Yeh Galat Jawab!!!

Once a lecturer made us cross our fingers in class. Which thumb was above, he asked. I had the right one over the left. Then he asked us to uncross out fingers and re cross them so that (for me) the left thumb comes over the right. And he asked to notice the distinct discomfort we experience. Yeah, I felt uncomfortable. Well, why am I saying this?

The above exercise actually illustrates how we humans are uncomfortable accepting change. Be it in our environment, lifestyle or anything, it takes us time to move. And same is the case when a very famous TV show makes a very drastic change (Ha… I get to the point now!!), that of changing its highly successful compere, the very face of the programme.

I am a huge SRK fan and was waiting desperately for the new KBC with him at the helm. But, for the very reason I quoted above, I was badly disappointed. Here are my observations:

SRK was not looking natural. He is one actor who completely redefined the persona of actors. From an exclusive category, he brought actors to the level of commodities. From endorsements to dancing at weddings, SRK was a master. And the result of all this was that SRK became a normal human for fans like me. There isn’t much unknown about the Star, the ‘Star’ had lost its enigma and come down from a high pedestal to reside with us.

So it was disorienting for me to see SRK looking like he is trying to be the Big B. Well, the Big B cant be duplicated, and, for that matter, neither can the King Khan!! So why this change in voice pitch to become baritone – ish like Amitabh? Why the forced looking phrases? Why the artificial looking jokes? Why not just be the lovable SRK, be it Raj, Rahul or even Vijay (Don)?

On second thoughts, maybe SRK himself is a fan of the Big B… and all these observed mannerisms are a result of some unconscious response from the mind of SRK. Probably, being too harsh on him at this stage is unwarranted, as even he will take time to adjust into the boots of the Big B.

But above all this is the fact that people do not take well to changes. Why no ‘lock kiya jaye'? Where is that endearing ‘Computer ji'? Why KBC has suddenly become a product placement vehicle for Compaq? Why so many changes in the lifelines?

As my blog says. ‘The only thing constant in this world is CHANGE.’ But another thing that is constant is ‘Resistance to Change’.

And whether the SRK edition of KBC will be able to overcome this is anybody’s guess.

Hai koi jawab???

Celebrity Big BOTHER!!

It has always been said that ‘An actor is as good as his last film’. And it is true that, in India especially, this saying holds good. So what does an actor, 31 yrs of age, with no memorable releases (not speaking of hits here) at all in the near past do to keep herself alive in the minds of the Indian junta? Well, join a very popular celebrity reality show, and if it is a ‘phoren’ one, sone pe suhaga, right?

That could probably be what a certain Ms. Shetty had in mind, the bounty of 3+ cr rupees being another benefit.

Reality shows, most often inspired by foreign shows, are not new in India. And every time, the policy of audience deciding on the future of participants has been a topic of debate. Audience are very easily guided by emotions. This was seen at the time of ‘painter babu’ Ravinder’s unexpected and meteoric rise in Indian Idol I and also recently with the physically challenged Diwakar in sa re ga ma pa.

So what was behind the whole issue of the ‘Racist Abuse’ on Ms. Shetty? It was indeed highly deplorable of a person to speak like how Ms. Woody did. And it is understandable that Ms. Shetty was left in tears. It is also not surprising that Ms. Woody got voted out emphatically.

But what was completely unexpected was probably the reactions that came to the whole episode. The politicians of both Britain and India were up in arms condemning the incident. The public of Britain was exhorted to vote logically to get the wrong doer out of the show so as to reinforce the image of the nation as a tolerant one.

And the reactions in India… everyone from netas to the MEA was giving statements. Isn’t it odd that the same netas never looked so concerned about dalit murders of mercilessly killed children? Or about any other issue of real national importance for that matter?

Why is it that reactions are so quick when the event involved a celebrity? Particularly when the celebrity was not representing the nation at the show?

The best comment on the whole issue, according to me, came from Mr. Salman Rushdie yesterday. Talking about the issue he said: If you feel the heat in the kitchen, it is better you move out. Definitely Ms. Shetty was not expecting a smooth ride in the show. Then why make a personal comment such an issue of macro level consequences, only to finally say nothing great had happened? And why are the repeated yo-yos happening in both her and Ms. Woody’s statements?

As a PR strategy, Celebrity Big Brother has really worked in Ms. Shetty’s favor as she has not just come into limelight, but also has been shown as a so vulnerable person. But the whole issue leaves one really to wonder: is it time for the netas and the junta to do a rethink?

Bore TV!!

What does a student who has got a long leave do with his/her free time? ‘Watch TV’ must be your prompt answer. And why not? TV is a medium of entertainment for which there are no prerequisites – you just need to have some free time at your disposal and some patience.
But……TV has become such a bore today, I mean, I do not find any shows worth watching. It keep away from the ‘serial trap’, one can watch music channels. But the kind of ‘music’ on these channels now is kinda unbearable (not to mention ‘un watch able’!). Every other video on air is a bad remix of some golden oldie. And today remixes of fairly recent familiar songs are also being heard (RD must be distraught hearing Harry Anand’s ‘Ek Ladki Ko’!).
And daily soaps, God!! The K serials today show ridiculously young MOMs getting their DAUGHTERS married. Jassi is also beginning to drag with Jassi being accused of murdering herself!! ‘Ye Meri Life Hai’ which had begun promising to tell the story of a middle class girl out to make her dreams come true has now become a saas-bahu cum revenge drama. Same is the case with many other soaps which are totally off track from where they started off (hey! The handsome Rajeev Khandelwal has reportedly left the K camp citing ‘illogical changes in script’ of ‘Kaahiin to hoga’).
The only soap I watch nowadays is ‘Sarrkkar’ which is good (maybe ‘coz it is only a few weeks old!). Great acting, a different story, good casting (Priyamvada LOOKS mom, not like Prerna who looks like Kasak’s sis!). But the question is, till when…
AND ‘That 70’s Show’. Man!! There couldn’t be a cooler show! (Thanks due to Meetu!). It keeps me in splits for practically no reason (meaning, it makes me a bit MAD for the half an hour it is on air!).
I find myself reading or listening to music most of my free time. And to all those who said ‘Watch TV’ as response to my first line query, I ask, WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING?!!

Jassi Jaissi........Koi Hai?

Miss Jasmeet Walia - the girl who burst onto the Telly screen around 2 years back and caught the imagination of the Indian population, is soon going to change. Jassi, of the large specs, lohe ki smile (meaning braces) and funny fringe became a trendsetter with gorgeous models going in for the 'fringe' hairstyle. She epitomized the strong Indian woman by making a journey from the post of secretary in Gulmohur fashion house to the post of it's CEO, solely by virtue of hard work and brains.
But with its TRPs steadily going down and Indian Idol usurping the No.1 slot, the show decided to do something that probably was in the offing for long - give Jassi a MAKEOVER!
Jassi and me have had a connection since the time the show came on air. People around me have always maintained that I look like her [complimentary? : (( ]. Yeah, we do look alike, same lankiness, face cut, specs..GOD! How I hated all of those people who compared me with her [;-)].
As the curtain rose on her new hairstyle last Thursday, I waited with bated breath to see the stage 1 of her transformation. With her hair cut in elegant long steps, she looked gorgeous, in spite of the braces and the specs still being there. I was just telling mum how even my hair is cut in steps when dad’s mobile beeped. It was Rithin, one of the earliest to say I looked like Jassi. His message -
‘Sri, Jassi is looking like you today!!’
Thanks Rithin, I hope you mean it! And so, there is sill no end to the comparisons in sight [;-)].

Indian Idol- Sab Kuch Bhula De!!

When an announcement was made a few months back that a ‘new’ talent scouting show would be on air soon, I dismissed it with an “Oh no! Not again!” tag.
But at that time, I was not to know that I would one day, within a few weeks, become one of the show’s die-hard fans. Yes, now I wait for Indian Idol every week and catch every bit of trivia I can get about the contestants (especially my favorite Amit, but I believe Rahul has the greatest chance of winning!). The power of the show can be understood from the fact that leading actors and filmmakers come on the show every week to publicize their new releases.
Thus, as the show becomes more and more popular (and there are only 4 weeks remaining!!), it has already become a great favorite of mine. So it is a shock for me to see Rahul Saxena leave so soon, and Ravinder stay so long. Phone calls and SMSs to and from friends fly as soon as the results are announced.
And I wait impatiently for the next gala……………………