If my father was alive then I wouldn’t have been in Bigg Boss - Rahul Mahajan

Not too long ago, Rahul Mahajan was down in the dumps. His father being killed by his uncle, he being arrested on charges of drug abuse and just when one thought his bad days were over came his bitter divorce amidst allegation of physical abuse. One by one life dealt a cruel blow but junior Mahajan wasn’t prepared to lie down so easily. He participated in Bigg Boss 2 and what one saw was a totally different Rahul than his projected image. The public that once hated him started to admire his innocence and childlike behaviour. ‘I’m a child at heart’. Rahul shoots from the heart. Post Bigg Boss, he’s become hot property on television. Rahul renews his tryst with television as a judge of Chhote Miyan- the stand-up comedy show for children. In an exclusive interview with Tellychakkar, Rahul speaks on his new venture, Bigg Boss 2, the two women in his life and more. Read on. Rahul Mahajan occupying the judge’s chair on stand-up comedy show. Are you a misfit for such a show? Judging a comedy show is entirely different to a dance or a singing show. You don’t really have to be an expert. In a comedy shows it’s plain and simple- either you laugh or you don’t. What was your first reaction to being offered this show? The feedback that I got from my appearance in Bigg Boss is that Rahul Mahajan has a good sense of humour and he’s popular with the kids. I too am fond of kids. It’s this combination which made me take this show. How will you go about your judging? I haven’t set any parameters for judging. As said earlier, I will laugh only if the act is really funny. Having said that I won’t be harsh on kids. One mustn’t forget that this is a contest between kids in the age group of 6-14. You can’t judge them like a 30 year old. Ideally, don’t you think that having a stand-up comedian among the jury would have helped you? Well, I really can’t comment on this. You will have to ask Endemol about this. I’d like point out that there are other shows where non-comedians are judges too. I don’t think Navjot Sidhu is a stand-up comedian. There may not be a stand-up comedian but we have an established actor-director in Sachinji who’s made successful comedy shows. I will leave all the technicalities to him. Stand-up comedy takes years to master. With kids around, one expects them to be given scripts. Do you think that this would merely apply to mugging up? I have no idea how these shows work. What I can tell you with kids, content is secondary. There might be scripts but comic timing is something that can’t be taught. From what I’ve seen, I can assure you that these kids are brilliant. They even give me a complex. There were reports of heavy betting on the show and that you being the bookies favourite they were voting for you. Was it your own call to opt out of the show or did anyone else take the call for you? Such a show runs across 30-35 countries around the world. Do you think one can afford to have a script? Did Shilpa Shetty have a script when she took part in Big Brother? Similarly, do you think anyone would have influenced my decision? I left on my own terms. What’s your response to Zulfi’s allegation that you rigged the final? I’ve sorted this matter out with him. This isn’t exactly what he had said but his words were tweaked. Zulfi has apologised to me about this. Your good friend Raja Chaudhary has been doing the rounds of jail. Haven’t you tried to reach out and help him? Well, I haven’t. Par main toh koi uska maa yaa baap nahi hoon joh usko salah de. (I’m not his father or mother to offer any advice) You often mentioned that you took part in Bigg Boss to improve your image. However, some of your footage was deemed as unfit for family viewing. Hasn’t such footage caused more harm to your image? Well, I don’t know what was being aired. However, if any such footage was shown then I’d like to apologise for it. People know now that I’m a child at heart. Is Payal just a friend even when we saw you ask her for a kiss? I’ve said before and I’m saying it again, we’re just friends. I can’t recall such a thing. Surprisingly, you’re the first one to raise this question. And what about Monica? What’s been her response to your marriage proposal? Monica too is a good friend. I wouldn’t like to comment on your second question. After coming out from Bigg Boss, you often chose to keep mum on your relationship with these women. Surprisingly, you were like a free bird when facing the camera then why have this privacy now? There’s a difference when you face the camera after coming out of the Bigg Boss house. Earlier, you’re conscious about the cameras in the first few days. After a while, you have to let yourself loose and don’t worry about the cameras. One can’t afford to keep thinking about the cameras for 90 days or else you’d be merely acting. How has the BJP reacted to your new found stardom? Do you foresee a future for you in politics? I don’t know. People from the BJP haven’t said anything to me as yet. As about politics, national service can be done through other means than just politics. I have the ability to make people laugh and this can be done through TV shows. Bringing smiles to people’s face is also a national service. Why did your marriage fail? That’s a matter of the past and I’ve already made myself clear. My wife too has cleared all things for me. Through Bigg Boss, I’ve come out clean and no longer do anyone thinks of me as a wife beater. If that was the case then, no girl would vouch for me now. What about the drug abuse case? That matter is subjudice and I’m not allowed to speak anything on it. Looking back will you admit that you made some mistakes? It’s not about making mistakes. There’s a bad phase in everyone’s life. I’ve gone through mine. Had he been alive, would Pramod Mahajan been proud of his son? If my father was alive then, I wouldn’t have been in Bigg Boss. I’ve taken to the entertainment industry because I need to feed my family. What lies ahead for you? I’ve opened my production company, it’s called Vibrant Cinema. I want to produce content for TV and films. Currently, I’m going through a couple of scripts. Soon you will come to know of my first venture.