BC: How was your audition
rounds in ROADIES ?
V R: T he fi r s t r o un d w hic h I did w a s the G roup
Di s c us s i o n , a nd the topic w a s a bout, ope n s e x in
s oc i e ty , I di d th a t r ound c onfide ntly , it w a s
a r ou nd 1 5 to 2 0 m inute s r ound, a fte r s om e tim e ,
c r e w to l d us , c om e ba c k to this a uditorium a t
a r ou nd 8 :3 0 i n th e e v e ning to s e e y our na m e
w he the r y ou a r e s e le c te d for ne x t round or not.
I di d m y b e s t a nd le ft for la m ington roa d to do
s om e b i k e j ob , I didn't e v e n think a bout the
Roa di e s tha t ti m e , c oz I w a s le a s t e x pe c ting
m y s e l f to g e t s e l e c te d out of thous a nds of
c onte s ta n ts for the ne x t r ound. In thos e da y s I
h a d m obi l e w i th m e , I got a c a ll a round 9 :0 0 pm
i n th e s a m e da y a nd it w a s Anus hk a Da nde k a r
the V J of M T V , s h e a s k e d w he r e I a m ? I s a id I
a m d oi n g m y bi k e job in la m ington roa d.. But y ou
w e r e s u p po s e d to c he c k y our na m e a t the
a udi to ri u m a t th i s tim e , don't y ou think y ou a re
s upp os e d to d o th a t s he a s k e d ? I s a id
r e l uc ta n tl y , h o w w ould I ge t s e le c te d for ne x t
r ou nd w h e re the re w e re m a ny pr ofe s s iona l
r i de rs , b ut s h e i n s is te d, s o the n I r e a lize d m a y
b e I go t s e l e c te d for the ne x t r ound of a udition, I
a s k e d i f y o u a re s o ins is ting the le t m e k now
w he r e a n d w h e n I ha v e to be the re for the ne x t
r ou nd . . a nd s h e l a ughe d a nd s a id, s m a rt v inod,
v e ry s m a r t, I s a i d I a m ..
S he to l d m e to be the re tom orr ow a t MTV's offic e
s ha rp 9 :0 0 a m , a n d one m inute pa s s e d 9 :0 0 a m ,
y ou w o n't be a l l ow e d, I pr om ptly re plie d, don't
w or ry m a 'a m I w i l l be the r e s ha r p a t 7 :0 0 a m . She
l a ug he d a nd d i s c o nne c te d, I a ga in tha nk G od
a nd s a i d , tha n k y ou for this oppor tunity .
Ne x t d a y i n the m or ning, w he n I a r riv e d MTV's
o ffi c e o n m y bu l l e t, I s a w lot of pe ople , m a y be
a r ou nd h un dr e ds of c onte s ta nts , e v e ry one
l ook e d h a nd s o m e a nd high-fi, I a ga in got
n e rv ou s a nd a s k e d m a y be I w ill pa s s this round
b ut, I p ra y e d a n d w a ite d for m y r ound, It w a s
a r ou nd 1 1 :0 0 pm w he n I w a s told to e nte r a room
for n e x t r o un d of inte r v ie w .
F i rs t ti m e I s a w , Ra nv ija y , Ra ghu, a nd Cy rus
the r e . . th e y l oo k e d a t m e , a nd a s k e d "Te ll m e
a bou t y o ur s e l f?" I m e ntione d m y s tory s inc e
b e gi nn i n g i n br i e f, a bout m e be ing ha ndic a ppe d
a nd w a s i n to ga n gs a nd a ll.. w he n the y he a rd
a bou t m y d i s a b i l i ty , the y w e r e s hoc k e d, a nd
a s k e d m e to s h ow up, I r e m ov e d m y a rtific ia l
l i m b a nd s h o w e d the m , the y w e r e a ll s tunne d..
Cy rus a s k e d m e a bout Roa die s for m a t, I s a id, I
k now l i ttl e bi t a b out the form a t, but I he re for
a dv e n tu r e s , c o z r oa die s k now n for it's
a dv e n tu r e s a n d ta s k s .
Ra nv i j a y a s k e d m e a bout m e in ga ngs of Mum ba i,
a nd w h a t i f I c a l l polic e he re ? I s a i d I w a s in
tha t w or l d bu t no t toda y , a nd the r e a re no c a s e s
ru nni ng ov e r m e , s o if y ou w is h y ou c a n c a ll
po l i c e .
Th e y to l d m e to d o s om e thing w ith the props ,
l y i ng ou t the re i n the room , I pic k e d up
bo x i ng g l o w s a nd s ta rte d to do s om e a c tion,
th e y s a i d y ou l o ok lik e a s por t guy .. dr op tha t
gl ow s a nd do s om e thing unique , e n te rta in us .. I
w ore a w i g w hi c h w a s the re a nd I a c te d
l i k e e un uc h , w hi c h w a s n't s o funny but the y told
m e to go to o ne r oom a nd a c t a ny thing, s o I trie d
to d o s om e thi ng funny the re , but be ing a fir s t
ti m e r i n fron t of c a m e ra , I w a s n't s o c onfide nt,
bu t I w a s ho ne s t w ith m e . Tha t r ound got ov e r
a n d I l e ft.
I t w a s ra i ni ng a nd I w e nt ne a r m y bik e , I w a s in
th e ra i ns ge tti ng w e t, s udde nly Ra n v ija y c a m e
ru nni ng to m e a nd he c ov e r e d m e w ith r oa die s t-
s h i r t a nd s a i d, don't ge t w e t Vinod, You a r e
v a l u a bl e c o nte s ta nt for us . a nd he le ft, a t tha t
ti m e I re a l i ze d, th a t I m ight be s e le c te d, a nd
w hi l e g i v i ng m e t-s hirt he s a id, in fe w da y s , the
re s ul t of thi s rou nd w ill be out a nd if y ou a re
s e l e c te d the n , y o u w ill ge t a c a ll from
MTV , o the r w i s e w on't.
A b i g s m i l e c a m e on to m y fa c e a nd firs t tim e in
m y l i fe I fe l t i m po rta nt.. I didn't k no w the n, w ha t
i s a bo ut to ha ppe n, but tha t m om e nt of m e w ith
Ra nv i j a y w a s s pe c ia l. Till this tim e , I ha v e n't
s p ok e n a w ord a bout roa die s a nd m y be ing
a u di ti one d for i t to a ny one .
I t's b e e n now 1 0 to 1 5 da y s ha v e pa s s e d a nd I
ha v e no t re c e i v e d a ny c a lls from MTV. O nly m y
th a t ti m e g i rl fri e nd "Vidy a " k ne w a b out roa die s
th i n gs , w e u s e d to go to c hurc h e v e ry da y for
pr a y e r s for m y s e le c tions but I did not re c e iv e
a n y c a l l , s o o ne da y I w e nt for a r a c e , a nd it w a s
a un org a ni s e d ra c e , I r a c e d on m y Kine tic Honda ,
I t w a s a ra c e fr om Mum ba i To Arna la a nd re turn
ba c k . . w h i l e c o m i ng ba c k ne a r Kur la , I m e t w ith
th e a c c i d e nt, a nd the r od of m y bik e pok e d s o
ha rd on m y c h e s t tha t I c ouldn't bre a th for a t
l e a s t 1 0 to 1 5 s e c onds , m y fa c e got s c ra tc he s ,
a n d one tooth got da m a ge d, it w a s ne a r to de a th
a c c i de n t but I go t s a v e d by m ira c le , doc tor s a id I
a m fi ne , no m a j or injurie s ..
Ne x t d a y i n th e e v e ning m e a nd Vidy a w e r e
pr a y i ng a bo ut m y s e le c tion for Roa die s , a nd
s o on w e s a i d Am e n, I re c e iv e d a c a ll, I jus t
l ook e d a t J e s us a nd re c e iv e d a c a ll a nd It w a s
"Ra gh u" from M TV.
He tol d m e a b out I ha v e be e n s e le c te d for a fina l
ro und a nd I w a s s uppos e d to be a t Se a Pr inc e s s
ho te l a t 7 :3 0 a m i n the m or ning the ne x t da y w ith
m y l ugg a ge o f 3 5 da y s , a nd if I ge t pa s s thr ough
th e l a s t rou nd, I w ill be in Roa die s for 3 5 da y s .