Night Out, The Show That Made Covering Film Stars Legit

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? 
 

Cover of NDTV's book More News is Good News: Untold Stories from 25 Years of Television News