Most Successful RJs in India: 9 Radio Jockeys Who Shaped FM

India’s Most Successful RJs, From Ameen Sayani to RJ Malishka

The most successful RJ in India’s history is Ameen Sayani. He hosted Binaca Geetmala from 1952 to 1994 and voiced more than 54,000 radio programmes. Among today’s FM jocks, RJ Malishka of Red FM Mumbai has the widest record. She joined Red FM in 2005 and now hosts Morning No. 1. She has also won a national radio award and acted in films and series.

We researched nine radio jockeys for this list. First, we read dated interviews, station releases and award reports for each one. Then we matched every claim to a date. So the years on air in our chart are minimums we could prove, and they are not guesses.

Nine Indian Radio Jockeys by Station, City and Signature Show

We built this table from our research notes. “Known for” names the show or segment each RJ is most linked to. For example, Naved’s name is tied to Mirchi Murga, while Raunac’s is tied to his character Bauaa.

How did we rank them? We gave weight to three things we could check. First, years on air. Second, awards from radio bodies or the government. Third, work that reached people beyond radio, such as films, books or online shows.

Ameen Sayani, the Voice Every Indian RJ Is Measured Against

Ameen Sayani

Ameen Sayani was born in Mumbai on 21 December 1932. He died in Mumbai on 20 February 2024, aged 91. Still, his voice stays the benchmark for Hindi radio hosts.

His big show was Binaca Geetmala. It began on Radio Ceylon in December 1952 as a 30-minute countdown of film songs. Radio Ceylon broadcast from Colombo. In fact, the show grew partly because Hindi film songs were kept off All India Radio at the time. Later, the countdown moved to Vividh Bharati.

He opened each show the same way: “Namaste behno aur bhaiyon, main aapka dost Ameen Sayani bol raha hoon.” Generations of listeners still repeat that line.

The numbers behind his career are hard to match. The Limca Book of Records lists over 54,000 radio programmes and about 19,000 jingles and spots. Also, he hosted the Bournvita Quiz Contest for eight years and S. Kumar’s Filmi Muqadama for seven. The government gave him the Padma Shri in 2009.

For example, a modern RJ who hosts five shows a week would need over 200 years to reach 54,000 shows. We worked that out as 54,000 divided by 260 shows a year.

Mumbai’s Morning and Prime-Time Voices

RJ Malishka, Red FM Mumbai

Malishka Mendonsa went on air at Red FM on 1 August 2005, days after the Mumbai floods. Before that, she hosted a late-night English show on Win 94.6 and worked on Rediff radio. She studied political science at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai.

Her breakfast show is Morning No. 1. It won Best Breakfast Show (Hindi) at the Indian Excellence in Radio Awards in 2010. However, her best-known moment came in July 2017. A song she recorded about Mumbai’s potholes went viral. The ruling Shiv Sena made a counter video, and civic inspectors visited her home. The issue faded after listeners backed her.

Malishka also took radio skills to the screen. She played RJ Albeli Anjali in Tumhari Sulu (2017). On TV, she joined Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 7 in 2014 and Khatron Ke Khiladi 10 in 2020. In 2024 she played Sarojini Naidu in the SonyLIV series Freedom at Midnight. Last year, Maharashtra’s first radio festival gave her its top honour of the evening, named after Asha Bhosle.

RJ Jeeturaaj, Mirchi Mumbai

Jeeturaaj began on Times FM 107.1 in Mumbai. He is now a prime-time RJ on 98.3 Mirchi in the same city. For more than 20 years, he never showed his face in public.

That changed on 23 October 2024. At 10 am, he stepped out of a live studio in Dharavi. Mirchi broadcast the moment on air and on Instagram. Why reveal it then? Online creators had started to pose as him, so he chose to show the real person.

In June last year, he won Best Male RJ of the Year at the first Maharashtra Asha Radio Awards. The state’s Department of Cultural Affairs ran the event on World Music Day. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, minister Ashish Shelar and Asha Bhosle handed over the award.

Delhi Jocks Who Turned Pranks and Old Songs Into Brands

RJ Naved, Radio Mirchi Delhi

Naved is a morning host on Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM in Delhi. His shift has started at 7 am and run about five hours. Listeners call him “Delhi ka Don.” His prank segment, Mirchi Murga, is the reason most people know his name. In it, he plays characters such as a Punjabi telephone operator or a police constable.

The segment won Best Radio Sparkler (Hindi) at the Excellence in Radio Awards. In July 2015, Naved said he had spent almost 10 years in radio. By 2019, he got more than 5,000 requests a day to prank someone. At that point he had about 2.5 million Facebook followers.

Mirchi Murga began as a once-a-year feature. Later it became a candid-camera show on YouTube, with Naved in the main roles. So his path looks a lot like the creator economy we cover in our guide on how YouTubers make money. He studied business and did not plan a radio career at first.

RJ Raunac, Red FM Delhi

Raunac is the voice of Bauaa, a childlike prank character on 93.5 Red FM. By January 2013, he had hosted the Delhi evening show DL935 for over two years. That month, Red FM put him in a radio booth on a billboard at Rajouri Garden for a live show. Daler Mehndi joined that event.

Later, Red FM moved him to its breakfast slot, Morning No. 1, from 6 am to 11 am. In 2017, listeners voted him Popular RJ of the Year at the India Radio Forum. Then, in January 2019, Shah Rukh Khan joined his show for a prank call. The actor played Bauaa from his film Zero. Khan said his Zero role was a lot like Red FM’s Bauaa.

RJ Sayema, Radio Mirchi Delhi

Sayema Rahman has spent more than 20 years as an RJ at Radio Mirchi in Delhi. In total, she has worked in radio for close to 29 years. She began in volunteer radio while still at school. After that, she hosted a youth show on All India Radio and later studied social work.

For years, she hosted Purani Jeans, a night show of classic Hindi film songs from 9 pm to midnight. Her listeners ranged from age 12 upward, which is wide for FM. Now she also hosts an afternoon talk show. Her accounts on Instagram, Facebook and X have over 3.5 million followers in total.

One story shows her reach. A driver had taken a loan for a late friend’s surgery. After he spoke on her show, a listener stepped in to help him repay it.

Regional Stars From Chennai and Ahmedabad

RJ Balaji, From Coimbatore Radio to Tamil Cinema

Balaji joined Radio Mirchi Coimbatore in November 2006. There he hosted Hello Coimbatore, a three-hour morning show on local issues. After about four years, he moved to 92.7 Big FM in Chennai.

His Chennai show, Take It Easy, ran in the evening and included the prank segment Cross Talk. In 2012, it won him RJ of the Year (Tamil) and Best Programme After 11 am (Tamil) at the Indian Excellence in Radio Awards. In January 2016, Ananda Vikatan also named him RJ of the Year. His last new radio format was The Night Show, launched in April 2017.

Then he moved into films. He acted in Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015) and played the lead in LKG (2019). Next, he co-directed Mookuthi Amman (2020) and Veetla Vishesham (2022). In 2026, he directed Suriya in Karuppu. He has also done Tamil cricket commentary for the IPL since 2018.

RJ Dhvanit, Radio Mirchi Ahmedabad

Dhvanit Thaker won Radio Mirchi’s first talent hunt in 2003. He beat about 1,500 entrants, even though he had no formal radio training. After that, he became one of Gujarat’s best-known voices.

His shows Guruwar Gurjari and Hello Amdavad won Best Show at the India Radio Forum Awards in 2009 and 2010. In the same years, he won Best RJ (Gujarati). He also released the music album Majja Ni Life in 2009 and the Gujarati book Morning Mantra in 2017.

Next came films. He played the lead in Vitamin She (2017) and Short Circuit (2019). He left Radio Mirchi in November 2021 after 18 years.

RJ Anmol and the Radio Career That Became a Book

RJ Anmol

Anmol is a radio personality who is best known outside radio as an author. He and actor Amrita Rao co-wrote Couple of Things, released for Valentine’s week in February 2023. Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh unveiled it. The couple married in private in 2014 and went public in 2016.

His story shows a common move for RJs. A voice that people trust on air can sell a book or a show. If you want to try the same, our list of simple ways to write a book covers the methods real authors use.

How Long India’s Top RJs Have Stayed on Air

We calculated each bar from dated sources. For Malishka, we counted from her first Red FM show in August 2005. For Naved, we took his “almost 10 years” in July 2015 and added 11 years. For Jeeturaaj, we added two years to the “more than two decades” he had in October 2024. For Raunac and Balaji, we counted only the span our sources prove. So their real careers are likely longer.

In our data, the RJs with the longest runs stayed in one city and one slot. As a result, listeners built a daily habit around them. Sayani kept one show for 42 years. Malishka has held Mumbai mornings for 21. On the other hand, Balaji and Dhvanit left full-time radio for films.

Three Paths That Made These RJs Successful

We sorted the nine RJs by what drove their success. Three paths came up again and again.

A Character Listeners Can Picture

Naved’s Mirchi Murga and Raunac’s Bauaa both rely on a voice character. Because radio has no pictures, a clear character fills the gap. Also, both formats moved well to video later.

One City, One Slot, Many Years

Malishka, Jeeturaaj and Sayema each kept one city and one daypart for two decades. In fact, Jeeturaaj built his fame without anyone seeing his face. For him, the daily habit did the work.

A Jump to Screens and Books

Balaji and Dhvanit used radio fame to start film careers. Malishka added acting roles while keeping her show. Anmol turned his voice into a book.

India’s FM Radio Network Where These RJs Work

India had 388 private FM radio stations and 585 Akashvani FM stations at the latest count given to the Lok Sabha. The government has also approved an e-auction of 730 private FM channels in 234 new cities. So the number of RJ jobs could rise in smaller towns.

Most RJs on this list built their names on private FM. However, the medium’s history runs through public radio. Ameen Sayani’s countdown moved to Vividh Bharati, and Sayema started on All India Radio.

Radio hosts also compete with podcasts for the same ears. For instance, our list of finance podcasts for investors shows how many shows now run past an hour a week. Many RJs now publish clips online too, much like the creators in our ranking of the richest social media influencers by location.

What New Radio Jockeys Can Learn From These Careers

The careers on this list share a few habits that a new RJ can copy.

First, build a format that people can name. Mirchi Murga, Bauaa and Purani Jeans all have names listeners repeat to friends.

Second, stay with one audience long enough. Malishka and Jeeturaaj each spent two decades with Mumbai listeners.

Third, train your voice, but do not wait for a degree. Dhvanit had no formal training when he won his talent hunt in 2003.

Next, take your work beyond the studio. Naved’s prank show grew on YouTube, and Balaji moved into films. If you plan to appear as a guest on other shows, our guide to podcast guest booking websites lists places to start your outreach.

Finally, guard your identity. Jeeturaaj revealed his face in part because others had copied his name online.

Questions Listeners Ask About Indian RJs

Who Is the Most Famous RJ in India?

Ameen Sayani is the most famous radio host in Indian history. Among current FM jocks, RJ Malishka in Mumbai and RJ Naved in Delhi have the widest name recognition in our research.

Which RJ Hosts Mirchi Murga?

RJ Naved hosts Mirchi Murga on Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM in Delhi. The segment later grew into a candid-camera series on YouTube.

Who Is the Voice of Bauaa on Red FM?

RJ Raunac voices Bauaa on 93.5 Red FM in Delhi. Shah Rukh Khan joined him as Bauaa for a prank call in January 2019.

When Did RJ Jeeturaaj Reveal His Face?

Jeeturaaj revealed his face on 23 October 2024 in Dharavi, Mumbai. Mirchi broadcast it live on air and on Instagram.

Which Indian RJs Became Film Actors or Directors?

RJ Balaji acts in and directs Tamil films, including Mookuthi Amman and Karuppu. RJ Dhvanit played the lead in the Gujarati films Vitamin She and Short Circuit. RJ Malishka acted in Tumhari Sulu and Freedom at Midnight.

Interviews and Reports Behind Our RJ Profiles

• Deccan Herald: five facts about Ameen Sayani
• Wikipedia: Ameen Sayani (awards, death date, Limca record)
• Scroll.in: what makes Malishka one of Mumbai’s favourite people
• Wikipedia: RJ Malishka (awards, film and TV roles)
• MediaInfoline: RJ Malishka honoured at the Maharashtra Radio Fest
• afaqs: Mirchi RJ Jeeturaaj reveals his face
• MediaNews4U: RJ Jeeturaaj named Best Male RJ of the Year
• Business Standard (IANS): RJ Naved of Mirchi Murga
• Outlook: 24 hours in the life of Naved Khan
• Best Media Info: Red FM launches Bauaa Hawa Mein
• radioinfo: Red FM Delhi moves RJ Raunac to mornings
• MediaInfoline: RJ Raunac named Popular RJ of the Year
• MediaNews4U: Shah Rukh Khan on Red FM’s Morning No. 1
• radioinfo: RJ Sayema on her Radio Mirchi show
• India Forums (IANS): RJ Sayema on Purani Jeans
• Wikipedia: RJ Balaji (radio shows, awards, films)
• Pinkvilla: who is RJ Balaji
• Republic World: Dhvanit Thaker wins Radio Mirchi’s first talent hunt
• Wikipedia: Dhvanit Thaker (radio years and films)
• The Tribune: Amrita Rao and RJ Anmol turn authors
• ThePrint (ANI): Couple of Things unveiled
• News on AIR: 585 Akashvani and 388 private FM stations operational