A
lot seems to be happening in Indian telly world these days. While the Asarams
and Tarun Tejpals of the country are keeping news journalists on their toes
with newer and sleazier developments, there’s the Arushi murder case verdict
that is sure to keep TV news channels buzzing with the who, what and why of it
all, long after the case is closed.
Now
that Mallika Sherawat has finally found her match in a small town guy through
her much hyped and controversial swayamwar, we can breathe easy. Another one
bites the dust or should we say lust? Err…censored conversation. Let’s just
hope this pair manages to add further credibility to the concept of choosing a
life partner through an extremely dramatised courting process packaged in a
typical filmy way on national television. The only survivor who has lived to
tell the story of a successful nuptial through the televised swayamvar show has
been Rahul Mahajan so far and that is thin crust proof of how well such shows
eventually do in the long run.
One
show I am looking forward to however is the new season of Koffee
Star
Plus meanwhile is going berserk with its promotional drive for the new avatar of
Mahabharata. Yes, so they spent crores on the production of this one. That
doesn’t necessarily translate in to a well-etched,well-enacted and
well-rendered telling of the epic tale. Not only does it have to walk the thin
line between authenticating the original story but also make sure it adds a
unique something that helps us wash away the impact of the well received and
wonderfully narrated and picturised Mahabharata that DD gave us. The challenge
that the makers of the new Mahabharata face is two pronged- they need to appeal
to a generation that has grown up on the old Mahabharata where actors like Mukesh
Khanna, Puneet Issar, Pankaj Dheer and Gufi Paintal are still remembered as Bheeshma,
Duryodhan, Karna and Shakuni Mama resp. On the other hand, they must also cater
to the urban and highly westernised young generation that has no inkling to the
old version and no particular interest in making themselves sit through the new
one. This facebook and twitter generation wants its TV content snappy, pacy and
relatable and that is where a mythology-based TV show fails big time. Mind you,
The Immortals of Meluha is still a trending literary series among the youth so
do not dismiss this generation as unworthy of following an epic scale saga. Now
if only TV producers manage to blend in old world sensibilities with modern and
strongly opinionated mindsets of youngsters, the new Mahabharata may actually
work.
As for Colors, after the sudden oustre of the lovable Gutthi from Comedy
Nights with Kapil, the show has somehow lost its sheen. The jokes are getting
repetitive, Sidhu’s rejoinders seem stale and too much pressure seems to be on host
and comedian Kapil Sharma to keep the audience laughing, the stars on his show
entertained and the TRPs rising. It doesn’t help that Bigg Boss Season 7 on the
same channel seems to be in the last 5 weeks of its existence. Last inmate to
have exited was pretty young thing (PYT) Eli Evram. Last inmate to gain entry
again was sulky young gun Kushal Tandon. Last two people I want to see winning
are ‘doormat meets bouncer’ couple Tanisha and Armaan, notwithstanding the ugly
rumours around their so called affair in the House. If you have preferred to
keep out of the proceedings in this much publicised and talked about show, you
aren’t missing out on anything earth shattering. Except that this is the only
show in which you will find humans making life hell for each other with a dog
called Heaven for company. Bizarre huh? Well, you can say that again.
