby....it's a very unique concept.
Renuka Shahane recently responded to Salman Khan's acquittal in the black buck case and also condemned his rape remark.
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