Hu's interview in Aug issue of Gr8! magazine..speaking about Shabaash India. Its part of Abhilash Bhattacharya's interview about how SI came to fore..
"This show is lots of fun.."
Star ka jamai Hussain is rubbing shoulders with some truly extraordinary people on a reality show Shabaash India on rival channel Zee TV. He tells GR8! there is more to life outside Teleland...
Once in two months Filmistan studio in Mumbai's Goregaon is witness to some marvellous feats performed by some of the gutsy people from all corners of India. Dressed in casuals hosting Shabaash India Hussain seems to be in awe of the participants. "The show is about the people of India who do such unique things that most of the other people of India are unaware of. We are going to be showing a different side of India to India," says an awestruck Hussain.
He then excitedly reels out a few examples, "You've got to see this man who can blow air into a tyre tube and then brurst it. Can you imagine this guy's lung power? Then there is a guy who puts small snakes through his nostrils and removes them from his mouth! Yet another man drinks milk from his nose and throws a pichkari from his eye up to a distance of about 11 feet. There are small kids who are so good at acrobatics, so flexible that they can curl up and fit into a small box. They've been perfecting these skills for years..!"
Hosting this unique show Shabaash India Hussain seems to be having fun watching these people perform some extraordinary feats. "I'm having fun because I get to meet normal yet extremely talented people. I get to interact with the people from the interiors of India, some places I can't even pronounce the names of!"
This is the first show outside of Star, the channel he's always been working with. He smiles and says diplomatically, "Yes, it's the first time that I'm doing something outside of Star but then my debut show Aashirwad was on Zee TV. Star kept giving me good shows and I'm grateful to them. I don't think any other actor has got the kind of opportunities I have. But this show is lots of fun..."
Hussain remains unfazed that his show Kumkum recently took a 20 year leap where youngsters probably as old as him, cal him DAD. "Look it's only a serial. Just because they call me father doesn't mean that I really become that old. I don't think too much about these things anyways!" he laughs.
Switching topics back to this show, he's surprised at the fact that, "despite being perfect at what they do, these people practise their art for several hours everyday. I don't know what drives these people..!" He shrugs as he gets up to host the next segment.
Producer-Director Abhilash Bhattacharya on Hussain:
"Selecting the indoor anchor, the face of the show, was an important decision. All the faces on 'Shabaash India' were relatively unknown. So we had to get an anchor with whom the audience could identify. Moreover, my concern was that on the set we were presenting people who had never faced a camera or the arcllights. We needed an anchor who could put them at ease and present them with dignity and pride. After all 'they' were the 'heroes'. So the right choice was Hussain Kuwajerwala.
In our first meeting Hussain got the hang of the show. What I like about him is that he adds warmth to his interaction with our guests, feels a sense of pride in our nation's talents... Ofcourse, the euphoria is built by a live audience present on the sets as well as on location."
Ufff Yeh Love Hai Mushkil
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