Pawankali's story is pretty typical. A young woman from a village in west Nepal fails class nine and decides to make a future for herself in Kathmandu. In the city, she still wears chaubandi cholo and fariya and likes to chat with guests.

And this is where her story gets un-typical. This sassy, brassy woman interviews people from all walks of life and in her forthright manner asks them whatever she feels like. Politicians squirm and pop stars break out into a sweat on Pawankali's show, and audiences split their sides laughing, both because she researches her guests thoroughly and asks sharply funny questions, and because she says what is on everyone's mind.

Pawankali has an amusing riff on the 'village bumpkin' stereotype: she speaks in a rural accent and exaggerates her rustic personality. She uses this lack of affectation to expose people's hypocrisies, often by intentionally misunderstanding their responses. A memorable episode was when she waylaid Pushpa Kamal Dahal at an early public appearance last November, made him blush a she openly flirted with him.

If Pawankali looks different today than she did then, that's because the character is in her third incarnation. Played by Loonibha Tuladhar (\'Hen-pecked,\' #252), Tara Kandel and now Mampi Ghosh, the fictional character is always supposed to be as much a star as her interviewees. Soon after it went on air last year, the show shot up into Kantipur Television's top ten. "We wanted a show that would depict a certain kind of Nepali culture. Pawankali's also the answer to all those who believe mistakenly that tv hosts have to be glamorous, show some skin, and wear modern clothes," says Ghosh.

That's not to say television hasn't changed her, though. Since she moved to Kathamandu, Pawankali's world and dreams have become bigger. She talks about going to the salon and complains about living in an old house.

Those who tune in to the show every Sunday at 7.30 PM for the celebrity factor needn't worry, though: Pawankali still wants to chat with GPK, MKN, PKD, and maybe even KPB.

"Pawankali can ask you anything, and you have to be like Pawankali to talk to her," says Pradeep Kaspal, producer of the show. "She is direct and bold, yet there is a kind of innocence about her, which makes the show special."

Mallika Aryal