After an eight-year gap, Rajeev Khandelwal has returned to television as the host of Tum Ho Naa - Ghar Ki Superstar, a reality game show that celebrates homemakers and their contributions. Calling it a beautiful journey so far, Rajeev says the show’s concept was what drew him back to the medium.

Reflecting on television’s audience base, he says the medium has long been perceived as being driven by women viewers. “When I started in 2002-03, television was considered a woman’s medium. It’s a woman’s medium even now, or at least considered to be,” he says.

Explaining how this perception got formed, he points to viewing patterns within Indian households. “Traditionally, men would go out for work and in households where women did not work, they were the ones at home. They had control over the remote. That’s how the whole thing started, and then we all started believing that it’s a woman’s medium,” he shares.

However, he believes the reality is more nuanced. “You also consume so much other content on television, whether it’s cricket or sports, and generally men consume that content. But women do have control over the remote,” he smiles.

For the actor, that audience support has been central to his own journey on television. Having become a household name with shows such as Kahiin To Hoga and Left Right Left, Rajeev says he remains grateful for the affection he has received over the years.

“It’s a great feeling because it gives people like me an opportunity to live in their hearts and make a place for ourselves there. I think I’m one of the fortunate ones. Female audiences have consistently given me their love and I am grateful to them,” says the actor, who switched to movies with the film Aamir and in recent years has done a number of OTT shows such as Marzi and Miya Biwi Aur Murder as well.