halka fulka phir bhi lazeez

Of late there has been a new genre of television shows which are ruling the trp charts on Hindi GEC.( to be precise such shows have existed before. Only thing is that they are back on the tube almost after i dont know how many years) These shows i would call as the feel good shows. There is a long list of such shows. Almost every GEC has come up with such shows. Though Colors bein an exception. ( They are happy with Dadi sa and Ammaji running their shows)

Star Plus seems to be sabse aage in this genre with two shows- Sasuraal Genda Phool and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai- topping their Trp charts. Apart from that Sony has Saas Bina Sasuraal and Baat Humari Pakki Hai. Even Zee is not behind with their show Raam Milayee Jodi.

All these shows have lots of things in common. First and foremost they have identifiable characters. There are no characters who always have a voice over running behind them and their eyes doing more talking that their lips. Also neither do we have a protagonist who seems to have all the good virtues that exist in this world making them look out of this earthy world. Here the characters are more realistically potrayed and even the leading ladies have their short coming.

Second is their treatment and plot. They do not have heavy material for drama. Though drama is an integral part of television shows, they rely more on cute/romantic scenes as well as heavy emotional scenes. They have all the elements to touch the emotional side of the indian masses. Also they rely heavily on light scenes. Or to be more precise they treat even very dramatic scenes in a very lighthearted way and hence makes the viewing enjoyable.

Third is their cast. Almost all of them have an ensemble which are so aptly fit in their respective characters that   they look almost as if they are those characters themselves. Be it Suhana from Sasuraal Genda Phool or Dosti/ Tanya from Saas Bina Sasuraal. Or even supporting cast like Rajshri from YRKKH or even Badi Baa from Raam milayee Jodi. All actors have fitted so well into thier characters that its difficult to differentiate whether you are liking the characters more or the actors.

A couple of years back, Baa Bahu aur Baby blonged to similar genre and not to forget the show was a great success. The audience has always had a liking for such shows. And with current success of such shows once again shows that such kind of shows are here to stay. After all you need break from masaledaar food....!!!

masala maar kar

What if Komolika was a wearing simple white saree with no makeup. Am sure you cant. Similarly one cant imagine indian television without drama and tears. Every show on television does have enough masala for their viewers. Of late two shows have been doing really well for Zee tv. Jhansi Ki Rani and Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli. And their reasons for doing well is not surprising. Both the shows are witnessing a hight point currently and so they have enough drama or in other words loads of masala to keep the viewers hooked to them.

Lets talk about YMGGK first. The show recently revealed the truth of Mamaji ( Rajesh Bees) and hence Zarina Wahab is back to her own house. The episode which revealed the truth behind Mamaji was really well shot. Not only did they not insert too many reaction shots of the supporting cast, they kept adding a twist after every some time. Throughout the scene ( though the scene was really long and extended to two full episodes with occasional intercut scenes) the focus was only on characters who were important for the scene. There was one more thing which differentiated such a scene from other similar scenes in other shows. It was the background music.

We have become so used to listening to those similar sounding background score which had been once popularized by Ekta Kapoor that show sounded fresh. This show took to score which was more indian in feel and had a classical touch to it. The scene also had some very smooth camera movements. The tracking of the camera as well as the movement of the actors was done cleverly to avoid too many takes from different angles. On the whole current track is being played well. Only thing is had the screenplay been a little more crisp, the scene would have been better. But still on the whole, the show has done a good job.

The next show that we need to mention is Jhansi Ki Rani. I dont know how true are the incidents and events in the show, but the screenplay has all the elements which would appeal to the mass. I think the makers have the fingers on the pulse of our indian audience. You can feel the adrenalin rush as you see super dramatic visuals accompanied by equally loud mantras and beats. As you see the episodes, you actually feel the hatred for those firangis and to add to this is their new signature tune Bhaag Firangi Bhag.

Though at times, it seems as if they are just trying to glorify Laxmi Bai to no end, yet throughout it turns out to be an entertaining outing. What needs to be applauded is the tight and racy screenplay. The screenplay has enough dosage of masala not forgetting scenes which will wet the kerchiefs of the female audience.

On the whole both the shows have been doing well of late and why shouldn't they. After all indians love masaledaar food....!!!

another flop in Sony's cap....!!!

When KBC was launched almost a decade ago, it changed the fortune of Star Plus. But what is more important is that the other shows also managed to catch attention and kept the cash box jingling for star. Both Kyunki and Kahaani managed to keep the attention of the viewers glued to the channel even after 9 pm.

A decade later, KBC is back. And post the show, even they have come up with 2 fiction shows - Saas Bina Sasural and Tera mujhse Hai pehle Ka Nata Koi.(they even added the word saas to the name of their show) But nothing seems to be the same as it was a decade back. Though KBC has managed to sustain its loyal viewers its two fiction shows have not managed to climb up the Trp charts.

But once the flagship show end in December what will Sony 'bank' upon. (as Sameer Nair had once said, fiction is the staple diet for ant GEC) Lets talk about their show Saas Bina Sasuraal. The show in many ways is very different from a normal GEC show in terms of treatment. I personally loved the way the show is done. Be it the look of the characters or even the way the character of the protagonist has been sketched. ( i am still confused as to what is her name in the show -Dosti or Tanya?)

Dosti is no longer always dressed up in indian clothes. No longer is she docile and submissive. On the contrary her character is more upright and smart than the male lead Tez. She represents the metro city girl who uses words like yaar and idiot. She is chirpy and bubbly. She goes out to party and even speaks in english. Oh my God - i fainted seeing Dosti on Indian television screen. Though the story has a slight resemblance to the Kareena- Akshay starer Hulchul, yet its new for the television. In terms of story and treatment, the show definitely scores. And evidently the show has enough material to keep it running for quiet a few months without deviating from the central theme.

But in terms of production value the show loses out badly. Not only the camera is bad, even the set looks really sasta and old. ( though am sure the makers will claim that they were trying to be realistic) Also the screenplay is a bit loose. The makers need to tighten the screenplay and also looks for more plots to add drama in the episode. For how long can we see the issues coming up in their marriage when we already know that the two will be getting married.

Though the show scores in many places, on the whole the show does not have the potential to become a hit show in the coming days. I dont see this show becoming the next Kahaani. On the contrary i think show will have a very small set of loyal viewers. There are times when you cant explain what is wrong but you know that something is wrong. Same goes for Saas Bina Sasural. I like a lot of elements in the show. But on the whole i dont see the show going anywhere.

It will remain a Show bina Audience.....!!!!

Time to fall in love again

American television has always come up with seasons of their hit shows. This trend is unknown and virtually non existent in Indian television. But looks like things are changing and once again its none other than Ekta Kapoor who has made the first move with the second season of her romantic show Kitni Mohaabat Hai for Imagine.

The first season of this romantic love story had done fairly well. In fact the leads characters of the show Arjun and Arohi did manage to find way to viewers hearts.(Ekta has always managed to make stars out of no one. Be it Kasish and Sujal or Gauri and Pratham in Kutumb - all these characters have been remembered by the people even though the shows have been off air for years now)

The second season of Kitni Mohhabat Hai deals with two families who are poles apart. Not only the families but even the two leads are at loggerheads with each other. Basically the show follows the simple story. Pehle takraar, phir pyar, phir inkaar and then finally iqraar. Still the show emerges to be a winner all the way. Not only the show looks youthful but it has certain freshness to it. No longer are the characters looking too garish or neither is Arohi like any other typical television lead character. (even her dressing is smart and more up-to-date with the day's trend)

Right from episode 1, its very clear that the show is trying to create and establish Arohi and Arjun as the next love icons of Indian television. And to be frank, they have a winner in hand. The screenplay belongs to the genre of Ekta Kapoor. The episodes have enough of masala to keep the drama and suspense element alive. Also it is full of duals between the the two leads which makes the viewing interesting. Not only the characters look up to date, but even the dialogues and the situations are in more sync with the today's youth.

I think Ekta Kapoor has done it again. She always had her fingers on the pulse of Indian audience, and with this show, she proves this once again. ( Though the show might not be able to climb beyond certain level on the TRP charts, this will be solely because its on Imagine.)

But we can still expect to see the season 3 of Kitni Mohabbat Hai and there will be more of Arohi and Arjun in times to come.

painting the television red....!!!

A prime time show is a gamble which can make or mar the Gross Rating Point of any channel. And with the current scenario of each channel eating into the other channel's pie, no programming head can afford to make a wrong move.

gulal : fresh and colorful

With Bidaai successfully completing its 3 year run, the 9pm slot on Star Plus Fixed Point Chart lay empty. Not forgetting the BIG BOSSES who are sitting on Hot Seats in Sony and Colors. Therefore Star needed to come up with a show which could rule the 9 pm slot the moment Big Boss and KBC get over in December this year. And once again Star plus a winner all the way.

Yes people Gulal is here and she will definitely win your hearts. Not only the show has a unique concept, what makes the show different is the high production value and amazing screenplay. The plot has been kept simple, yet the entire episode is gripping enough to keep the viewers hooked. 

Next good thing about the show is its great cinematography. (with great cinematography i have kept other indian television shows as the benchmark) The camera angles have gone much beyond the OTS and POV shots. The camera manages to make the shots look all the more great. Especially the outdoor shot in the desert and the mela scenes are really well shot. In fact the first episode seems to have been shot on RED and thus we see such an amazing result.

Not to forget the great performances by all the actors alike have added life to the show. Be it Rahil Azmi or Manoj Joshi, each actor has given his best. But who takes your breadth away is Mansi Parek. She seems to light up the screen the moment she is there. Even the small time gujarati actors have performed brilliantly.

On the whole, the show seems to be a sure shot winner and if the makers stick to the high standards that we saw in the first week the show will definitely become a numero uno show in just a couple of days.

So be ready to get your lives painted by Gulal. She is here to stay.

milan yeh thanda aur adhoora hai...!!!

Ekta Kapoor has always been known for brilliant scenes which send adrenalin rushing and keep the viewers on the edge. Be it Mihir's entry in Shantiniketan or Ansh's death. Be it Anuraag's murder or Kashish and Sujal's rain scene. All the scenes have been amazingly well written and shot. They have maintained the drama element alive in the show. Not only the scene but even the build up scenes leading to the climax scenes have been hooking. And i was expecting something much bigger and dramatic this time.

For past many days Zee painted the entire channel with the promo of Archana and Manav uniting. Even the city of Mumbai had big flexes across telling the world that this novenber the much awaited union is here. And being a loyal couch potato i was keeping track of the show eagerly waiting for the big day to arrive.

Finally the wait was over and it happened. But to my despair i found it to be amazingly THANDA. I know the show has very low production value (its evident in its every episode) but that has never affected the show. In fact last time when Archana was leaving Maanav, the show had amazing scenes between Archana and Sulochana Tai.

Then what happened now....???Even all the build up scenes where both Maanav and Archana are convinced to leave the house and also the scenes where they keep looking for each other are badly shot and equally badly written. I am surprised that Ekta herself let the episode air with such shabby scenes.

Even when the duo met, the scene failed to arouse the emotions as a viewer. Even the scenes of the two families were too loud and looked like any other episode. But anyways lets not write them off for a bad show because we all know know matter what happens Ekta was and will remain the Kween of Indian television.

Ironically the promo of the duo running on a bus looked really promising and amazingly dramatic as compared to the actual episode.

simple and steady is leading the race

A good and observant writer can make your show worth a watch. I think the team of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai deserves a big round of applause. They have done it in past and they did it again with the current track in the show. They have showed time and again how small daily life incidents of common man can be made worth a watch.

In the current track, we saw an incident that is common to every indian household. How often do we face the problem of the mithaiwala giving us old sweets. Using this small everyday incident, they built a small and interesting track. Kudos to them for not only observing such small daily events, but also for making them dramatic and interesting to watch. I am sure, the TRPs wont fall and the marketing department of Star Plus will still be happy to continue their rishta with them. Also the audience is able to identify with these simple incidents of life and this is one reason why even after 2 years the show still remains one of the flagship shows for the channel.

Also the show deserves an applause for tonnes of emotional scenes which are very important for keeping a daily show running. The show has a feel of a typical happy happy Rajshri film where they play with small emotions in the life of a normal Indian. Like their films, the show also has the situation and time making life of Akshara difficult. Unlike other shows, the characters are more realistic and you wont find any overly dresses female playing the vamp. And i think we need to give them a bigger hand for keeping these elements intact even after 2 years. (while most shows after 2 years run out of story and become like any other show, this show still strives to be the same)

Though the show has its set of critics who keep ripping it apart as a sugar coated pill, we know that a show has to run and be high on TRP charts. So as long as they are doing well, who cares what the f**k have the critics to say.

I just hope the show remains the way it is. And this rishta goes on for many more years to come.

G-U-J-J-U - star plus simply loves you...!!!

When ever i hear the surname Virani, i am reminded of only one thing. And am sure even each one of us are reminded of the same thing, irrespective of the fact whether we followed the 'The Mother of all Shows'. The show changed the fate of every single person who was even remotely linked with it. And from this show came an era in Indian television where every second show was based on a Gujarati family. With this show came an era of 'theplas' and 'garba' and not to forget the eternally loving BAA.

After Kyunki ended, atleast Star Plus stopped too many gujrati families from entering their shows. ( Though lot of shows across various channels still loved gujju families. In fact SAB should rename its own channel as SAB-GUJRATI.)

But dear Gujju lovers do not be sad. Star Plus has re- embraced the gujju culture. And trust me it has worked again. Back is the typical gujju accent (which is used only periodically as if just to remind viewers that we are watching a gujrati family) and back is Kinjal ben as well as Gopi Vau.

We are talking about the new family on Star Plus called Saathiya Saath Nibhana. The show has nothing new in terms of story or treatment. But yes it has enough drama to keep the audience hooked to the show. And seeing the show do really well one thing is for sure, Shaadi can always be a high point in an indian television show.

Currently the track in the show is focusing on Kinjal Ben's shaadi as well as poor Gopi Vau becoming the bali ki bechaari bakri. What sells for this show is the cast which seems to be just perfect in the characters that they are playing. Gopi Vau as a timid and sanskaari bahu of Modi family has enough sheen to gather the sympathy of the female audiences. Also Rashi though is not the typical adarsh bahu, yet she looks adorable on screen. Also the plot of the show is kept simple, yet it provides enough masala to keep the drama element intact. Therefore there is nothing surprising that the show is working.

If this was not enough there is a third show on Star Plus called GULAL which is again based in Kutch region of Gujrat. So there is more of gujrat yet to come on Star Plus. And lets hope that the Gujratis once again make Star Plus the number one channel in the country.

Who told only sex and shahruk sell in India. There are Gurjatis as well....!!!

Bidaai - end of a sapna

On 13th November a top rated show for Star Plus - Bidaai : Sapna Babul Ka - came to an end with marathon 2 hour episode. The show had been a top rated show for Star Plus and if you remember correctly, Sadhana and Ragini ( the protagonists of the show) had given Tulsi and Parvati run for their money.( ultimately shantiniketan and aggarwal house had to lock their palatial houses and shut their doors for the viewers)

The show started almost 3 years back. The show was accepted well by the emotional indian audience. Also the show was a welcomed change for the channel as well as the audience who had been feeding on decade old K series. Sadhana and Ragini became a household name. What made this show worth a watch was the simple storyline as well as identifiable characters and plot. The characters and the situations were acceptable by the audience. The screenplay was well written and each episode had enough scenes to wet the kerchief of the women audience of the country.

The show became the highest TRP grosser for Star Plus. But as time progressed, the show ran out of plot. It started taking recourse to deaths, remarriages, illegitimate child and so on. So what happened then. The TRPs fell. The show no longer remained the number one of the Hindi Speaking Market. Though the show managed to remain in top ten slot, it lost the sheen, the simplicity and emotions. It became just another show on television. And after the two leads of the show- Ranveer and Sadhana - were killed in the show, the show never regained the number one position. ( Though worth noting is the fact the both these characters were killed so that they could work on the other projects for the same production house)

The decision to end the show, in my point of view, was the best decision that the makers could take. Not because the show was no the longer number one show, but because as Ekta Kapoor had once said, its better to end a show even when it is doing well and be remembered throughout as a hit show rather than dying a death when no one is even noticing.

The show had enough high points during its run. Be its Sadhana's marriage to Alekh or Ranveer's to Ragini- all these tracks generated sky rocketing TRPs. Now its time to see if Gulal ( the new show replacing Bidaai) will manage to garner equaly high TRPs or not. Till then lets bid adieu to a show that was well made and helped Star Plus to retain its numero uno spot even after Kyunki and Kahaani were put in a box.

Adieu Bidaai......!!! I am sure people would remember the show atleast for some time to come.