What response is your new show Gumraah generating?
It's doing great. The show's theme, teenage crime, is something that has never been spoken about on TV. Thanks to our youngsters getting exposed to the Internet, mobile phones, laptops and crime-oriented adult films, youth criminality has increased with them committing heinous crime like murders, rape and drunk driving etc.
But exposure can't be the only reason…
There is a huge generation gap and lack of communication and understanding as well. Parents don't communicate with their children. Everybody goes through a phase and age of immaturity which often leads to wrong-doings. Teenagers are unable to plan maturely. They don't know who to talk to about their issues. With this show, we are trying to educate them against getting swayed by the moment. We are also educating them about laws and what happens if they flout them. Actually, 99 per cent teenagers don't know anything about the law.
Can you elaborate on where things really go wrong between the teens and their parents?
It starts pretty early. Take the case of a six–year-old girl who was slapped by her teacher. The teacher must have fought with somebody and took out her anger on that child. The child came home crying all the way from school and hoping her mom would settle the issue. But when she narrated the incident to her mother, she told her that she must have done something wrong to have evoked the teacher's anger. That's where the problem starts and gets aggravated, the result being that the child thinks there is no point talking to parents. So, the teen starts tackling problems themselves which sometimes leads to dire consequences.
Isn't your show like Crime Patrol?
Crime Patrol is a more generic show highlighting all types of crime. Our's is focused entirely on teenage crime and its fallout on parents, friends and relatives. All our episodes are based on real-life incidents. I don't think the two shows can be compared. Our show is not just a crime show, it is also educational, not just for the teens but also their parents. We show what is happening to today's generation and how youngsters think.
On the show, I also share my personal experiences and that makes it different from others. I'm not just the host. I'm part of the story. And when it comes to my part, nothing is scripted.
Have you ever committed a crime?
Yes, I have broken rules and done things. Just because I'm hosting a teen crime show doesn't mean I'll say I have not committed any crime. I was once caught drinking and driving but fortunately nobody got hurt and I didn't get arrested.
What kind of research goes into an episode?
We get to the core of the case and talk to all the people connected to the crime — the teen's teacher, cops, psychologist, the psycho-analyst, psychiatrists and others. We go into the past and present and get involved in a general discussion. We try to meet the family. Being on national TV, we have certain guidelines so we can't show everything that we know.
As a teen, what kind of relationship you shared with your parents?
I was a spoilt brat but I'm very fortunate that my parents and younger sisters used to communicate with me a lot. I was educated about drugs, smoking, sex, being bullied in school and all those things which usually touch a teenager's life. I was very well-protected by my family.
link:http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/others/small-screen/61270-yes-i-have-broken-rules.html
