I don’t script the fights on my shows

Right from his student days, Omkar’s sole dream was to get into the entertainment business and make it big one day. But the boy from Guntur did not want to waste his entire life as a struggling newcomer. Instead, he went on to complete his graduation in physiotherapy from Kakinada, and during his internship in Hyderabad, auditioned for a VJ’s spot on a local channel.Thanks to his striking looks and pucca Andhra accent, the show went to become a massive hit and his female fan following increased. From then, there was no looking back. Omkar’s entry to the small screen made him the most popular anchor. And this, he says, was because there were hardly any male anchors at that time. “Ankitham on Aditya Music gave me my break. When I entered TV, the main shows were ruled by four popular lady anchors — Suma, Uday Bhanu, Jhansi and Shilpa. I guess it was a refreshing break for the audiences to have a male anchor. There were times when girls used to call their shows and dedicate songs to me,” he says while reminiscing about the good ol’ days.
The journey from a simple dreamer to TV’s reality showmaker was no piece of cake, he says. “I have two brothers and a sister. My doctor father’s earnings were modest, but he supported me in every way he could. I came to Hyderabad in 2001 and it took me five years before I got my first break. I managed to survive on Rs. 2,000 a month that my father sent me. I lived with my uncle in Ameerpet, travelled by bus and used every penny judiciously. They were difficult days, but when I look back, I realise that if not for those struggling days, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”
After Ankitham, Omkar juggled many roles — producer, program conceiver and anchoring. He is known for introducing reality shows to the Telugu audiences. Omkar’s hit series Aata, a dance reality show, which was also his first production, went on to rake in the TRPs and is still a favourite with the masses. “I went with a different idea to the channel but during that time, shows like Nach Baliye were popular. The channel wanted me to make something on those lines and that’s how Aata was conceived,” he says. Omkar went on to host shows like Adrushtam, Challenge, Sa Re Ga Ma Paa and Mayadweepam. In fact, he is the only guy from the small screen to find a mention in Allari Naresh’s Sudhigadu, a movie spoof on various Tollywood celebrities. The anchor has even tested waters as a director with Genius, in 2012. Although the movie bombed at the box office, Omkar says it hasn’t deterred him from trying again. “Failure is a part of showbiz. You learn as you grow. I’m positively working on my next script,” he says, adding, that his dream cast would be Mahesh Babu or Pawan Kalyan with Samantha in the lead. “Maybe I’ll make a multi-starrer, considering it’s the trend nowadays,” he laughs.
Omkar is also said to introduce controversial shows were judges are constantly bickering and contestants exchanging heated words, on a daily basis. Quiz him on the same, and Omkar simply brushes them aside. “I’ve said this time and again — I don’t script the fights on my shows. It is definitely not like we plan and rehearse the fights according to sequences. Every reaction and emotion is spontaneous.”
On the personal front, Omkar recently turned daddy to six-month-old daughter, Amrutha. “When not working, my daughter keeps me busy. It’s a different phase of my life. One look at her smiling face, and all my stress just vanishes,” says the doting daddy.
dipika.pillay@timesgroup.com