Night Out, The Show That Made Covering Film Stars Legit

This is an excerpt from Aneesha Baig's chapter in a new book about NDTV and 25 years of television journalism, called More News is Good News. Order your copy on Amazon now.

It was Amitabh Bachchan's sixty-first birthday bash, also the occasion to announce the relaunch of ABCL (Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited) as AB Corp. We had a team of about five reporters at the venue. Delhi was calling constantly - we needed him live. For 9 p.m. No? Then for 10 p.m.

These requests were mocked, soundly. The Big B would speak when he had to. They knew. Then the press conference got over and Mr Bachchan left the stage and walked straight towards me. I, through serendipity and a sudden desperate need for the restroom, was standing squarely in his path. He swung an arm around my shoulders and said, 'Come on, madam, time for the interviews.' Opportunity hadn't knocked, it had blown up the door. In turn and in some trepidation, I suggested that since our OB set-up was right there, would he consider starting there. He stopped, looked astounded at the impudence, turned to Amar Singh (still a friend then) who chuckled thickly and said (thank goodness), 'Why not?' In thirty seconds, we were live and exclusive. In a minute and a half, we were surrounded by the rest of the press screaming, I suspect, as much at me as for him.

When I think back, I suspect that's when we really set the monster loose. The gloves were off. It was soon clear that team Night Out was not going to follow anyone's rules. We didn't wait politely in line. We didn't accept group bites. We wanted something special, something different, and something that gave the viewers a reason to tune in. Shah Rukh Khan standing on stage wasn't enough, we needed him on his way to it, or his way off it. And it must be said, no one, even in the days before we hit our stride, gave more generously of their time to the show than King Khan. He would always stop for us. He would mention the show by name. He would mention the team by name. And with him standing so cheerfully, so patiently, in front of our bright red mike, what could his colleagues do but follow suit? 
 

Either way, for a while, a long while, however smug it sounds, no red carpet, no premiere was complete without us on it. (The only exception being Aditya Chopra who till this day remains stubbornly immune.) Who helped bring in Fardeen Khan's birthday? We did. (OK, he had a film coming up, but still). Awards night? Who congratulated Javed Akhtar for winning for the wrong film? We did! Who joined him and Shabana for his legendary sixtieth birthday bash? We did. Who got Shah Rukh ahead of everyone at the IIFA awards? We did. Who did Aishwarya giggle endlessly at? Um, actually, everyone. But whose arm did George Clooney clutch on to at a red carpet in Dubai? Mine! Whose hand did Will Smith kiss? Mine! Who did Mick Jagger serenade with a personalized tune? Jhala! (dammit!) Who did Will Smith get flirty with on another junket? Puja (double dammit). Will Smith is lovely incidentally. No, really. Journo's joy, start to finish. Pierce Brosnan? Not so much. And then there was Richard Gere, who had arrived and given an exclusive interview to a Channel That Shall Not Be Named. Vasu and I ambushed him with Parmeshwar Godrej. He refused. We pleaded. He consented after much grovelling, but only if we would keep it brief. By which time I was so nervous I whispered the three questions I was allowed. And I think I looked so patently pathetic that he decided to grab me on camera and give me two sound almost-smooches. It was the one time during my Night Out tenure that my mother was truly proud of me.

Nothing was static. Not us, not our stars. Candour suddenly became a saleable commodity. Not the Mallika brand, mind you, though there was plenty of that too. Sensational statements would have to be sifted through. Wars were waged through sound bites and, eventually, social media. The Shah Rukh-Salman make-up-break-up-make-up again played out more in the press than anywhere else. Spanking new couple Saif and Kareena, cool as cucumbers, chose, thankfully, not to use that poor overworked status 'just good friends'. They were together and didn't care who knew it. (And in case you're wondering, yes, that was a fun scoop to get).