There was a time when a radio presenter’s career was determined solely by the quality of his or her voice. Such was the case when Dubai-based Gagan Mudgal started out nearly two decades ago.
But with the increasing influence of social media, with viewers demanding an insight into studios, broadcasting has become increasing visual
Mudgal's new play Radio Dekh (See Radio) is a humorous look at the changing face of the medium and the behind-the-scenes mayhem of producing a show.
Staged at Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre in Mall of the Emirates on April 2, the production features several other UAE disc jockeys, including Radio 4’s Sapna and Hansraj, and Vicky from Radio Suno.
"Radio is no longer about falling in love with the voice," says Mudgal, who landed his first radio job in Mumbai in 1997. "It's about the whole package. I remember when I came to Dubai and started doing my first show, Chod Aaye Woh Galiyaan, a show that played retro hits and invited listeners to share their childhood memories, I was only 22.
“But because of the content of the show and my deep voice, everyone who heard me thought I was 45 and started calling me Gagan saab [sir]. I liked that and even refused to put my picture on the radio station’s website because I loved that they didn’t know who I was and how I looked.”
Mudgal believes that social media is leading to the demise of traditional radio.
“It’s all about Twitter followers and Facebook likes now,” he says.
“And now presenters are hired on the basis of how presentable they are.”
Radio Dekh will focus on the typical, unglamorous day-to-day workings of a radio station, from brainstorming sessions by producers to listeners' conversations off-air.
“I see humour in everything, so this is definitely going to be a funny take on what happens in radio,” says Mudgal, who has taken a break from presenting to focus on his advertising company and writing.
“Like, some of the chats we have with our listeners are quite hilarious. One of the things I’ve written into the play is how a lot of our listeners ask to meet us for coffee or dinner. They also get us gifts whenever they go on a vacation to their hometowns.”
Despite the rapid changes in the industry, Mudgal believe radio’s appeal will endure thanks to its ability to soundtrack listeners’ life.
“As a kid, the radio used to be on in the background all the time, just like it is for a lot of people who are on the move all the time here,” he says.
• Radio Dekh is at Ductac, Mall of the Emirates, on April 2 from 8pm. Tickets, from Dh90, are available at www.ductac.org
aahmed@thenational.ae