Rajat Sharma ropes in Sanjay Dutt

He has grilled some 800 personalities over 16 years in a mock court room, making “judges” hand down verdicts on his popular show Aap Ki Adalat. Now, after a year-long sabbatical, noted TV host and co-founder of India TV, Rajat Sharma, says he is coming back with the popular serial.

Channel executives said Aap Ki Adalat will hit the air with troubled actor-politician Sanjay Dutt. Some of the guests already interviewed for the show are Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

"Throughout last year, I was on a direct research process. I was travelling in the country and gathering people's reactions to what they want to watch and what kind of questions they want me to ask the noted personalities," Sharma told IANS in an interview.

"And it has been a wonderful learning experience. In fact, we have already started imbibing all those suggestions and research on our channel," he said, adding that his direct interactions with the people also fetched results.

"People don't want any drama anymore on news channels. They want sobriety in news. They want news that is of public interest and benefit. They are done with all the shows on astrology and superstitions," he said.

But, wasn't India TV doing exactly that? Sharma, who started his journalism career as a reporter for Onlooker magazine and went on to edit the now-defunct mag, was candid.

"We were! But that was what the people wanted to watch at that time. Now they want a different flavour. We have already put most of the horror stories and superstitious shows off-air. We will keep on making amends."

- IANS