Shweta Bachchan to host TV show

She is the only Bachchan on whom very little is written about. The only time she steps into the limelight is when she accompanies her family. The last time she was noticeably in the spotlight was when she visited the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasiwith her family and soon-to-be sister-in-law Aishwarya Rai on November 26.

Now, Shweta Nanda is hosting a television chat show called NextGen on NDTV Profit.

What prompted her to do the show? "Many things have settled down in life now. My children have grown up and NDTV Profit is very accommodating with my schedule. So I said yes," she says.

The first guests on the show will be Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan, sons of sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

"My show will be on Gen X," says Shweta. "Today's youth have a go-getter attitude; they are outspoken and ambitious. I will bring guests from different fields of art, literature, sports, films, fashion and business."

The last time Shweta, who is married to industrialist Nikhil Nanda, did a show on television was on NDTV's rival channel CNN-IBN where she donned the role of a citizen journalist and did a documentary on the Save the Dolphin campaign.

So what is a day like in Shweta Bachchan's life? "It is a very ordinary day," she says with a smile. "I eat breakfast, take kids to school, surf the Net... Even now, I'm thinking that I need to rush to catch a flight to New Delhi to be with my kids.

"I have always wanted to have children," she continues. "Acting was never on my mind though I grew up in front of camera. Even today, I don't want to be an actress. Of course, I have passed my age to be an actress now!

"I am a very shy person but I love talking to people I know," Shweta says. "So, when the offer came to me, I thought why not give it a try? Let's see how this experience goes."

Her favourite chat shows are those hosted by Oprah Winfrey, Larry King and Barbara Walters. Closer home, she loves Karan Johar's Koffee With Karan and Shah Rukh Khan's Kaun Banega Crorepati.

"I watch KBC when I get the time and I like it," she says.

How did Amitabh and Abhishek react to her new role? "They were very supportive and told me to take up the offer," Shweta says. "The advice they gave me was to make the camera my friend and always relax."

Shweta refuses to answer when Abhishek will marry Aishwarya. All she says is, "Ash is a nice person. I am happy for them."