Host story-Rajeev

Some TV show hosts are born, some are made. Some grow on you, and some just fade away after a while.

How many hosts can pin you down to the couch like say, an Oprah or a Larry King can? Uh, uh... not many, right? With the exception of a few, Indian TV seems to be overrun either with the celeb host variety or the species that prides itself on its ability to talk, talk, talk... It's the rare exceptional host who allows pregnant pauses to culminate into some insightful and meaningful revelations. For the rest, the credo seems to be - an airtime moment lost in silence is an airtime moment wasted.

A Cyrus Broacha may be one of India's best funny hosts today, but does his obvious felicity with words and witticisms have to dominate an interview? MTV India's favourite child hosted the 'TV star of the week' last weekend, and all but overshadowed Rajeev Khandelwal. (How did the man qualify for the title wasn't really elaborated, so it's probably left to the viewer to guess that his return to TV with Sab's Left Right Left was the reason for the honour). Of course, credit is due to Cyrus for the deft way with which he can turn a boring interview into a catchy one with his smart one-liners, mildly sarcastic asides and quick repartees. At the end of the half hour though, even the 'TV star of the month' grudgingly admitted that this was the last time he would allow MTV to make a 'bakra' out of him!