Rahul Bhatia’s journey into showbiz has been an interesting one. From being an engineer, who has also done his MBA in International Business, he ventured into dancing, modelling, acting and also aced his job as an anchor. Now an entrepreneur and YouTuber, Bhatia is keen on exploring his acting skills a little more. He talks about his journey so far, his future plans and how he is coping up amid the ongoing crisis:
Tell us about your initial years, how did you do so much and that too so early on in your life?
I have done engineering and MBA from Delhi and was always inclined towards art. While pursuing an MBA, I remember in 2005 I joined Shiamak Davar academy and started my career as a background dancer. Sushant Singh Rajput was a part of the same batch and we were close friends. Sushant, Ansh Bagri and I even performed at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Australia in 2006. Around that time I also did some modelling assignments with brands like Wills Lifestyle, India Fashion Week, few commercials like Samsung, LG and MacDonald’s. I also worked in movies like 3 idiots, Aisha as a background dancer. I also did a DD national show, worked in reality shows like Kyunki Jeena Isika Naam Hai, IIFA Star Ki Talaash, Dare To Date, Big Switch, Emotional Atyachar, Chat House and Date Trap. Anil Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Koena Mitra and Manish Malhotra, were judges and Karan Johar and Malaika Arora were the host of IIFA Star Ki Talaash where I was a runner-up. In 2011 after my MBA, I shifted to Mumbai, did quite a few more shows and ads but unfortunately, within a year my money got over and I went into depression. So I returned to Delhi and joined my father’s business. Later I worked in Kingdom of Dreams in Delhi and then went on to become an anchor at Homeshop 18, Snapdeal and later became the national head of the countrywide team of anchors at Naaptol. It was not easy to achieve any of these but I don’t think I would have learnt anything had it been a cakewalk.
As an anchor what are the qualities should one have to be successful in the profession?
His or her voice, pronunciation, how s/he speaks, words being used, gestures, postures and personality matter. Not just verbal but non -verbal communication is important. Eye contact with the audience, knowing their taste and what they are looking for are also necessary qualities. And an anchor should know how to crack jokes and when.
Who is your favourite anchor and why?
Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan are the two people I really look up to. I have learnt a lot from the way Bachchan ji hosts Kaun Banega Crorepati and Salman ji anchors Bigg Boss. No doubt there are so many fans of both the shows. Their energy, presentation, knowledge and word usage are commendable.
What is your career focus at the moment?
Right now I’m an entrepreneur, so I have a few startups which includes D7 Events Pvt. Ltd., an event management company named and Realty Assistant Pvt Ltd, a real estate company that I am expanding. We have gone international with Dubai already, now Reality Assistant’s next stop is Canada. Apart from these two star-ups, I have two YouTube Channels. VJrahulbhatia, which is mainly for vlogging and pranks and the other one is Reviewrahulbhatia, which is a tech channel. And I am also thinking of taking up acting projects.
What are your viewpoints regarding daily soaps? Would you like to be a part of them in future?
I want to do daily soaps to start with. They are like dal chawal and it is the ideal space for me to learn. They also provide a regular source of income and help you form an audience base. I want to get back to acting.
How are you keeping your mind peaceful and happy in such times?
I just keep myself busy and do things that keep me happy. If you do nothing, you end up over-thinking and that adds to your worry. Spend time with your family, like I do with my mom and dad. I also read books, watch movies and cartoons in my free time. I feel rather than sitting idle and thinking too much why don’t we become more aware, follow precautions and help each other.
What kind of the content you put out in your tube channel?
The channel VJrahulbhatia is all things entertainment. I do vlogs on various topics, there are prank videos, regular conversation videos that involve my family etc. The second Reviewrahulbhatia is a tech channel that has been created out of my love for technology. I share about the latest technology trends and do product reviews too.
There are many actor influencers who have been doing good work. So what sets your content apart?
My content has a personal touch. I’m not an actor so to say. I have mostly done commercials and cameo roles. So what you see in the video is real me and my experience minus any kind of acting. So relatability is my USP.
