I was really eager to host Bigg Boss Marathi 2: Mahesh Manjrekar

Mahesh Manjrekar recently interacted with the media at the press meet of the show. At the sidelines of the conference, he sat down with indianexpress.com for an exclusive chat about the new season of Bigg Boss Marathi.

Excerpts from the conversation:

Was there any cajoling needed to get you back, or were you happy to host Bigg Boss Marathi 2?

I was actually quite eager. There was recently a buzz that the makers were planning to get a new host. While I was keen to come back, I would have been okay if they thought there was someone better to do the job. Honestly, I love Bigg Boss Marathi. I act because it pays me well but I don’t really like it. But this show is something I really enjoy and have fun doing it.

Every contestant from last season keeps talking about how much they learned from you. But did you learn anything from them?

Yes, a lot. Megha Dhade taught me how to never give up. I really admired her courage; she fought against all odds. There was a time when she was absolutely cornered but she fought back magnanimously. Also, she was ready to say sorry but many didn’t understand and played into her hands. I was also amazed by Pushkar Jog’s transformation through the show. Then there was Smita Gondkar, who was usually lost in her world and became my punching bag to get some laughs. But I realised she never badmouthed anyone ever. This show proved that you don’t need to be a star to connect with the audience.

Did you receive any requests from people to refer them for the second season?

I received a lot of calls and it was hard to make them understand that I have no say in the casting. I got a strange request from someone, who said that his wife was fighting with him, and he wanted a 100-day holiday. It was so funny that he took Bigg Boss as a hill station and was even so confident that he would survive the whole term. When I told him I was not the right person, he called someone in Viacom and said that Mahesh asked me to speak to you. It was outrageous, and yes, I got multiple requests, even from unknown people.

The Hindi show started the trend of getting a common man in the show. Do you feel that will work with Marathi too?

Of course, I think a common man can add a lot more value to the show. They will be more real and react emotionally to situations. They will come with nothing to lose and so, it will be quite fun.

How did you prep yourself for this stint?

Bigg Boss came when I was least expecting it. I remember I got a call from Salman (Khan) at 1:30 am one day. He told me ‘Bhau (as Salman fondly calls him), you host Bigg Boss Marathi, you would be the best choice for it’. I was in sleep and didn’t even understand what he was saying. And then a couple of months later, Colors Marathi called me asking if I would be interested. I hadn’t even seen one episode of the show, and always wondered what did people like in the show. But I realised it was so much fun and quite interesting. I didn’t watch Salman’s work as it would have been tempting to try and be like him. And I wanted to be me, and I think it has worked out well.

What was the industry’s feedback on your hosting?

I got a great response. Some might not have liked my work, especially the ones who would have wanted to host it. But that’s how it is. However, I am happy with the feedback that I got from the industry and others too.

What do you feel helped you connect with the audience as the host of Bigg Boss Marathi?

I think because I react like a common man. I deal with things like my mother, or a friend’s brother would do. Also, I cannot take shit and lash out to people when they are wrong.

So, what can we expect from you in the second season?

If someone is good, I will not shy away from praising them. But if they go wrong, I will definitely can them.