“I am a small-town boy who once saw Madras as a distant dream. In college, an English professor saw something in me before I saw it myself—he put me on stage for mimicry, and suddenly, I was “that guy” everyone recognized. But dreams don’t always unfold the way you expect.
After engineering, I tried tech but felt lost. Then, at a friend’s sister’s wedding, my friends pushed me on stage. I ended up overshadowing the main performers, and instead of being upset, the band owner offered me a gig. My first pay? 50 bucks. Soon, it became 500.
I came to Chennai and stayed in a mansion with three friends who spent their days applying for jobs. One day, they casually mentioned I’d be great for radio. Days later, they showed me a job opening at Sun TV’s radio station. I walked in, clueless that my interviewers were the biggest names in the industry—Kalanithi Maran and Hansraj Saxena. That day, my life changed.
On May 4, 2003, I became “Blade Number 1 Dheenadayalan.” I didn’t know how to celebrate, but I knew how to work. And I kept working.
By 2007, I was with 92.7 Big FM, and in my quest to push boundaries, I attempted a 92.7-hour live radio marathon. It started with Shruti Haasan and ended with Aishwarya Rajinikanth. But I wanted more.
When the Guinness World Record for the longest radio marathon came up, I saw an opportunity. The record was 136 hours—I decided to go for 168. I was exhausted, but I reminded myself: No one else got this chance. I had to make it count.
People ask if radio is dying. My answer? Cricket changed from Test matches to ODIs to T20s, but we still love the sport. Entertainment evolves, but it never dies. Podcasts are simply an extension of radio’s soul.
There are brilliant RJs today who wonder if they should go digital or stay on radio. To me, radio will always be evergreen and classic.
I still remember stepping off the bus in Mount Road, overwhelmed by how massive the city was. Back home, a bus seemed huge. In Chennai, it looked small. But this city embraced me. Varuvorai vaazha vaikkum Chennai. And it gave me a life I am forever grateful for.
Here, I found love in the most unexpected way—my biggest fan became my wife. Inter-religion, a big age gap—nothing mattered. From that love, I have two beautiful children, a beautiful life, and a career that I cherish every single day.
I always ask people for advice they truly live by. And here’s mine: Be inspired, but be original. You don’t need to become someone else—you are your own greatest creation.
And never forget to count your blessings. If you can walk, talk, sleep, and wake up tomorrow—you already have the biggest gift.
Having said that, this is your RJ Blade Dheena—signing off.”