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Speaking to the
media on the need for a celebrity based interview show on a business channel NDTV
Media CEO Raj Nayak said, "This is a show about Gen X's aspiration, philosophy,
ambitions and a vision to success. We, at NDTV, think that Shweta understands
this generation best since she is a part of it and will be more comfortable talking
to the guests and vice versa.The idea is to also provide programming beyond business
and corporate world." The
channel plans to air 12 episodes before it takes a break on the show. "Depending
on the audience response we will extend it. NextGen on NDTV Profit is an effort
to present diverse views of young Indians across several fields and not just restricting
it to the world of business", said NDTV Profit executive editor Shivnath
Thukral. NextGen
is sponsored by Life Insurance Corporation of India. Says LIC head of corporate
communications Poonam Bodra, "Although we had no specific person in mind
as an anchor for the show, Shweta fits the bill perfectly. LIC wanted to be associated
with a show that would focus on the youth and their thought processes." Although
she declined to comment further on the issue, she did acknowledge that this was
part of the initiative to shift the image of LIC from the older generation to
being more youth oriented. Asked
if she would ever consider having brother Abhishek and his fiancé Aishwarya
Rai on the show as they are both role models for the youth, Shweta said, "They
are family so bringing them on the show as guests would be a conflict of interest." |