The First Encounter!!!

Dear Sakshi,
     HAve u ever been wheeled through a hospital corridor facing the ceiling lights...??? trust me its nightmarish! Well that's exactly how I felt when  I stood before the camera for the very first time...It was a time when VJing wasn't that much in vogue and I for one had no intentions whatsoever to do something like VJing!!! It was through my uncle and aunt that I first got the opportunity and seriously I had my misapprehensions...I was pushed and prodded and ya finally we got to the studio...Seeing the huge glum building loom up, my spirits hit the junkyard! sheesh!!! What the hell am I doing here..? Sigh! Well then I was here so no running away from it! I was with my mom and aunt...and we were asked to wait for a while in the lounge, which looked anything but comforting!! Soon I was asked to move to the make up room so that I could get ready! A brilliant display of lights flashed at me, as I entered the room...why did they need soo much lights...? I was completely lost...Hmm but the stylist was a ray of hope! He was jovial and made me feel comfy, probably coz' he has seen a lot of jittery idiots like me before...:-) and he then went on to say just what I had thought, but more kindly! Soon it was over and I dared to take a peek into the mirror and I was like, oh! not wow! but oh! is that really me??? Hmm the wonders of make up...well even that wudn't lift my spirits....I was then taken to the actual floor they call it, for the recording and I felt like I walked into a dungeon lit with dim lights and huge appliances here and there and everywhere! Given a choice I wud have taken my  magic wand and whoosh! disappeared...as to what awaited me in the dungeon studio floor...later folks! unnikuttan  has woken up and is trying to make a grab for the lappyy help! Bye guys!!! take care!
 
Dear Sakshi,
   I thought I'd rather continue from here than create a new post...so where were we..? aah! yes I finished my makeup and was taken to their recording studio, which was eerily dark with just lights here and there...Not many people there to give me a welcome speech...I was given a sheaf of papers, I think 10 sheets...and was simply asked to learn them by heart!!! I literally flinched...u see back then I wasn't that good in mugging up stuff...Hmm...The show was a special episode on the latest movies slated aschristmas releases!!! So it was a very special episode...and I was asked to put in a lot of smile and attitude and that was about it!!! :-/ Whew! I don't  remember having ever felt such an intense suffocation before, u know how its like when u sit in front of the exam paper and realise that u have totally and completly gone blank!!! Well the crew were pretty patient with me for that matter, coz' they knew I was a newcomer and all that...I managed to learn the first sheet which had 3 paragraphs in it....and I said I was ready, as if I were gonna wage a war or something...:-$ Well they switched on literally every blaring light and I felt as if I was illuminated like a christmas tree and the rest of the room was plunged in darkness!!! Yikes! Well I started off sputtering and gawking! Gosh it was an embarassing mess! I then realised I still had to put on the mike!!! what was I jumping at the cam for? aargh! Well how could I have known that! I could hear an unintentional giggle from some part of the darkness, to top up my embarassment...They told me to take it easy...well easier said than done...but then the chief cameraman told me that if they were to put him in front of the cam, he wouldn't be able to say a word...so it was ok...I actually smiled and felt a loot better. From thereon it was a fairly bumpy ride, I wouldn't say smooth coz I knew there were shortcomings, I wouldn't know where to focus, my attention would waver, in between I would forget the lines...But above all that, I had a great crew, who knew when to tease me, when to be firm with me and when to relax me and save me from any intense embarassment...In short I realised that the director and the camera crew, even the lightboys had a major role in moulding my first ever experience in front of the camera, and I thank all of them now, for having had the patience to tolerate me and to have the kindness to boost my confidence as well...:-) So folks that was my first encounter! and do peep in this column for more interesting encounters...Have fun guys!!!