Multi-Talented Odia Boy Yayati Parekh Aims To Host A Late Night Talk Show

Multi-Talented Odia Boy Yayati Parekh Aims To Host A Late Night Talk Show

A host, youtuber, rapper, vlogger, promoter, traveller, influencer and what not. Adjectives fall short to describe this charming young lad of 24. Yayati Parekh, who is always on-the-go to create and give his audience and fans something to look out for. He completed his schooling from St. Joseph’s High School, Bhubaneswar and prepared for NATA exams to pursue architecture but then realised that it wasn’t his cup of tea. Then he decided to take up Mass Media and did it from L. S. Raheja College, Mumbai as the subject interested him. 

Yayati was a budding hip-hop dancer in school, but after a major accident in which he dislocated his knee he started experimenting with rap. This gave rise to the BMM anthem which gained popularity and is still played in college fests today. In an event organised by Channel V called India Fest 2016, he became the Campus Stud of Mumbai. He has managed to bag about 50-60 certificates showcasing all the talents he has- dance, debates, auctioning, PR and Marketing events, fashion shows, and many more.

“I always wanted to host shows but unfortunately there was one senior in the college who always got to do it. He did a fantastic job by engaging the crowd even when the artists weren’t there. Finally when I got a chance it was my bad luck that I flunked it and faced everybody’s wrath. After a month, I got another chance. It was my time to shine and show the audience that I did have the knack for hosting and I did it,” chuckled Yayati. 

Since then, there has been no looking back and he has been splendidly anchoring and hosting shows. He has hosted Redbull Spotlight events at Silicon College, Redbull Hero Tour for Daniel Dhers and has opened for Ritviz at KIIT, Mika Singh at XIMB and shows at XUB. He has hosted gigs in over 30 colleges across the country.

Yayati kickstarted the rap culture in Odisha by initiating the first edition of ‘Rap Rulers of Odisha’ (RROD). He hosted it in the parking lot of Galaxia Gardens with car headlights providing lighting effects. About 20 rappers from across the state participated in this event. Talking about the rap scene in the state, Yayati said, “Odisha has quality rappers. They need proper opportunity and recognition to hone their skills and come out in the real hip-hop scene.”

Yayati is a fun-loving cheerful guy who is just not ready to settle down. He is finicky and always strives to experiment with his own talents and see what an opportunity holds for him. Talking about his inspiration he said, ‘I don’t take inspiration from any particular person. I want to become a host not because I want attention but because I want to create something and make a show out of it. I have seen artists who do the same on big platforms. Whether it’s a technical problem, music problem, artists’ delay, or any other issue, the host manages it all. I find it amazing.” 

Yayati takes pride in his parents’ support to fulfil his vision. Although he was reproached by them for dropping out of college and pursuing a career which was unconventional, they supported his decision and gave him the moral support to experiment with his talents. He owes his exposure to his sister, Sunanda Parekh, who blindly encouraged him to believe in himself and strive to reach new heights. He considers himself lucky to have such a supportive family, who has stood by him through thick and thin. 

On being asked what he likes to do for leisure, he smiled and said, ”Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest days for me. I love observing everything around me. My curiosity lies in everything from Black Holes to mythology. For me observation and absorption of content is important.”

Apart from being a go-getter, Yayati shares a love for watches. “A watch is the only jewellery a man can wear. I find it super fascinating the way watches are made and their working. A watch is a thing which is just 33 mm in breadth and has over 200 small pieces functioning inside. That is very intriguing.”

Recently Yayati hosted a web show on Instagram live called B-Tox. “It was a web-talk show where I brought artists together from Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Mumbai and other cities, sitting over their choice of beverage and being friends. It wasn’t to create any controversy, but just to know the person and their accomplishments and plans.” He also hosted a local talk initiative, named Wings From Home.

“My endgame is to create a quality chat show in India, like a late night talk show. I want to change the mindset of people regarding their outlook towards work. It is high time that we come out of that cocoon and do something unorthodox and out of our comfort zone. Let’s not settle for mediocrity,” he said about the work culture in the country.

It is often said that the name of a person closely describes a person’s identity. The name Yayati was given to him by his grandfather. Yayati hails from a family of artists who have been great in their respective fields but haven’t gained recognition. Yayati’s grandfather was into Urdu poetry. 

Talking about his unique name, he said that his name Yayati has many meanings. “Firstly it is derived from the maker of the Lingaraj Temple who was Jajati Kesari. Yayati is also a psychological term in the Indian mythology which means that the greatness of the son makes the father envious. The English meaning translates to a person who likes to travel, wander and explore.” 

“Everything complements each other in my life-the good and the bad. It is as if I am living a series of fortunate events. I believe God specifically had planned my life much before I was born,” he said.

My City Links wishes Yayati a bright future and the courage to demonstrate all the new genres of artistic endeavours that he wishes to bring to Odisha.