TELEVISION
An all-women programme

IT’s a show with a purpose for the woman with a mind of her own. The woman on Zee India is targeted at the urban middle class ladies and will focus on issues like glamour, beauty, fashion, child care, health and home.

Related areas would include hobbies, careers and vocations and a peppy segment on high achieving women like parliamentarians, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, writers who tell viewers why they chose the profession and the secret of their success.

The magazine format show has been knitted together with outdoor anchoring by Jaya Jaitley who meets women from various segments of society. There is a section on consumer rights and legal tips. The language is deceptively simple so that the programme is of interest to different levels of literacy. Each episode triggers one set of aspirations and satisfies another set of dreams. A very meaningful show for the woman who wants to keep pace with the changing society.

Toofan Mail gets going

He’s a young man on the go. The mover and shaker of anchor-based shows on television.Whether it is Mastercard Family Fortune or Born Lucky, Roshan Abbas, comes out as a clean-cut, gentleman anchor.

It’s little wonder than that his popularity with producers is growing by the day. Now Toofan Mail on Sony too has hired his services to give the show a new look. In the new format the show features guests who are popular with young viewers such as Suchitra Krishnamoorthy, Saagrika,Rohit Roy, Mukul Dev, Anupama Verma, Arshad Warsi and more.

Abbas in his typically bubbly style delivers a range of stand-up jokes while introducing stars to the viewers. And a sampling of his questions include things like, "Does Arshad Warsi mind being called the poor man’s Govinda?" or, "How much does Anupama Verma weigh?" or, Does Mukal Dev think he’s better than his brother, the well known model,Rahul Dev?"

The show which was on the verge of flopping has been given a new lease of life thanks to its new format and to Roshan Abbas.

Reaching out with Style

It’s a show which is scaling rapidly up the charts. Style! the weekly magazine on BBC showcases anything and everything that’s stylish — from the ultra-modern to the truly ancient, from urban chic to rural savvy, from art to performance, from hip to traditional.

Presented by Rahul Bose and Laila Rouass, the programme takes the viewer down familiar and not-so-familiar routes; the Mumbai Derby which is a race not just for horses of the four-legged variety but also for clothes horses; an exhibition of Murrano glass inspired by Indian artists, an environmentally friendly hotel; India’s first traditional female percussionist, adventure sports like white-water rafting and the Lucknow Kite Festival. Just some of the stories you’ll find in the show that’s essential for anyone interested in style.

Style! offers an innovative mix of both current and timeless stories. The show features names both well-known and those starting to make waves, public places and private homes, the A to Z of fashion, trends and lifestyle pieces which reflect what’s in and what’s not. From the deserts of Rajasthan to the waterways of Kerala, from the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Mumbai to the tranquility of the countryside — if it’s got style it’s in Style!

Music to the ears

There’s music in the air as far as Music Asia is concerned. The channel has started airing a number of new shows to get the mood swinging.

There’s Music Mag a song-based news magazine invites personalities from the music world as also people like Shrikant Sathe, a musical painter who specialises in the art of synchronisation between music, dance and colourful paintings which he does with his fingers.

Then there’s the House of Choice a request programme ranging from ghazals to film songs and from old Hindi classics to pop and rock. A newly added segment asks viewers to write and give their opinion about the programme. Viewers could write, fax or even E-Mail their requests. So if you are in a musical mood, put on your dancing shoes and dance away your blues with Music Asia.

Forceful message

It’s an oft-repeated story but little has been done to curb the social menace Ahsaas a new and powerful telefilm aired on Doordarshan beginning August, deals with the subject of female infanticide.

Produced by Pran Sharma, it deals with the subject in a story format and brings out the fact that women who resort to the ultrasound method of finding out the sex of the child and then go in for an abortion (in case of a girl), perpetuate a heinous crime.

"It is such women who are the biggest enemies of women," says script-writer Trilok Jha.

"The underlying message of the telefilm is that a child is a gift of God and a girl child is the incarnation of Devi Shakti

A virtuous telefim which brings home the social message succinctly and forcefully.

Hollywood calling

Wanna Dhinchak with Madonna, bhangra with Boyzone or Patel rap with Celine Dione? All you have to do is to vote for the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards. The contest gives viewers a chance to hang out with stars in Los Angeles.

The last date for voting is August 21. Viewers are being asked to cast their vote for the video of their choice.

They will automatically enteer a competition to win two tickets to the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards night to be held in Los Angeles on September 11.

Besides the air ticket, the lucky winners will get entry in the post-event party, spending cash, airport transfers and hotel accommodation. The five artists nominated for the award are Asha Bhosle with Janam Samjha Karo A.R.Rahman with Maa Tujhe Salaam and Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan’s Dil to Pagal Hai.

The two new entrants in the top-5 list are Kamaal Khan with O Jaane Jaana and Abhijit in Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon.

So all you have to do is to pick up an entry form and get set to fly to the city of dreams — Los Angeles.

— Mukesh Khosla