Renuka Shahane returns to small screen as talk-show host

The 'Hum Aapke Hai Kaun' star would be hosting 'Yala Jeevan Aise Naav' (This is life...), a talk show featuring real life human interest stories.

The bi-weekly show would be aired on Zee Marathi from tomorrow.
With this, Renuka, who recently directed a Marathi movie, 'Rita', would be doing Marathi TV after a hiatus of 17 years.

"People and their stories excite me. Therefore, when I was approached for this serial, I agreed to do it," Renuka said.

"It is a real-real show featuring ordinary people with extraordinary stories. Facts are always stranger than fiction. We have already shot for four episodes," she said.
On how she prepared for her new role, Renuka said her knowledge of psychology came handy.

"My background as a trained clinical psychologist came handy. Also, my image as a girl-next-door due to the work I have done till now helped me to connect with the audience. People felt comfortable sharing their experiences, even intimate, with me," the 44-year-old actor said adding, "my prime job on the show is to make the participants comfortable and get them talking." Though initially the show would only be highlighting heart-warming stories, Renuka said grand plans are on the anvil.

"We are trying to set up a grievances cell so that the victims may be helped out. Making them aware about their rights is our purpose," she said adding, " plans are also afoot to start a helpline for the needy, especially those who are at the receiving end because of societal ills."

"We also hope that once the stories are aired, people would come forward and extend monetary assistance where ever necessary," Renuka said.Renuka, said that the show gave her an oppurtunity to go back to her roots.

"I was eager to do television for a long time. However, nothing good came my way for long. And then this show fell into my lap.As an anchor, language is not a problem for me. I only try to brush up my knowledge on a particular subject to the T," she said.
When quizzed on her favourite anchor, Renuka said she liked Anu Kapoor as the host of Antakshari.

"The way he got audiences involved was great. Also, talking impromptu is difficult, even I am working on. Besides, I have also liked the way Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Hussain and Siddharth Basu have handled their shows." And what about her former colleague and Bollywood suerstar, Shah Rukh Khan. "He too is great. As it is, he is good at whatever he does," she said.

On comparisons with the legendary host Oprah Winfrey, she said though the format of our shows is similar, the former is too big a host to be compared with.