Telly Belly 1

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

with Karan. Salman Khan is supposed to be on the hot seat or should we say sofa (?!!) with his Dad Salim Khan making a rare appearance on television together. What the normally charming, suave and extremely articulate Karan manages to glean out of this close knit dad-son duo will make for perfect warm, friendly and candid conversation the famed filmmaker is known for. Farah Khan and Preity Zinta tried it but failed. Koel Purie doesn’t try too hard. And the likes of Anupama Chopra end up sounding avuncular and staid without intentionally meaning to most of the times. Interviewing stars and superstars is not as easy as it seems and to get them comfortable, confiding and conversational is a rare art that only Karan has mastered, wit and easy camaraderie attached.

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.