Biddu’s eastern sojourn

AFTER international hits like Johnny Joker, Made in India, and Asha Once More, Biddu has now come up with something close to his heart. Eastern Journey is an album that he has worked on over the past 17 years. A labour of love and a new direction for the man who is today referred to as ‘the pop of the pops’.

Eastern Journey is the most unusual album to hit the Indian music market. The format of the vocal songs is not the regular verse-chorus format but an interesting blend of instrumentation and vocals.

Most appealing, however, is the sound of the album. It is aptly titled Eastern Journey because listening to the album is like a journey through India — a journey through time and place.

You can hark back to the days of the Mughals, witness sandstorms buffeting camel caravans, feel the tiredness of Maratha warriors after a long day in battle or even sense the sensuality of a king’s courtesan.

The video version of the album is being eagerly awaited by all TV music channels. Says Biddu, "An eastern star in the western sky, is just how I would describe this album." Eastern chant, Western groove, is how the MTV generation would term it!

Man to lift the spirits

MTV India has unleashed its latest brand advertising campaign featuring the Liftman. Reaching out to its young audiences with an "exaggerated authority figure" is the popular Liftman, MTV further extends its ‘Enjoy’ theme with a series of on-air promotions.

The campaign which was kicked off in February, uses the bonding via alienation route, to enhance MTV’s brand identity with it’s young viewers. The Liftman uses the concept of reverse psychology to connect with audiences, while entertaining them.

He is a character from every day life that MTV’s target audience is familiar with. His cynical outlook coupled with his exaggerated authoritativeness have made him a popular and entertaining youth icon ever since he first appeared in an MTV on air promotion in November 1998.

The anonymous old man can now hope to get a number of advertising assignments considering that he has done the MTV spot so remarkably well.

Piggyback ride on Antakshri

It’s a sweet song of success. Though not so sweet for the makers of Antakshri the hugely popular music show on Zee.

In a bid to sound different, a new series has been titled, Picnik Antakshari with the explanation that Antakshari is mostly played during family and social outings and at picnics. The series, being produced by BAG Films, simulates a picnic kind of atmosphere with lawns, leaves and trees in the background.

The host of the show is Sachin, a man of varied talents in the areas of films and music. Although the audience has seen him in numerous roles of an actor, director and a producer — he appears in the role of a host of a musical show for the first time.

Sachin who is currently directing a number of popular TV shows including Tu Tu Main Main and Ek Do Teen on Star Plus. In this show he has three teams llu llu, Chaiya Chaiya and Oye Oye comprising two members each and they go through a number of rounds where their knowledge about music is tested.

And, if things start sounding oddly familiar, don’t get too rattled. No one here is claiming to be original!

Mysterious goings on

A silent war seems to have broken out between Sony Entertainment Television and the makers of the serial Mahayagaya. The serial is reportedly going off the air after its 104th episode sometime in early April.

While director Anil Choudhary claims that he had been given an extension of 52 episodes and had stretched his story for the purpose. But there are reports that he has been asked to wind it up in 104 episodes.

Though there is no word from Sony sources, rumours abound that some politicians didn’t like the murky politics which was being shown on the serial and brought about pressure to close it down. Others say that the TRPs of the serial had dropped so low that Sony bosses thought it better to shut it down and replace it with a more interesting serial.

However, till the truth is out, no one knows the exact reasons. The only thing which is known is that one will here more about the Mahayagaya in the months to come.

Wild weapons

For every weapon that humans have used in battle throughout history, there are weapons of animals that got there first. Teeth, hooves and tails are not just body parts. In the animal kingdom they serve as weapons and determine survival.

Animals construct elaborate traps to ensnare, possess all manner of projectile abilities, have sensory skills to locate their elusive prey and have even developed physical devices to lure.

Discovery Channel’s Animal Weapons examines the natural defenses that have evolved in different animals to keep predators at bay and divulges the elaborate arsenal of animal weapons that have helped to ensure Darwin’s philosophy — only the fittest survive.

Airing as a part of Wild Discovery, Animal Weapons will be shown on March 7, 14 and 21. A rivetting series, if you are a wildlife enthusiast.

— Mukesh Khosla