Bollywood Hungamming with Faridoon

My first Bollywood experience was Amitabh Bachchan's Mard. Funnily enough, a German family friend introduced me to Bollywood at the age of eight on a summer holiday in Munich. There was no turning back from here. Watching Bollywood movies is how I spent most of my weekends as a child, much to my mother's disapproval. Apparently, Bollywood doesn't count as an "extracurricular activity". I took a break from Bollywood when the pressures of hectic school curricula took over. This was the era of bad cinema with shabby dialogues and vulgar choreography. I wasn't missing out. Towards the end of my student days, I found myself in Bournemouth for a year and discovered that my local newsagent sold Bollywood VCDs (Note: these are not legit DVDs and yes, they're dodgy). Alone in cold and rainy Bournemouth with very few Asians, I ran right back into Bollywood's arms as if no time had passed, kind of like those chiffon sari clad actresses on the snowy Alps. It was just so comforting to have Bollywood in my life again. Hrithik Roshan had just exploded on the scene, dancing was awesome and movies were daring. Storytelling mattered. Bollywood had evolved.

I wanted to learn more about a journalist whose celebrity interviews I never miss. Faridoon Shahryar, Content Head of Broadband at Bollywood Hungama, is a popular name in Indian media entertainment. His 2000+ interviews of actors, directors, producers and musicians are hard to miss. With his signature cap and tee, Faridoon is well respected and loved by celebrities. You can easily see their fondness for him in interviews and press meets (note the interview with Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma below from 14:15, and on the green carpet with Ranveer Singh at IIFA 2016 in Madrid). The focus of my blog isn't on the stars Faridoon interviews but the journalist behind the interviews and the man behind the journalist. He is a celebrity in his own right, with over 60,000 Twitter followers to his credit. Read below some highlights from our conversation.

Your father wrote the lyrics for the original Umrao Jaan. What has his influence been on your creative endeavors?

We were friends and discussed anything and everything together. He was extremely frank with me and while he is no more, he left behind some great words of wisdom which have helped me along various junctures in life. His poetry is brilliant and as time passes he's becoming bigger and bigger. I have always been closer to my mom who is a great writer too and was an English professor. My interest in English Literature is credit to her.

What role has poetry played in Bollywood?

Poetry was an intrinsic part of film songs since the beginning of the talkie era. Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shailendra, Kaifi Azmi, Anand Bakshi, Sahir Ludhiyanvi, Gulzar and Javed Akhtar are all very fine poets. It was more intricate earlier. Today the emphasis is more on simple expressions.

Whose work do you appreciate in journalism? 

I am inspired by Ellen DeGeneres. From our own political journalists I admire Rajdeep Sardesai, Rana Ayyub and Barkha Dutt.

Bollywood is making great strides in Hollywood today. Where do you see Bollywood twenty years from now?

Bollywood has always made an impact in Hollywood in small measures. We still have a way to go. Irfan Khan is widely respected in Hollywood. It remains to be seen what the response to Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra's releases will be.

What's the biggest misconception about Bollywood around the world?

That it's all about gossip. I don't like the way entertainment journalism is treated frivolously. Many journalists and media houses are responsible for this perception too. I strongly believe in bringing infotainment (factual information) and entertainment through my interviews and voice on social media, but I also always try to do serious interviews on burning topics like intolerance, the recent Fawad Khan issue and when Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan were targeted last year. I want to be taken seriously as a journalist and respect is very important for me which goes hand in hand with credibility.
 

What distinguishes good content from great content?

There is too competition across news channels and the online space, so much so that it's pushing journalists to sensationalize non-facts. In the hunger to outdo each another, people are going to all extents to fabricate news breaking stories. There is too little focus on reporting facts and too much opinion. I am proud of my no holds barred interviews with directors Kabir Khan and Anuragh Kashyab. I'm fortunate to have had a free voice at Bollywood Hungama.

There is a certain innocence in your interviews which our generation lost somewhere between watching Western music videos on TV to taking Subha Hone Na De literally. Are you a bit of a closeted introvert?

You are right, I am innocent (jokes). Interviewing has helped me open up a lot. I was always outgoing but extremely shy. It all started when  my work at indiaglitz.com was noticed by Bollywood Hungama and this organically propelled me in front of the camera. When I have  a sporting celebrity who's prepared to talk, I can get a little cheeky. I don't want to be predictable at all. The surprise value is very, very important.  

Any chance we will get to read a celebrity biography from Faridoon?

I want to write a biography one day. Watch this space.

Your song covers have been appreciated by the stars. Are there any other hidden talents we haven’t discovered yet?

I enjoy swimming, meeting new people, traveling and writing poetry. 

What is a typical day in the life of Faridoon Shahryar?

I wake up early to drop my daughter to her school bus, prepare breakfast for my wife, read newspapers, go to the gym, swim, coordinate with the Bollywood Hungama team, hold interviews, spend time with my family in the evening and it's early to bed from there.

Is it challenging to have a successful marriage when every second Bollywood marriage is making headlines?

I realized I couldn't make decisions in this area without making a fool out of myself and left it to my mother.  She introduced me to my wife of fifteen years, Aarefa who was her student at Aligarh Muslim University. I knew she was the one when I met her. Within ten days of meeting each other, we were engaged and three months later, we were married. Right now, I'm a huge supporter of arranged marriages. They have a novelty value. Love marriages are mostly the filmi romance people imagine. My wife and daughter are my biggest supporters.

At this point in our interview, Faridoon quoted legendary Kumar Sanu's song, Jab Koi Baat Bigar Jaye. I listened intently. It's not every day that a girl has poetry recited to her. "Ho chandni jab tak raath deta hai har koi saath. Ho chandni jab tak raath deta hai har koi saath. Tum magar andheron me na chorna mera haath".

You can follow Faridoon on Twitter @iFaridoon or catch his latest interviews on Facebook @bollywoodhungamacom.