Exclusive! “I believe in inner beauty; cream or face pack can only enhance the glow,” says Rachna Banerjee

It isn’t easy to rule hearts for 27 years, especially in showbiz where competition is cut throat. Yet, she managed to do that quite effortlessly; thanks to her beauty, charismatic appearance and talent. And not just Tollywood, but she did cast her spell in Odia entertainment industry as well as in South. Now, she is having an unparalleled innings on the Bengali small screen as ‘No. 1 Didi’. Yes we are talking about actress Rachna Banerjee, whose show, ‘Didi No. 1’ turns out to be a massive hit, running for the past 13 years, with a long list of fans from 8-80. While her beautiful smile and charismatic appearance made her one of the most beautiful artists of Tollywood, Rachna’s down-to-earth nature brought her close to the masses. The actress-host-turned-entrepreneurs spoke with Etimes TV in an exclusive interview, pouring her heart out. Read on…

What's the secret?

The very first question Rachna faces, whether she is with the contestants of Didi No. 1, fans or other artists is, what’s the secret of her beauty? When we asked her about that Rachna laughs and says, “There is no secret. Everyone keeps asking me, what I use as my skincare routine. It’s true that excessive makeup, exposure to bright lights, shooting in scorching heat, affect skin. And we need to look good on camera. So, we need to take care of our skin and hair. I try to use natural ingredients. These days, cosmetic procedures like facelift and fillers have become so popular. But Personally, I believe in simple home-based products that can be easily available in the kitchen, say curd, grinded lentil or oats. Rather than buying expensive products, trying it a few times and then finding out it doesn’t suit your skin, my mantra is Rannaghar Zindabad! (Laughs)
When asked about the secret behind her popularity that seems be only growing, the actress says, “It’s been 27-28 years since I started my career and past 13 years as Didi No.1’s host. I am Rachna Banerjee because of my audience. To be honest, it’s the love and blessings I have been bestowed with that brought me to this place. I am extremely grateful to my audience.”

Rachna’s show is currently in its 9th season and enjoys popularity that’s uncontested. While the interesting format of the show, its constants and their interesting journey brought ‘Didi No. 1’ closer to the mass, none can deny that audiences love to watch Rachna Didi on screen. Bengali TV has many non-fiction shows but Didi No. 1 holds a special place in audiences’ hearts. Rachna, who is touted to be the key reason behind her show’s success, says she isn’t really bothered about competition. “See life is a competition. I don’t really think about it. There are so many popular anchors yet Didi No. 1 has been running for 13 years. It’s audiences’ love. What else could it be?”

What is beauty to her?

Interestingly, Rachna has started a new inning as an entrepreneur. First her boutique and now, she is launching her beauty products. When asked why she didn’t opt for a café or restaurant which most of the celebs do after turning an entrepreneur, Rachna says, “I never wanted to start a café or a restaurant. I mean I could have started such a business where a cup of coffee or fine dining costs fortune, but I never wanted that. I always wanted to do something keeping my audience, affordability and utility in mind. Since, I love saree, I launched a boutique. Then, I remembered how everyone keeps asking me about my skincare routine, so why not launch beauty product, with absolutely natural and home-based ingredients within an affordable range. I never wanted my fans to go back from my boutique with a gloomy face and a thought that- ‘We can’t afford it’.”

“I believe in inner beauty. It’s beauty within, it’s someone’s behaviour, the goodness in their soul make them beautiful and not otherwise. No cream, no face pack, no beauty product can make someone beautiful if he or she isn’t beautiful from inside,” she says.

Has the perception of beauty changed after meeting Didis in her show?

“Of course!” she says in a firm voice. “On Didi No. 1, we welcome participants from different walks of life. The more you talk to them the perception keeps changing. You can never judge someone by looking at them. The more you talk with them, the more they open up, their inner beauty becomes more and more visible,” says Rachna with a million dollar smile on her face.

And the obvious question arises. Does Rachna Banerjee’s inner beauty make her more beautiful? To which she says, “That’s my audience can answer.”