The show aimed at driving the otherwise monotonous and redundant talk show culture into a completely different direction and the credit goes to Uzzwal Bhandary, known by his pseudonym, more so, Ujju Darling.[break]
Bhandary, who worked as a tourist guide for 20 years before he made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, is still going forth with the show, five years straight and close to 300 episodes now. “The network wants it running,” he says.
How did the concept of Ujju Darling pop up?
Insomnia. All the talk shows were doing the same thing; bringing in well known people and asking them the same questions over and over again. In early 2007, I thought about this monotony which was all over the media and wanted to do something different along the lines. I wanted people to enjoy the talk show, bring in a character and let that character create a story all by itself. The idea came to me then, out of sleeplessness.
What was the initial reaction after the first telecast?
When I went to the producers with the idea, the first question they asked me was “But can you do it? Do you dare to?” I used to get angry texts from close friends asking me if I had lost my mind. My wife was initially uncomfortable with it too but now she supports me completely. My kids have still not gotten around the fact yet; they don’t like the show. After the first 40 episodes were broadcasted though, the neglect somehow turned into appreciation. The same friends would call me asking when the next episode would be aired and who the guests would be.
Were you comfortable with the idea of wearing women’s clothes?
Once the idea was finalized, I hired a rickshaw for a few weeks and went around Thamel. I observed the transgender community closely, their postures and gestures. This helped me a lot in making the character of Ujju Darling real and relatable. All the clothes I put on for the show are either my wife’s, my relatives’ or are hired from boutiques.
Do people recognize you off set?
They are usually confused but eventually they figure it out. I have a Facebook page as well where, the amazing thing is, there are so many people who think Ujju Darling is a woman and then there are those who mistake me for a transgender. These varied opinions make me happy; it proves the success of the show and in bringing Ujju Darling to life.
Your unforgettable moment on the show
Around one and a half years after the show was aired; I started getting messages on Facebook from a young guy who claimed that he was in love with me. Then I started getting texts on my phone from the same guy who wanted to meet me. I had to make him understand that Ujju Darling is just a character. He wouldn’t let things slide and still insisted that I meet him. I was not sure if this it was a good idea so I decided not to. Then one fine day, he sent me a text saying he was going to the UK for his studies and I never heard from him after that. So far, this has been the most unforgettable moment of my life.
What are your future plans?
I am planning on writing a book on the experience I have gained running the show but that will take some time. I have decided on the title as of now as “Ujju Darling: How I Killed Myself”. I have no plans of doing films but I want to try my hands in direction in the future. That should be exiting!
Ujju Darling is aired on Nepal 1 every Monday at 9pm; repeats on Tuesday and Friday at 2pm and 9:30am respectively.
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