Anchoring the innings Samir Kochhar

Back in 2002, cricket broadcasting took a new meaning with a movie channel (SET Max) bagging broadcast rights to premier cricketing events. SET Max incorporated cricket with Boyllwood and we saw pretty actress Mandira Bedi stepping into the shoes of a presenter in Extraaa Innings – the pre-match cricket show. This season model cum actor Samir Kochhar is one amongst the new faces of Extraaa Innings. Samir isn’t new to anchoring as he has successfully anchored shows like Dangerous (Zoom) and Full Toss (Hungama). He’s also made his film debut with Zeher. Tellychakkar caught up with the handsome hunk who is currently enjoying his tryst as a presenter on Extraaa Innings during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Can you describe your IPL experience so far? Simply fantastic! I’m travelling all over the country; meeting people from all parts of the world. As a cricket buff, I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m amazed to see the kind of response that IPL is generating. Every match is sold out. You’ll struggle to buy a single ticket. Which team would you put your money on? I’ve always vouched for the underdogs. Prior to the start of the tournament, everyone felt that Rajstahan Royals is the weakest team. But they’ve proved all wrong. I don’t have particular favourites but I’ll pick the underdog in every game. Have you played cricket at any competitive level? No, I was a footballer having played for Delhi at the zonal level. Cricket and Bollywood are the prime passions of every Indian and I’m no different. What has this opportunity done for your career? It’s too early to say anything. Obviously, it pays off when the whole nation watches you but I haven’t come here with the intention that this show will do wonders for my career. I’m merely here to enjoy myself. Channels prefer good-looking guys and girls over talent. Do you agree? Mere looks aren’t enough to go live on televisions. There must be something in me which landed me this job. It’s not that sports scribes are sitting idle. You do find them across various channels. When it comes to cricket, everyone want to be associated with it. Today, we have eminent presenters like Harsha Bhogle and Charu Sharma occupying key posts in Mumbai and Bangalore teams respectively. I have nothing against any form of journalism, but when it comes to cricket everyone wants to be associated with it. Purists feel that game has been reduced to a tamasha with the inclusion of actors as hosts and reporters. When you talk of the IPL, it’s like Bollywood. You’ve got superstars on and off the field – not to mention the lovely cheerleaders and the packed stadiums. T20 is all about glamour and it’s inevitable that Bollywood is part of it. Hollywood actors too take active part in NBA or baseball, so why should you raise a finger at the presence of tinsel town stars in cricket in India? Mandira had many critics but looking at the current team, one can’t help but say that Mandira was much better. Your thoughts. Well so far I haven’t received criticism from anyone. It’s a learning curve for all of us and we are bound to make some mistakes. I can’t comment on my colleagues but thus far, I think I’ve done a decent job. What’s next for you after IPL? Well, my film Jannat is due to release soon. Incidentally, it’s based on match-fixing and I’m playing a cop in it. Besides this, there other films like Mumbai Cutting and Shaadi Ke Side Effects. Do you think match-fixing really takes place today? I don’t know about match-fixing but betting is a common trait. Ideally, it should be legalised as it is in most other countries.