Paresh’s ‘Just Imagine’ the Logic beyond Imagination

Most of you must be familiar with this name Paresh Parab, but if you type, who do not watch the local channels on your television, then let me introduce you to this multitalented personality of Goa’s television world. Paresh is the face of famous TV program in Goa “Just Imagine” now some of you may recollect little but that is fine as the following story anyways going to tell you everything about this fascinating character featured on the cable network channel in Goa.

Paresh was born in 1980 in Mala, Panaji, his father was a government servant and my mother was a teacher. “I spent most of my life in Bhatulem area in government quarters. Those days the atmosphere was different with less access to the modern gadgets most of the people used to spend their time talking to each other, which has become rare nowadays”, Paresh started narrating his story. According to Paresh, the only entertainment was there in those days was the DD channel with very limited time entertainment. “We did not have even TV” Paresh pointed out, “I used to go to the neighbor’s place to listen to the music as he had big Sony stereo system. This is a place I first had a brush with the comedy when I heard the Sudesh Bhosle and Johnny Leaver doing the mimicry, I was highly impressed with the voice modulation of Sudesh Bhosle and told to myself that, one day I am going to be like him”.

It’s not that, Paresh entered into the field of mimicry or comedy based on the impression of the other artists, but he seems to have an inborn talent in him which took him to the height where he is today. “I always liked watching the television and I used to observe each and every character in the movie or program as how they talk how they speak and I used to grasp whatever possible. Later I started observing the people around in the locality; we had people from diverse culture staying the colony. I used to observe each person, how he talks, walks and dresses up. Obviously, every individual has a different style but some people have very typical kind of features and that was my target. I used to imitate those people in front of my friends and observed that everybody liked it and that made me realize that I have a special talent in me”, he took a long pause and started again “this was followed by the support of my neighbor who helped me by providing the tape recorder to listen to the performances of Johnny Lever and Sudesh Bhosle which in turn inspired me and gave the spark to my hidden talent”.

Paresh started to learn mimicry after listening to it on the tape recorder, “I used to stand in front of the mirror for hours and imitate the voice of various characters”, Paresh told with the spark in his eyes, “I also started mimicking the voice of Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha and started getting very good comments, this again raised my confidence level”, he added.

After completing his studies at the high school, Paresh did his course in food and beverages at government authorized institute and then joined one of the renowned resort in Goa, but his destiny was not written into any other industry but the entertainment industry alone.

According to Paresh, although he has been fascinated with the talent of Johnny Leaver but Sudesh Bhosle apparently left a deeper impression on him. “I was always had this in my back of the mind that, spreading the smile across into the world is the best job one can do and I did the same, I always felt contented when I made people laugh on my humorous acts.

Although today Paresh has become the comedy king of Goa but the road to this success was not easy at all. According to him, “I used to practice for hours to learn the proper mimicry, after listening to my favorite stars on the audio set I used to memorize the dialogues and replicate them in front of the mirror after coming home, I used to get these opportunities every day when my parents were at work. At that time I was the judge of my acts but once I made sure that I am perfect in my act I decided to try in front of some selected friends of mine, whom I could trust and was sure that they will never misguide me and will give the genuine feedback”, he took little pause and the continued “After the approval of my friends I decided to perform in front of people and soon my first opportunity knocked on my door, I received the invitation from my native village “Bicholim” to perform in one of the annual function at the village temple of our deity. This was followed by another performance at the college during the teacher’s day and then one private program at the Vidyaniketan Hall in Margao. All three programs had received tremendous response from the audience and that made one thing sure that ‘I can perform well’, here I came to know that people like what I do and that I am on the right track”, he added.

It was the year 1997, and till now whatever programs done by Paresh was just to check his talent and no remuneration was involved, but this could not be going on forever and then one opportunity came on his way “I was invited by one of the clubs from Lotoulim Goa to perform as standup comedian into the Orchestra and as usual I rocked the show and this was the first time I was given my first remuneration of Rs. 500/-, let me tell you that in those days 500 rupees was the big amount, it was my first earning and I handed it over to my mother and she was very proud of me on that day”, he explained.

But as normally one do not achieve anything till the destiny grants it, same things happened with Paresh, the small-time entertainment which started in 1997 had come to an end in 2003, as with the time the Orchestra culture started dying and so the demand for the standup comedian. The new age was caught up with the satellite network which was spreading its tentacles across the state, “When I started performing the Orchestra culture started dying, Not because of me,” he concluded and the way he said, I could not hold myself from bursting into laughter. I realized that his sense of humor is very strong.

The downfall of stage performances slowed his career down and then he has no option than to take up any type of job to generated the revenue and he started working in different positions in the diverse field “I could not stick to any job for longer period as my heart and soul was always dwelled into the entertainment world, perhaps that was my destiny and the opportunity came very soon as I applied at the upcoming cable network channel ‘Prudent Media’ and was immediately got selected for the post of sub-editor”, he explained.

The new start with the media house was the turning point in this career and it resulted in changing of his destiny. “while working at Prudent media I started using my humor to entertain my co-workers, I used to imitate my seniors, their style of communication and their speech modulation, I started mimicking and this only paved the way towards my new avenues in the comic world which was yet to open” he continued  “While watching the live assembly session in the studio to get the news points, I started to minutely observe each character of Goan Legislative Assembly and this perhaps was the beginning of my new chapter at the prudent media channel. My seniors started observing my activities and one day I had a call from the program head of the company, apparently he liked my jokes which I used to send everybody based on the movement of the politicians.  He told me that he likes my sense of humor very much and I must look forward doing something in the similar field for the channel.  After that day, I became little more positive about my future. One day we all were sitting and watching the program “The Week that wasn’t” on “CNN-IBN” by Cyrus Broacha, Sandesh Prabhudesai, our Chief Editor suddenly came up with an idea saying ‘we should also start something like this’ and all the eyes turned towards me, I said I cannot do this, it’s too big for me, I can only do small jokes and all and this is something totally different, but they tried convincing me saying that if I do something like this then it will be a revolutionary change in the television industry of Goa”.

According to Paresh, he always wanted to do something different and his dream of making people laugh was coming true here, he had the opportunity right in front of him. “I decided, if I lose this opportunity, I may never get back something like this in the future, and I said “YES” to the proposal”.  This was the beginning of the new television program “Just Imagine” the most revolutionary program that any television channel in Goa has ever made.

Following to the idea of a new show we all started working on the title of it, many names flashed across our minds, the whole process went through the big brainstorming session and finally the program was christened with the name “Just Imagine” and I became the face of the program. Following the ‘NAAMKARAN’ we all started working on the script of the program, again it was another brainstorming session, and I suggested that we can start with the interviews of the politicians with the humoristic punches, anyways finally we decided to create few pilot episodes before we go on air”.

According to Paresh, the 5th Episode was seen by the MD of company Ms. Anju Timblo and she instantly approved of it saying “It has to go on Air now” and that was the beginning of the new journey for Paresh Parab. “The prudent was growing and we shifted to new premises.  Screening of my episode was in agenda and finally on 2nd May 2010 my first episode was put on the air and there was no stopping after that. I kept doing the episodes with my complete dedication and rest is the history”, He concluded with these words.

Today just imagine is one of the most sought after the program on the Goan television network and everyone likes it, especially the politicians whom Paresh imitates.  They have even made the CDs of the programs which are available in all the leading music stores in Goa. Paresh has just started his career in the television world and he has a long way to go. Though his achievements are remarkable but this humble guy never takes any credits for the same. Paresh has set the example for the upcoming talent in television industry of Goa. According to him, nothing is impossible if you peruse your dreams, it will turn into a reality one day for sure.  Television and broadcasting industry is growing in Goa and has a lot of scope for the young talents to take advantage of the same. The dedication and commitment will always win at the end of the day and Paresh has proved this already. Coming from humble middle-class background Paresh had just the dream and he did everything possible to achieve that, and finally as you have seen he reached his goal. God always helps those who help themselves and Paresh have proved this statement is true.