Mumbai: People who don’t appreciate English music are subhumans. They shouldn’t be allowed to wear clothes. They should be made to sing ullullu like the aboriginal tribes,” said RJ Sarthak, trying to drive home his point about the appeal of music. Sarthak, Delhi’s loved and listened-to radio jockey went ballistic about Vidya Balan’s portrayal of an RJ in Munna Bhai MBBS and Karthik Aryan in Dhamaka as unrealistic portrayals of RJs. He was baring his soul to Sumedha on her popular podcast “Bluntly Streaming” where she grilled the RJ on various counts.

In a two-part series, the volatile guest even ends up demanding that Sumedha NOT call him an RJ, but a radio host or radio presenter. “Radio jockey” is the wrong phrase. It should be Radio Disc jockey,” he snorts. Sumedha Bluntly Streaming dives deep into the vibrant life of RJ Sarthak, a personality with a beard as colourful as his journey. The RJ is known to be one of the most loved ones on radio waves. Also considered original for his content. He quotes a famous saying that states that “There are only three original ideas in the world and the rest are interpretations,” to which Sumedha, with a straight face, asks him, “Are you original?” Offended by her blunt question (what else do you expect from Bluntly Streaming?), he mocks her for her question, but not before attacking her with, “What do you think is being original” Are you an original?” The conversation takes amusing turns as both end up making peace with each other about whether or not radio jockeys are loyal to the Jockey, a popular lingerie and innerwear brand.

“Everything begins with my hunger for attention,” Sarthak confesses to Sumedha. What about your hunger for auditions, asks Sumedha who called the chair he was sitting on a “casting couch”. The conversation veered towards other topics such as his relief package for later risers who missed out on his early morning show, the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, his tryst with MK’s Gandhi’s book, “My Experiments with Truth” and more.

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The RJ also gets grilled on why he chose French or Sanskrit, his stint on TV with Headlines Today and about his most memorable callers on the show. The RJ who is into his 25 year on the radio waves shared a heart-touching anecdote about a caller who would be the first one to call his show every fortnight. “We even had special music for the first caller. Later, I got to know, after about a year of radio interactions, that he, his wife and disabled child committed suicide after he faced losses in his business and could not recover from it financially.

Sumedha also explores the intriguing world of RJ Sarthak’s nepotism and under-the-table dealings. “If you want to win me over, get me food,” he states. The conversation then touches on some uncomfortable chords. Sarthak then blows off the lid on sex, drugs and rock n roll by decoding the concept of choreographed music. “These days, music is not straight from the heart. Rather is researched and designed to give a music spike every 30 seconds. No wonder that the old-timers like Metallica could still beat the Taylor Swifts of this era,” he states. The Rolling Stones and U2 are still on the top and headlining shows in venues like Sphere in Las Vegas because they are not into the nonsense called template music.  

He then reveals his fondness for underground music, citing bands like Gogo Penguin, Coco Roco, and Fyah, whose audience may be limited to around 25 people. He appreciates music that emanates from the heart, emphasizing the connection it creates.

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As the conversation shifts to streaming, CDs, and vintage vinyl records, Sarthak highlights the significant effort required not only to create music but also to delve into its nuances. He expresses frustration that, in the present era, there seems to be no premium placed on knowledge. Recalling his past, he vividly remembers taking a bus to the British Library, borrowing books, and immersing himself in reading about Eric Clapton. He laments the contrast with today’s easy access to information, stating that the effort he invested in acquiring knowledge in the 90s is now condensed into the first line of Clapton’s Wikipedia page. He concludes his episode of Bluntly Streaming with a stern reminder, “Don’t mistake information for knowledge,” before Sumedha concludes the conversation.