Malishka could never tolerate injustice, even at a young age. Her sense of fairness has always been high. Recently. she spoke to Kiran Manral at SheThePeople.TV's monthly Bombaywaali event.
So how did she get into radio?
When she was a kid she remembers listening to songs on the radio with her mother and aunt. In college Malishka tried out everything - singing, dancing, acting. She says that the one thing she was good at was languages. "I feel like radio was born for me," she says.
"I was at the right place and right time, it was a meeting of stars," she says. She auditioned at several stations, and said yes to the smallest one because they asked her first. Having spent 12 years in radio, she says that it is important to stick to something and establish yourself in it.
On her style and activism:
"I always wanted to be an inspiration, but not be too sweet. I want to say mirchy things and still be loved by you," she said.
The popular RJ says that she always went with her inner gut and that radio helped her become the person she is now.
Radio is a compliment barrage. People who were about to commit suicide have stopped, people have come to me saying they were in a bad marriage and I helped them get out of it."
She says that she has always wanted to straddle entertainment and seriousness.
On the BMC row:
When her viral song on Mumbai's pot holes was noticed by the BMC, Malishka was in America.
"I never thought I would get a BMC reaction. I'm so glad because they never react to anything!" she said. But when the news about the song became viral, she did have to deal with trolls and incessant phone calls. She found that her address was on Twitter, and that freaked her out because of its gross invasion of privacy. At that time her mother was alone in her house.
However, she says that she is touched by the number of people who stood by her. "I felt tremendously blessed when people came together and stood behind me."
"It's been great. At least woke up and you guys have woken up. People had fallen asleep, and now they have figured out their voices are important. We all need to be more active citizens," she says.
Malishka says that when she came back to India, she was determined to make even more of a noise. "I decided I will go to the CM. I tweeted at him and people pushed it. In a week I had met him. I even met the police commissioner. I made every attempt so that they know that I wouldn't cower down".
On getting into movies and TV:
"Why should anyone box you? You should be able to do everything. When people say you are only this or that it's annoying. Be whoever you want to be," she says.
Last year she won an award for fashion icon of the year, and shared the stage with Atul Kasbekar and Sonam Kapoor. Atul always knew she wanted to act, and announced there and then that his next film is radio-oriented and that Malishka will play a role in it. She was pleasantly surprised, and that's how it happened.
Soon we are going to see her acting alongside Vidya Balan, whom she had once trained for a role in Munnabhai.
Also, she is hosting a TV show on colours which is called 'Entertainment ki Raat."
"I'm now on radio, TV and film," she says proudly.
"I really believe that energy is everything in life. I draw it from people and reactions and the feel good. And I want more of it!" she says.
Also Read: Bombaywaali: Queen Of Desserts Pooja Dhingra On Her Journey
Follow Us/shethepeople/media/agency_attachments/iUYfaBbcMozaYLoGnoov.png)
