Fireside Chat w/ Soumil Arora

[00:00:00] At least my observation was 100% nonsense. Can we cancel for that? You can get cancelled for that, anything. Nice, we get there. Hello and welcome to the Indian Racing League. The IRL Podcast hosted by F1 Fanfiction. This is a show about the behind-the-scenes, the stories, what's happening?

[00:00:34] Who is it happening? Who's making it happen? The different articles of the event that's happening just in a few weeks to come. And the people making it happen, right? So with that said, this is episode five.

[00:00:48] And this one's going to be a bit different because we've got someone, the voice that you've heard. Someone that everyone knows. So getting right into it, we are your host, I'm Akash. And I'm Sarang. And my name is Somal Rura, here's the reason, Jelman.

[00:01:04] I am the commentator and presenter for the Indian Racing League. Along with many other things, but let's focus on that one bit for today. It's that time of the year again finally guys. You're really underselling yourself right now. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:01:20] I post because I'm thinking there's going to be more because I'm just going to be like, I'm so mad. Just wait, let him, you know, confuses me. I also got like the coffee, I'm like, I'm like, let us sip.

[00:01:30] Okay. No, I'll just let you, I'll let you have that. But the Indian Racing League is one thing that I really love to do every single year. That's true, it's a fantastic opportunity to have as well. But apart from that, it's been a fun year.

[00:01:42] I've been able to do more GP circuit commentary at the EIC. That's been amazing. It's a time where more sports has been normal. And lots of other things, there are about some Mumbai without events as well. For a Formula 1 podcast, this will separately.

[00:01:56] So it's been a busy chaotic year. And good that we get to end with the Indian Racing League because you have to say the best for the last side of the India. Yeah. Yeah. That's fair. For folks you know, the inside line.

[00:02:10] He's been he's been one of our inspirations to start his journey. So if you've been listening to F1 fan fiction, if we've been listening to that podcast for what? I mean, over a decade now, I can't even remember when I started listening to you. He's the real OG.

[00:02:30] We're like the people who just started, but he's the real OG. If you haven't, I mean if you haven't here living under a rock somehow, but yeah, you'll just go check them out. So like says means a lot. Thank you. Right. You're being here?

[00:02:44] What we first want to know and we know what you've done as a commentator, right? But who is someone like what's your family background? What would have you grow now? Yeah, like this is something we tried to start. Let's start from the ancestors. Let's start.

[00:03:02] Just kidding. I like this question though because it's proper waiting season isn't it? Exactly. These questions are floating out. Maybe not for my age. But if you go all the way back, my ancestors used to live in the other side of the

[00:03:14] industry. They thought that after the partition, they'll be good to fly over to Delhi. So they flew back with ox and pots of gold. That got looted on the airport. It's like, ah, yikes. So we lost everything.

[00:03:26] So the son of a scratch back in Delhi, my parents were, I can't say second generation, it means because it's a very, I mean, they parents moved out a movie began after the partition. So moved into Bombay after that to work and touch with that's where

[00:03:42] I came into the picture in 2003, lucky me that I got born and born by because it's just, I just wanted to be a pretty lovely city in terms of the opportunity. Oh, it's like happy. And the fun thing was my parents have been

[00:03:58] that should very, very open and very liberal in terms of what I can do with life. And that's generally been such a brilliant platform for me because for all the other kids that I see in my circles is like, do you've got to get X amount of marks

[00:04:10] or Y number of grades? And then you've got to do it in certain subjects because you've got to pursue a certain path in life. For me, I've always had an inclination towards two things, firstly, spoon and be the microphone.

[00:04:24] To the point where I've honestly never watched an episode of Norte. I know of Norte. I know what it's about. But I've always watched in the secret of the footpaths of first. That's our first year. Exactly. I just know what Norte is and there's a policeman

[00:04:38] who's a car, but nothing gets about it. Which is strange because whenever we're not set of friends, whenever we crack a joke about old TV shows, I have to go back again to watch it to realize,

[00:04:48] ah, this is what I missed out on. But I can't complain, right? Because that meant that I grew up with the likes of, grew watching the likes of Harshaboglay, Peter Doreen. Not so much David Kroff, not a big fan, but that's just a taste kind of thing.

[00:05:04] I came to this people. So it really became the base of what I do today. And fun time, I learned to speak English. So these people, like I never learned to do school, I never learned to do my thing. Wow, just imitating these fellows.

[00:05:18] And there's a thing. Yeah, it came to be a really funny thing. We're in grade five, seven. I remember lots of my school friends saying, hey, dude, you've got a weird accent. But I didn't. And do we fare if you live in Kandigoli, which is like a normal

[00:05:30] thing? Yeah. It is an accent. Yeah. You can you compare, if you know you know, yeah. You know, for context, lots of them really lovely Gujdati folks live here. So they have a certain you're speaking right. And so my way of speaking is quite different in comparison.

[00:05:46] So there was a bit of curiosity initially that he's this accent. But it's just, I'll be honest, 100% it's just copying the grades. That's all. And then eventually you end up framing a voice of your own. That's the,

[00:05:58] you're happy. But my dad was, that was quite a quite an important part of what I'm doing today. Because he was the one who actually pushed me to start my first block. And he's his idea was simple. Like you're consuming so much of information

[00:06:14] to us in the home of the life. He all faces these days. But you're consuming so much of information. You're not putting it out there. Your head is becoming an absolute mess. Because at that time, nobody used to watch Formula One. And Formula One was just

[00:06:26] who I was. There's no other Karen Noclus narrative. It is just Formula One, 99 to 10 new. That was like three things in my life. But they're the only three things that are so cute. And I was like nobody's talking to you quite simply you're getting

[00:06:40] lost in your own head. Put your things out there. Like put your thoughts down there. What do you think about sport? And I remember very vividly. My first article was just writing down the groups of the 2014 football world. But that's all nothing else.

[00:06:53] Group A is in group A wasn't in the group A was cost to the ecosystem. But yeah, you get the idea. Listening to that. Yeah. But eventually, touch would it came to the world of racing

[00:07:04] back so because this was in my first love. And at some point in time, I knew that this is where I wanted to be. In the meantime, studying was happening normally is basically it's not. But touch would in 2016 started writing about racing. Started off of the 2016 British EP,

[00:07:21] just randomly writing an article. Then went to Formula E because I really enjoyed watching it at that time. First couple of seasons go horrible. Yeah. What would they change? They front went to that beautiful era. Yeah. You're saying, oh, this is good. I can watch this work. But

[00:07:38] started writing about it and very, very grateful that Dilma Kill the CEO now of the ancient next year, which is who used to be the CEO of the major racing team. Yeah. Really randomly dropped

[00:07:48] me a meal saying, hi, someone this is Dilma Kill here. I hope you know me. I did. He said, I like your work. I'm coming to Mumbai. Let's not ask. I only. What's that about?

[00:08:01] And so one thing, the other one went to the got actually not went to got to go to the Hong Kong e Pre with the team. And well, can't be more grateful to him or my hands are racing for that

[00:08:12] because what you get to see when you're in the park and it's just firstly the the first visit is just lowering down the barrier in your mind because when you look at people like Nick Heithfell,

[00:08:24] Sean and Iqvarn and getting to spend 45 minutes with Alan McNich just chatting about his honest racing. It really makes you realize that he although they're your heroes, they're just you. So you can't be can't belong here in the long year and that experience was phenomenal

[00:08:40] and I'm really really grateful for that one thing because my dad and I both got to speak to and also got a picture with Alan Frost and that is, oh yes, I did see him. I thought of my

[00:08:49] doing. I was gonna ask you about that photo. It's a level. We just haven't got it frame but if my dad and I could be probably worth because no no kidding, my dad is such a big more sport fan.

[00:09:01] He's the one who actually got me to this and he's the one who's literally the foundation and backport of everything I'm doing right now but he is such a huge Alan Frost fan.

[00:09:10] Then it didn't change his profile. He was Alan for five years. I think he got a bike and then there had to be crowned. That is that basically. Once I got in, it just became easier because

[00:09:23] doors opened for you once you mean and I always knew you had to come to it because that's how I learned to speak and some low level counting language used. He had set the bar fuller on.

[00:09:36] Like this is the first that I've heard that somebody has learnt a language quite much only listening to commentary. That's something different. Yeah, that's really awesome. And it's funny because my English

[00:09:49] is very much frame by these people but my Hindi is very much frame by my friends. So I would say that's basically what it is like. My business rounding. So if I go to broadcast in Hindi

[00:09:59] now, every single TV channel or everything they were just like, do you speak too much of Mumbai and be? This person thought it would work out. Right. The quote that you spent that the fight that you spent your time with me, yeah, you are in that

[00:10:16] sense. Yeah, that's some some justice to it in that regard. Yeah, that's true. In fact I've heard like a little tangential here but like in fact I've heard research about like people's personalities also change a little when they change languages.

[00:10:32] And that's again like related to you know like the environment that you learn that language and like the people that you generally conversed with. So that kind of also affects things. But whatever anyway, speaking Morathi, I mean you can't be proper street nice like exactly.

[00:10:49] You don't actually have a dialect. It's like dialect. It's like Hindi dialects. You probably slightly you know that. Hindi dialects. I like it. So tell me this. Have you done voice coaching

[00:11:04] and now that you're making this into a career? Have you spent time with a voice coach and do you have a schedule around it or anything formal? Now yes, I didn't use to in the past.

[00:11:17] Which is which is interesting to me because I've seen how my speaking has evolved with time. Thanks to my voice. Which and really big shout out to Mr. Rassivali Bigger this moment of

[00:11:29] time. He is an absolute lesson. In fact I still learn so many new things from him every single day about modulation about taking care of the voice. Sometimes I don't do that very well. I'll be honest.

[00:11:40] He's just a parting teenager at this point in time. But there's a lot that you can learn it terms of vocal clarity. But the first thing that he told me and this is where I've

[00:11:51] really witnessed my game change a lot is the importance of listening. And the first day of the vocal training that I had with him, he just basically sat down and said, not just me but all the other

[00:12:01] students as well and said watch this video and tell me what he find wrong. A couple of videos of a few politicians speaking won't name which ones but you get the deal about the worst

[00:12:11] spoken politicians. And you get an idea about how poorly a delusional and be how poorly they articulate their ideas and it's all down to clarity of thought and just having some consideration

[00:12:24] for what the other person in part of you speaking because quite simply I once had got but where was made us as given us two years and one not. We're very realistic more than you speak right. That's

[00:12:35] the most important lesson that he gave and I think it honestly changes the way you speak as well because the more your receptive to taking it information, the more conscious you are of responding

[00:12:46] rather than just replying with the first thing that comes to your mind. And if there is one headline takeaway for every one to take from our sister's lessons, it's just that one is listen

[00:12:56] more than you speak but he's very phenomenal but he's been a huge help to be honest in terms of lovely vocal feeling that regard but that's one part of the game and that's a huge huge part of

[00:13:08] the game. And I guess I mean humans are same everywhere but it's more of an Indian thing where he just wanted to talk, talk, talk and like yes okay I don't know if this is the right

[00:13:24] platform to share this story but it's so the right platform to share and he's story go ahead I think that lesson got sort of imbibed a little bit harder on me because I grew up with three

[00:13:39] distinct cultures, firstly Punjabi because my family and I can say this because I'm meant to be one but we folks don't listen at all. You would be talking to someone and it's just two people

[00:13:51] babbling over each other so I was like am I not valued here because I'm not being listened to those ones then being in community will you which is a beautiful really phenomenal place to be in

[00:14:01] terms of entertainment really but I I did a growing up with lots of varieties and good dirty folks really kind but I realize later on that we have expressing love is not listening it's doing things for you but they won't listen as much so they'll listen to the

[00:14:14] broad outline of this story but not the depths of your emotion and what do you really want to convey? And so when my coach really said that line I was like yeah kind of like

[00:14:24] I was talking about but it's so interestingly good that's pretty good yeah we agree you're talking with my idea and one Gujarati here okay so we agree okay great at least my my observation wasn't 100% long so

[00:14:46] come be cancer for that no yeah yeah you can get cancer for that anything so yeah maybe nice we get there we get there do you have this sort of like a routine in terms of your vocal practices because

[00:15:05] Trevor Nova one said and he's he's someone else who I like to listen to not for the content but just for the voice that he has and sometimes it is that right like you like to listen to

[00:15:17] something or you like to watch something just for the way it's being said and then he said this or he did this once where he's got this exercise where he goes through his vocal practices

[00:15:29] every day when he wakes up for a few hours it does what he has to do and then he has an evening thing he writes it in his book as well but do you also have a schedule like that to sort of like keep

[00:15:39] that up? I do but I'll be very very honest to myself as well firstly I'm not able to follow everything lately quite simply because I need to develop that level of discipline to do that

[00:15:52] on broadcast days yes the stretches that you need to do okay this the so-called rears of broadcast where it just warm up your voice basically and make sure your vocal articulated as our working fine but now that that's basic stuff that you've got to do every day

[00:16:10] the way life is structured out with college, with work and everything it just becomes tricky to do it on a daily basis for me personally but that's something I of course personally

[00:16:18] want to change as well because the more you do it the more you get into the rhythm right and really interesting fact right if you do want to get in the business of speaking uh

[00:16:27] that might just be public speaking or even taking interviews and anything being the loses also such an important point because only then are able to convey emotions very well certain if you

[00:16:37] tight and stiff if you're really you try to yourself I really try to lynch those again and hold your body and then try to convey anything remotely emotionally maybe I'm not saying even romantic

[00:16:48] but just something like a really like eating ice cream it just won't come out well versus compared to if you really use in yourself I'm gonna say I really like eating ice cream

[00:16:56] see the difference yeah so that's just one one part of it but yeah is if you do it every day definitely compounds up but for now on broadcast days yes that's what that's what I have to get into

[00:17:07] just vocal stretches warming up the voice, loosening up the body and most importantly freeing up the mind because if now it's blocked up it's it's all heep of is it an expression mark podcast

[00:17:18] can I say yeah we're going to hold you up your shirt if your mind is in my hands you make some of that one thing uh the starring and I talk about right and and because you touch

[00:17:30] this topic is we started this just as a break from our mundaneness right and obviously the love of the sport and you know we've been any way spending time so we're like why not make this into a thing

[00:17:45] stats say that almost 99 or high number of podcasts stop after the third episode but sorry and I have spoken about this and now you obviously as a super senior and a season you know

[00:17:59] micah guy we think that everyone who wants to explore their speech or they think they like talking should start a podcast sure ended after a few episodes and don't pursue it but I think the

[00:18:17] psyche that has changed at least for saring and eye in the past two years has been so different and we've spoken about this to somewhere during some episodes that it really opens you up

[00:18:29] and shows a part of you that you didn't know about yourself do you think that's true I agree because it teaches you how to structure down your thoughts in a way now there's two ways to

[00:18:41] do that you could either write or you could speed up if you write create fantastic you at least have a structure of how to convey what you want to convey but when you speak you've got to do it in real

[00:18:50] because in writing you can go back and edit your draft I don't see you do that with the mooncast yeah and if you have this no replay policy that we also tend to have on a podcast it

[00:19:01] becomes easy not up because we don't do things on a sand it's all right you have one show can we put you can wave you do it well you do well and that would such pressure on you as a person

[00:19:13] you really be admirable what you have to say and then if it did we'd all like to have another I mean, if you didn't do anything more to express your just post you it's someone

[00:19:23] if you have clarity or more the idea is it just makes it a whole lot better otherwise it just rambling around put 25 minutes sir something else that's it's it's something that's

[00:19:39] me from the love that it do if you have done enough of that like or see enough of it some of you other people yeah yeah definitely no no I love the way you put it like structure to thoughts

[00:19:49] that's I think definitely a big part of it like and at the point I think it also becomes like unconscious like I remember earlier when we started like recording a episode that was quite a bit

[00:20:00] difficult actually and earlier we had to actually do takes not exactly takes but you know we would like fuck up a segment and we'll like okay I think we probably should redo the whole thing or something

[00:20:11] you don't usually have any like script or anything but like still just talking it out as well I think it changes your changes your wiring is well I think and you've been I don't know how to put it

[00:20:20] but yeah definitely does but it has a negative connotation you've got to know how to switch off from the podcast yeah you take that to your friends like what are you doing my name you're not recording now talk normally do this maybe maybe 12 minutes to post the release

[00:20:35] um yeah let's let's talk about IRL for a while yeah you've been with the folks from the beginning from the category like you'd also did the X1 series with them was it even before

[00:20:56] I'm missing out on yes but no so technically I wasn't until it's very weird so I've been it's Dutchwood my dream job because I've been really bestering at the tip of tail in

[00:21:15] normal forever you for a few years now like Molly they've constantly that please can I have a go with this one but it started off 2019 for me at this association with the with RPPL where you kind of

[00:21:28] of let me host the esports event in Mumbai that happened over there at Phoenix Mall it's been a full event we were able to bring it 20 circulators hundreds of people taking are a brilliant brilliant idea where you bring esports and sim racing to the people and lots of

[00:21:41] people at the Phoenix Mall didn't really know what racing was until they had point it did new cars going out and so yeah fact they're in the game so approachable for them was like I can do this as well

[00:21:52] it's very easy just a 20,000 to be entry cost for the steering wheel one lack with these computer but that's it's still better than having eight and lakh rupees for a season back so it's yeah closer

[00:22:03] closer to home but that was where it all began and I couldn't quite get to communicate on that championship for 2019 at that point as well I'll be honest I understand why they didn't give me

[00:22:14] the gig in 2019 because my racing may wasn't quite there yet and I was only more 16 16 at that point so it would have been a bit bit bold on their part but in lockdown I got to do lots of esports

[00:22:28] commentary lots of I racing world championships through raceport TV and that really up my game and at that point I could sense that hey now I'm a much better commentator than I was previously

[00:22:39] and touchwood few phone calls lots of best ring got the gig again but from the very beginning I have seen it from the back end I was in the working pretty hard to make this happen seen

[00:22:52] all the I won't say all the struggles but seeing all the chaos that has had to be put in just to put everything on the ground and it's been phenomenal to see that we are having a championship

[00:23:02] because honestly there are so many variables that just can't be spoken about in a platform like this that we've solved out just to get the cars on track and not even know about getting thousand people in the grandstand and not even know about getting 100,000 people watching the broadcast

[00:23:18] or even setting up a broadcast just get the cars on track there is so much that goes on that has to be commended firstly that the guys have done that for last year x1 before that

[00:23:28] now this year as well it's they're doing it and that's the one road I think the gaming comment along the way as well right like it's like it feels to me like a like a rolling snowball which is

[00:23:41] like collecting peace and momentum as it's going ahead I agree I agree but when you're really looking from the outside and being very objective here everyone who isn't in the circus is saying

[00:23:53] do what's going on they were no million people showing up to head around last year for the final street race what's up it's not an instant success ooh it's and suddenly they might say labels like

[00:24:04] hey it's a flop it's a failure it's not working not well yeah but I think when you step foot into this and I'll be honest I was one of those people all those years ago uh but I used to look at

[00:24:13] every single day doing a singer's like dude why did the primer truck racing series work out well like hey what a feeling yeah the moment your in it you realize how complex it is just to put

[00:24:26] the cars on track and when I got to see that in that much depth last year as I do I cannot say anything about any of the any organizational part because there are so many million things that

[00:24:37] I need to do and a lot of them by the way can't be solved by money so if you think that it's just money that's holding it in motorsport back I don't think it is it's a lot of structural issues lots

[00:24:46] of the demographics of the competitors and the people involved in the sports as well because we don't quite have that core group of racing participants like we have in the UK we don't quite have people competing or regular level in formulas very formula for which is what they're

[00:25:01] able to change by the way and if you happen then you can maybe get to a F1 driver so just the fact that they're honestly functioning having a street race in the night in a city like Chennai that to me

[00:25:13] is an achievement that really needs to be valued a lot more than it is yeah holy because of our complex it is so that's that but yeah crazy crazy it's such a fun journey to watch over here

[00:25:26] what really gets me curious is right like luckily some of the drivers over the seasons and if you coming into the season as well have stayed the same and and sure mean you've probably also

[00:25:40] followed them before where journey into IRL but what gets me into this is I see or I see profile where you've done such a diverse list of comment rating and then if I was to speak about it

[00:25:58] I wouldn't know who's sitting from box knowing where you know what's happening only to even comprehend those thoughts fast enough to make it entertaining make it amped up right so what's what goes behind the scenes when let's say come two weeks you're gonna be at the Hathara

[00:26:19] Buczurkit there's gonna be the grid there what goes on as homework so that you know who's who and what to say where to say and you know just the whole structure around it I put it into ways

[00:26:31] the ideal one and reality because as a broadcast you always have an ideal world where actually everyone has an ideal world right there and I figured out hey this would be perfect so in an

[00:26:41] ideal world I know four weeks or other at least six weeks before the championship hey these are the competitors now I've got a research on this story and it's not just going through Instagram or

[00:26:51] Wikipedia a lot of times it's also talking to their parents because most of these kids are young like it's all 70 million euros and they'll tell you a certain part of their life but there is a

[00:27:01] blind spot that even they don't know and it's a lot of talking to their parents talking to their coaches people who've raised against them and trying to gather the story about who are these

[00:27:11] people for instance who is Rohan Alva quite simply what's her for courtesy as I remember watching rather interviewing him and he was my first international cutting driver that I interviewed

[00:27:25] getting a writer on it it's I'm a bit of a him or shahan Ali Mohsin most of them can be giving you the right I'm very exciting but I can speak for Rohan because I've been lucky enough

[00:27:35] to share the track more with him for shahan it's only been an Indian race elite for the last few years but with Rohan I remember watching him as a 12 30 year old right very fast very determined

[00:27:44] is that was super super promised and determined to get him into Formula 1 still is and at that one is like well we didn't go to any boundary whatsoever be coaching with a really experienced coach

[00:27:55] sending it to Italy getting fresh set of tyres competing in the best card in championships we've got to make it happen so you're there in 2017 watching this kid and being like hey

[00:28:06] let's wear in watch let's see what it does and then cut to 2023 where he's racing in the JKTi International Racing Championship coaching kids who are older than him and that's of evolution

[00:28:17] when you follow along with a story when you realize hey this is what the kid has turned into this is what his personality is like no this is how he races this is what his title is and to find

[00:28:26] out those constants over the years that has stayed the same that is really firstly would get me a kick like hey have I seen the story of because at the end of the day I really like stories

[00:28:35] and that's really what it's all about and the homework that goes on is a lot about these things now that's the ideal world I'll be very honest you can't do this for every single driver

[00:28:46] for instance JKTi I'm more of a national racing championship final round comes up in a couple of weeks I genuinely don't know the stories of one fourth of the grid because you've got to

[00:28:58] prioritize your time as well right sometimes you get the grid on the Friday and the reason to be not satisfied which is what tends to happen sometimes so you literally don't have time

[00:29:07] to research about people who are let's say driving in P12 P11 P8 there sure yeah you're at a good time accordingly right so it's it's those sort of things and even for the end

[00:29:18] recently last year it was honestly very similar because we had line ups change very consistently because drivers had other commitments as well thank you so I wasn't Albert had spoken to him

[00:29:29] for a while done a lot of research and then suddenly I realized hey John some racing anymore it's Alice the Union and better for me because I know Alice from us but he's changed

[00:29:37] a lot over the years so then it becomes a journey of rediscovering who Alice the Jungist because I met him in 2018 when he came into India for the Southeast Asian Formula 4 you are quite kid sort of Alex Jung good racing driver very popular with all the big hands

[00:29:52] he drive he'll race speak to a few people and go back home but he became a party animal and a positive party animal like he was he really set the vibe for fun in the are and not

[00:30:05] and that's amazing no more about him and when you spend most I will realize who Alice you're able to bring that out on the broadcast so it's sort of collecting those stories but I'll be honest you have to do that all the go.

[00:30:18] I think I think it is somewhat like a ongoing preparation as well right like it's I think everything is building up to the next event in the sense that I would say you like keep

[00:30:29] growing your knowledge about different drivers and of course like situations are going to happen as you said like you know try a lot change and suddenly like for you it worked out

[00:30:39] like you knew the other drivers so that that that worked out so I think it's kind of a work in progress always in a sense would happen because I got to come on to

[00:30:51] on J.K.T. is this year's first time at first full season for me and I figured I'll be ready for the championship properly in 2020-26 because by then I'll 100% know the evolution of all the stories of all the drivers which is why firstly huge shout out to

[00:31:08] Solomon Boris who's been doing the National Championship for J.K.T. for years which is why he's been such a good help because he's seen them for the last 10-12-14 years so that is when he can properly

[00:31:18] take the story which is why today you can't replace the Betroff and Formula 1 yeah exactly how to watch from the inside for anyone else to come into shaky-muff because he's like a

[00:31:28] bad student right now right his head is completely set in stone so it makes no sense so which is where I'd also like to give a huge shout out to someone like Suhel Chandu which he's

[00:31:38] last year also hosting the need recently for me and this is just one part of his life because he's also the senior year you know he's also hosting a million events a day he's also

[00:31:50] worked on a huge cinema company more a GP cricket the Asian Games as well also on his so you give him any sport he'll do it but what I learned from him last year was that you can be thrown into any

[00:32:01] situation as a broadcast right he came in on the Friday got told hey these are the certain drivers obviously he did some prep before hand but he got known the Friday that hey two drivers who are

[00:32:11] meant to be on that list that he prepped about aren't quite gonna be racing same situation is me but I had seen their careers in the National Championship so we released right but no some part of it

[00:32:20] so here had it because he was working on the IPR and other bigger projects yeah yeah the fact that he was able to still gather some information from any source whatsoever like no ego at all because

[00:32:30] I've seen some commentators who face a certain ego and asking another commentator about hey what's this guy like you know tell me his story not all he laughs absolutely what's this guy like what's

[00:32:40] this girl how does she race what's her style what's her personality like because then the end of the day you working is a team right you working to preserve the best protein you know what

[00:32:50] great that you bought up the topic of search and thought because that's what we wanted to talk about next anyways so what does that let's do that so yeah like tell us about you know your experience

[00:33:01] in general working with him he of course has like this large portfolio of things that he does and you know and then like working with him like how does he like approach commenting in general

[00:33:16] what like what are the kind of things that you learn from him like not that's something about it so very fun story he was also one of the voices I grew up listening to but

[00:33:28] I'll be honest it was more if it target that as a kid it was like I've got to take his job because I really love what he's doing like really my all means and lucky me that I get to work

[00:33:41] with him which is even better because then I get to learn how your approaches things and it's phenomenal what a pro that guy is like it's firstly basically a basic things how you dress up

[00:33:53] it was a it was a big shock to me because I had rocked up with one simple pollo that was just all enough my dad's style water because I remember I was 18 last year so I was still in that stage when

[00:34:03] I was wearing clothes that my parents had bought for me it's only now that I realize that you've got to have your stuff sorted out of your right but when you look at him you walk in you feel a certain

[00:34:11] order and a presence because the guy has it so you see the way he's dressed up the way he's super presentable you know that out that hey you get a sense that this guy is a pro-taster and that's

[00:34:22] one big learning obviously other things like managing chaos because there's always chaos in much I think that driver changes things like hey for instance microphone isn't working for instance brought classes and going on air for 30 minutes and the race is cancelled how do you

[00:34:40] fill in 30 minutes now these are things that obviously I had also practiced over the years in my journey but when you see a pro like so he'll do it right in front of you really opens your eyes about where

[00:34:50] they're standard and where the level is so it sets it benchmark and I'll be honest I'll have been shameless and try to note down these things hey what is he doing how is he managing these things because

[00:34:59] this speaking part I don't think after a certain level there's not much to do you can look all the other people in terms of speaking because then you've developed your own style it's these small little things like managing chaos preparations and enjoying life outside broadcasting

[00:35:15] because for a lot of times for me it was just like do the racing go back home but the fact that he's able to mingle around make friends with everyone have fun it takes you realize that hey it's not

[00:35:25] all that serious as you make it out to be and that's really what I learned from him about being a pro, getting a job done and you can't always have the ideal prep so how do you tell

[00:35:37] story even within limited data of all the drivers teams cars etc that for me honestly was what I really really admired about him which is also what I'm trying to engulf your in my game

[00:35:48] is a phenomenal job well I just hope that he's also on the panel this year but I don't know what the scenario is I don't know I know for a fact that Jake Sanson is going to be there with

[00:35:58] you which is great. How's it to him how are hard as a worker like first of all had you have you spoken with him or had you spoken with him before last year and then if not oh yeah so then

[00:36:10] perfect how does it work like how does it work when you're just finding out someone hey I got to talk with this guy hmm hmm I I'm still still framing my opinion on that I'll be getting honest because

[00:36:25] I've noticed that with the hundreds of come dating partners that I've had it either works off or it doesn't okay and you feel it for instance one of my my my finest broadcasting partners and

[00:36:37] I hope we get to do more is this lovely guy called Peter McCoy Scottish really different to who I am ideal you're straight story the way it's Peter will loop it around with all these fun little

[00:36:47] quirks in making go what how did you know that but it just got to Peter and I was able to do so many brought us with him so many championships where time just flew in comparison there are other

[00:36:57] commentators that I've worked with where it just doesn't feel as smooth and I have no shame in admitting it because maybe the vibe doesn't quite work off because remember we're different people

[00:37:09] right and different people have different vites and at the end of the day you've got to keep you good on have a chat with the commentator it'd be like dude is it working out as is not working out

[00:37:19] and what can we do to fix it because at the end of the day the main goal is not to make sure that you're having fun it's also part of it but can you present the viewer with the most

[00:37:27] informative a and entertaining b broadcast and informative is fine you can do that stuff but it only is entertaining where you form a good duo and that needs to be worked around so I'm still

[00:37:39] in that stage of evaluating learning watching mode figure out is that something that can be formed consciously or is it just something that it skicks off well because from what I've noticed

[00:37:50] with a few partners is kicked off well but I really want to constantly try to mold a few relationships in a way to see if that technique works so that's the next part of my journey in a way in terms

[00:37:59] of becoming a better broadcaster but we'll improve that let's put it that way and answer that question in five years time we'll get you back then and if I may can I have a second you share an

[00:38:13] anecdote about James Hunt and Murray walk around this one because when James Hunt, Formula 1 World Champion, party boy, womanizer probably the most interesting guy in the entire era came to the comms box which is a place where you need to sit in a way when he came in

[00:38:31] Murray walkers like James what are you doing like we just aren't hitting it off but they were eventually with time able to understand each other as people and their relationship compounded to the

[00:38:42] point where they had mutual respect for each other I don't think Murray would ever call James a friend or vice versa and you could tell that from there from the broadcast as well because Murray

[00:38:52] would say something in a very super sanitized way like hey I don't think Andrea de Chessett is the best driver and James I was saying oh no he's shit on hand so Murray would go like hey that's not

[00:39:01] what you do on a broadcast that's you can't say that word but eventually when he spent five years six seven years broadcasting with each other or even let's say 40 races of 50 races

[00:39:12] that's when you know the quirks of the other person and you're able to play it off that very well which is what Harshab agreed us so well with God of Capone and Chauk Mata Chauk Mata Chauk

[00:39:20] if you watch more of us one of those three guys together on Kripbass yeah yeah oh much different to what they do today so maybe it's just that with time regardless of the people it compounds

[00:39:30] maybe you understand the better and you're able to play along with them but initially you do feel a certain lack of lubrication if that's yeah yeah but with a few people now it's probably network effect you know everyone in the arena different sports genres probably no who's

[00:39:49] on the list but early on probably you were picking up tasks you know which you want it to you which you loved another it's become network effect do you see yourself picking up tasks are

[00:40:02] getting into things that you probably don't want to but you know just getting into it and then if you do does that sort of like a fact because I mean it has to but like how much does it affect

[00:40:13] the way the output comes out oh it's a good question I that's a really good question actually because I'm sure everyone of us faces this but in a quest to do what we like to do there's lots

[00:40:24] of stuff that we don't like to do in the middle of that course well I'll be honest you see notice is something I desperately hate I like to like to sit in front of a computer

[00:40:36] and make no type of it because to me it's like how can I sum up someone's life in a 4-bit or something but there are folks who don't remember like there's this one driver who in

[00:40:47] the middle of a broadcast I forgot that this guy actually started off not liking racing and it's such a fun point right a really really competitive novice couple of racing with a Jkta

[00:40:57] national racing championship the beating for the championship and it's such a fun story to tell that among knock they've started out didn't quite like racing in the first place and then he eventually

[00:41:07] got to drive his brother simulator after he went to the US and he was like hey I like this and then he became a racing driver but I forgot that in the middle of a broadcast

[00:41:14] and I noted it down it would have been a lot better quite simply but this thing is really what I don't like doing but I've got to it's a process improvement I'll be honest I'm not the

[00:41:24] same I can say that you've got to do this but I still don't do it as well and I've got to do better in that regard but there are also other things like chatting to research and that's why

[00:41:41] I don't do a lot of these sports anymore because I really bounce off people quite well in this it I wouldn't say from an objective time but I enjoy people basically I enjoy

[00:41:52] conversations in real life or ten phones or do you chatting by like typing chatting is that what yes because in the world how it goes because a barric is virtual right no play ever visiting each other

[00:42:04] I'm zones are whack like somebody who's your an India somewhere else is the biggest can never really schedule a phone call yeah so what do you research via chatting and those two years of life although broadcasting was heard about the thing learn a lot about the art of

[00:42:19] commentating from a lot of really good commentators at race for TV but I just didn't feel happy because you've got a chat to research and the level at race for TV was so high at that point

[00:42:30] that if you don't do your research very well you will get caught out and exposed within five minutes of the broadcast because the broadcast is there or top notch like you can't go into a broadcast

[00:42:40] not knowing everything about it you can't you can't fluff your lines in anyway so you've got to be well prepped lot of the stuff you can get online but stories of drivers you've got

[00:42:50] to speak to them and you know what chatting texting no yeah we had that chat we were all fair chatting is just a beast to the edge yeah exactly but I think there's a different I think

[00:43:07] there are two types of conversations as well according to me at least like something that you would convey about you know something that is very precise is very easy to convey via chat but

[00:43:18] something like you know getting stories out of somebody is oh yeah it's not something that can be exactly done via text like you know there's a lot of nuance to it there's a lot of emotion to it

[00:43:30] there's a lot of other things that are involved along with it so I think there's something's do work well just on chat and in fact they're very efficient as well that way but at the same

[00:43:40] time things like what you said don't tell you workout as well as you usually are to have a cigarette in tech but that's his me complaining there are all the people who enjoy it and

[00:43:53] there is one brilliant commentator at race 40 we are tuna kanki buddy he is amazing at that because he's so well integrated in the eye racing he sports computer and now he's researched

[00:44:04] becomes a lot about his friends because he's completed with them he's watched him race for so many years he's done so many broadcasts that when he walks into one and mostly it's all familiar names

[00:44:15] in that community he know every single fine detail about them and after the days while we folks go back home this week because it's 4 o'clock in the morning he would speed to them you realize hey

[00:44:25] what happened in your race where did you make that piss stop what went wrong over there stuff that I don't like to do virtually in in reality I do that same thing as well you've got

[00:44:32] to right because you know as a commentator you've got to live the championship and that's one line that will Vincent really gave to me it really phenomenal but or tuna does that virtually and he's

[00:44:41] the best I race in commentator if I were a deep-fine as commentator as I've seen in my life because of his commitment and his ability to just help him to all the people consistently I don't like doing

[00:44:51] it virtually he loves doing it virtually and that's why you see the difference when I go on a broadcast and when he does no human admitting he's sort of different level altogether on our race

[00:45:01] he's phenomenal so you see that difference come about eventually so let's talk a little bit about I found since it's not too far to the last race do we want to talk about iPhone like is there

[00:45:16] is there anyone interested in listening about it because every single time I start up a conversation or every single time I look at a podcast numbers compared to 21 is like bro it's done yeah

[00:45:28] and clearly I mean it's fair right nobody's interested anymore that's not me having the same level as could maybe not so honestly like me and Akash said like if we too really dedicated fans we're doing this podcast you know even without any expectation of any money in return

[00:45:47] are are losing interest in the season so I can always imagine what's happening with others yes it's a fair game right it happens to happen to everyone but I think I think beyond the point

[00:46:02] when you're the storyteller and I wouldn't say the official story tell that there's never an official one buddy of telling part of the story for your small little audience over here if you're not the one who's

[00:46:13] interested in the most and even they won't be so you'll drag yourself back and let's say which is what my my mentor Kanochata is very well because I'm definitely at times in the middle

[00:46:26] I was like what more can we do for a preview of I don't know the sound for GB like no no not something that's on but yeah it's one really draperies in the middle that's like

[00:46:37] Kanochata I don't think we have anything to preview like it's just you're saying well he said no wait till you see what I come up with in the episode and he did come up with a really fun

[00:46:44] boom so it's things like this when you realize it hey you can build your game up a little bit and still talk about it but okay what do we want to talk about in F1 because there's

[00:46:53] really no something's changing it's just that we have one card dominating and that's what makes it look RAM but if you eliminate maximum the equation which we did is you know you see how good the race was

[00:47:05] exactly yes exactly I was just saying that highest spot customer was in the last two years yeah only it is a good story and we do P3P4 create story but the moment it becomes a P1 story

[00:47:20] which it has the initial because guys look at the gaps that's the that's the one thing that's keeping me going this yeah we honestly the hack is eliminate maximum the equation and then watch

[00:47:30] formula 1 they did it becomes a lot again thoughts one one customer of one thoughts about print races they could oh they could what what are you very single about why do wait

[00:47:43] do you guys like it or not and if not remain for a long time for a long time at least so I'm gonna have been dyslexic to figuring out what's happening through the week and now we're finally getting

[00:47:53] a hangout to fight you at what qualifications for which this wasn't very big mystery for me this see this year and it will be very good. I mean what all of those is that.

[00:48:06] Imagine it's very good to a newbie like yeah I was gonna qualify for Friday for Sunday and then there's a Saturday call in the newspaper Saturday evening and then I was like what do you think about it

[00:48:20] okay maybe why do you not like it in the way also for me at least it is like it makes the races less precious to me like it's like it's like these days I hate watching trailers for movies

[00:48:33] okay because like trailers pretty much tell what's gonna happen in the movie and to me the sprint races are very similar thing where when I watch the sprint races I kind of pretty much

[00:48:43] know what's gonna happen for the race especially like if like the teams were a lot more closer at least in the front it would be the not more exciting but I think some of few sprint races were

[00:48:56] good of course like the one like which one was that when Oscar one I forget which one was a little bit hard your race to three laps before that actually that to exactly that to

[00:49:09] hurt a lot of crashes and you didn't actually get to see raising though the only fun part was that somebody else won you know that's where it stood out in my mind exactly so that's the thing

[00:49:19] for me like I feel it's too short and this yeah it kind of gives away from the main race that's that's the main thing for me hmm what what do you reckon what do you reckon I'm

[00:49:32] asking this one because I get a feeling your opinion is somewhat similar right from the question yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah and we've been we've been vocal about it as well like

[00:49:43] one not I mean I'm open to change I'm open to change like it convinced me that sprint races are good and I'll be I want to watch it but I don't really enjoy it to be honest I mean and it's again

[00:49:59] with cricket too I mean I'm a I'm a more of a fan for ODIs and test horses P20 one second sorry sorry sorry I don't normally do this but are you the only ODI I find it in the Atari of Mumbai

[00:50:13] wheel's throughout the world and everybody's at 4 and 6 I mean what's the fun right because I mean you have middle overs how are you going to do it and do you need to pick up the

[00:50:29] thing yeah he's happy but it's a whole lump of nothing to watch from over 10 to 40 right is there if you get a wicked you get a wicked but technique is fun technically it's a I can be coming

[00:50:41] that regard because the sprint really eliminates that, that the pounding effect of the game. But at least in my head what will you rather watch? Like one big race or small bites of more.

[00:50:56] It's a taste thing. I would say like one big race. Sometimes it's a bit too much. Sometimes you want to get to see something which is what I like. Yes. Why I enjoy the sprint race

[00:51:07] is quite a lot because it gives you some, if anything I think it makes my Sunday race better because I get a slight hint of the performance. It's like I get an idea that hey Oscar is doing

[00:51:18] one 17. Maybe the race he might be doing. I don't know on a longer on one 18s which means that hey we'll see he stack up in that. How will the Ferrari do? So you get a slight hint to the unknowns

[00:51:29] that expose a little bit more because they're aspects to track now and yeah someone like a nerd like me that's more fun because suddenly if I have a metric to track in the race I will go on

[00:51:38] another day like hey what's going on how are they doing what they're doing. So that works out for me. But the reason why I don't think we're enjoying it is because the cars aren't quite there yet.

[00:51:51] Because they're why they're doing it long. If you look at MotoGP sprint races, you need one with bat and I say hey we should we don't enjoy it because it's a ton of banter lots of good racing unfortunately lots of crashes as well lots of broken ribs,

[00:52:06] broken legs, broken jaws half the grid sometimes between you. That's a different story altogether for us sitting in our AC rooms I think if the cars were slightly more prone to battle

[00:52:21] and if the tent between the teams was close I think would enjoy it a lot more because then there's no conservation of tyres but it's just going on. It relaxes ahead. I feel it's not very easy for these promoters to sell these three-day passes to

[00:52:37] people in general like especially with newer audiences coming again and and the amount of money that they have to pay F1 itself to who is the event as well yeah of course they need to re-cook that and

[00:52:48] if they're not bringing enough entertainment through the weekend which I think sprint races are kind of a part of like getting people into the seats as well on Saturdays which earlier was not that

[00:53:01] easy to do. I think it's kind of a part of that as well so I can understand where they're coming from I understand they want to make the sport like of course it's earning enough but still earn

[00:53:13] enough that they can have more teams on the track as well which might make you know racing more interesting. So I kind of get where it's coming from but at the same time yeah let's see.

[00:53:24] I like that they're changing the format every year so I have still good hopes for that like they are taking in feedback let's see what they do next year as well with sprint races so yeah and that's a good

[00:53:34] thing right there's no ego there's no there's no feeling that hey we've got to nail it down and one go and there's no ego that hey this is all it is we're not gonna say exactly you I mean

[00:53:45] every once in a while you do get what was that stupid qualifying call in 2016 where they eliminate one person every two minutes in the middle of course. Every now and then you do get an absolute

[00:53:57] dirt like that but yeah if you're figured it out right the initial sprint format I don't think that was really well because it had no incentive like what is 3 points? What am I gonna do? Yeah

[00:54:05] exactly that's absolutely nonsense. 3 points are gonna go to max only and max has 35 points every weekend so what's the point? What's 3 extra points to do? But this one is better yeah this is better.

[00:54:18] I think we're nearly there I think nearly like a couple of years time if the teams are all within a second every single time I think this will be a pangor like it is in Moto Gp

[00:54:29] and then we don't have to worry about riders with broken ribs and broken jaws every single time because they're in the on the console I'll be I'll be good at this one right like how they are

[00:54:39] accepting the change evolving for the fans and then making those changes through the sprint sessions every year to make it more engaging for sure. I mean look at it quite some bit more

[00:54:51] GP in the ground pre first ever time in India there should be a lot of hype unfortunately isn't they will be a lot next year but the fact is nobody came on the Friday absolutely nobody came

[00:55:01] Friday I was commentating over there on the circuit and I was like dude is anyone going to come here because we're becoming a 4 on Bill you see the Sunday card and that's because I realize

[00:55:13] that not everyone is like us not everyone's gonna be camping there from Friday watching the lines that the riders are taking every single we folks are and to sit maybe not everyone. There's also

[00:55:24] life comes in the way right work the sometimes as a day and no Friday exactly and so exactly as if you're gonna take the flight and all that but the fact of the matter is they've got to

[00:55:32] sell tickets on the Fridays and Saturdays yes very not if you if the sprint works out the sprint works out so we're not okay any last thoughts summer on the Sunday basically going like

[00:55:47] being the central house the weather I mean any last thoughts okay I will leave you guys with a stupid question to answer and if you folks have made it this far in the episode I think you

[00:56:00] really enjoyed as well but okay which one should I go for here we go. To Rana's sort of Rex dinosaur Dix goes into a barbershop like a head eye shop and says

[00:56:11] hey hi I want to get my head colored and the die lady the die woman says sorry you can't do that I can't quite do it for you why is that why counter T-Dix get its head out what you know why

[00:56:26] no please no take a guess okay no yeah no I think I go up and no nothing no okay so I'll I'll end it on a note where people would actually want to end the episode as well so that's

[00:56:41] it'll be a bit weird but it turned right quite simply what is a T-Dix? It's a die no soarer haha I I I thought it must be needed to die somehow. It's to be that's to be oh well there we are all

[00:56:58] maybe we were shooting off in one go so pretty everyone goes to work. But everyone yeah not in this all me shang this is a fun one. Unsubscribe. I warned you I told you this is coming so I can't blame you that's right

[00:57:22] thanks everybody honestly thank you thank you for thank you for having me on and asking the questions that most people don't ask because normally people will ask questions that hey what's this

[00:57:34] driver like what's that driver like what's this car like oh that car like as a lot of it about the art of broadcasting that goes unknown that you learn along with very very eager to share it

[00:57:44] but then you want who's keen to know because I also learning on the way right if we all get to learn it because it on the way then why not. Yeah that's uh that's the idea essentially but thank

[00:57:52] you thank you for having me on guys. Thank you thank you for coming along and sharing everything that you shared so yeah and on that note folks if you do have questions go spam him on his Instagram

[00:58:05] asking questions if you are interested in making this into a career I'm sure someone's going to be happy to sort of guide you at least in the right path and then I all mean sooner yeah

[00:58:15] bug him go wild again WhatsApp not Instagram if anything what's up dude yeah there you have it with that said this is the iRL podcast there will be more episodes as we get into the weekend

[00:58:29] into those amazing races and even after the season so stay tuned keep listening to these we'll keep bringing you more behind the scenes stories what goes on outside of the world of just

[00:58:42] their drivers and their cockpits and if you are someone who likes this share it with your friends and subscribe to the iRL podcast until the next episode these are all three of your hosts signing off bye bye. Take care folks bye bye.