Sunday, January 21, 2001		Television

An engrossing tale of relationships

WHAT happens when a love story turns sour? It turns into a triangle and you have a clever re-make of Dev Anand’s evergreen hit, Guide.

Sambandh on Sabe TV, Sundays 5.30 p.m. is an engaging tale of TV anchor Pratima and architect Mrityujan whose marriage cracks up when she is offered a film role. She starts neglecting her husband and son and finally walks out on them and into the arms of a male co-star.

The son has a nervous breakdown and is put in the care of a psychiatrist. Though he is cured, his father is besotted by the pretty psychiatrist and the two start living together.

In the meantime, the initial euphoria has worn off and Pratima’s films begin flopping. She yearns to go back to her husband and son. Do they want her back now? They don’t. But that’s when the story takes a surprising turn.

Good performances by Ayub Khan, Bhagyashree, Mrinal Kulkarni and Rohini Hattangadi make the serial all the more absorbing. Provided you don’t mind the poor transmission quality of Sabe TV.

Crime time

Excess sure spells success on TV. If Sony TV has CID and Zee has 1-Zone can Sahara be far behind? The channel too has launched it’s own all-new crime series, Kagar.

Each episode has an independent storyline and there is a line up of most of the big stars on the small screen. Sunil Khote, who earlier directed Shanti on DD, says that this one is so contemporary that viewers would identify with it at once.

For example, one of the episodes shows how a man’s life goes into a tailspin after he wins a crore on the popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Another episode titled Abhinetri revolves around a film heroine who decides to write a kiss-and-tell book and how the people who would be affected by it start scheming her killing.

"It’s different," says Khote," It’s current and relevant," Indeed it is. But it remains to be seen whether it can chip at the ever-increasing popularity of CID.

Woman of substance

Whoever said that a hit is a hit needs to meet Simone Singh. For almost a year now the lady has been suffering from the Heena syndrome. She’s been offered over a dozen teary-eyed serials close to her sob-sob character in Heena.

But it must go to her credit that she has said a firm no to all the offers. "I like the serial but as an actress I am more than just Heena. Contrary to what producers think, my strong point is playing bubbly characters."

And that’s exactly what she’s doing in Tum Pukar Lo on Tuesdays, 8.30 p.m. on Zee TV. Here she plays the role of a woman who champions the cause of the poor. As if to prove her versatility, Simone is also hosting Blockbuster a sneak peak at new Bollywood releases — a Chalo Cinema clone on Channel 9 Gold, Saturdays, 9.30 p.m.

"That’s a situation I like. I am featuring on three different channels in three diverse kind of roles," says Simone who is also adding comedy to her repertoire in a new serial. Which all makes one wonder why Bollywood is cold-shouldering this gifted star.

Brave Art

The martial arts maybe best known through action films that sometimes present a distorted view of reality.

Here’s the real stuff. The Art of the Warrior on the National Geographic Channel, January 21, 6.30 p.m. and 10 p.m. unveils the 4,000-year-old story of the martial arts, as well as examines its social and cultural significance on modern Asia.

Viewers will meet the warriors of Punjab who are masters of this art. They will also meet 92-year-old Master Liao Wu Chang, living proof of the benefits of practicing traditional martial arts, A not-to-be missed show about the traditional arts which incorporates the study of acupuncture, energies circulation, massage, Tai-Chi, and Vin and Yang breathing techniques.

She’s young, she’s beautiful and she’s Nikite Samuelle, convicted for a vicious murder, she didn’t commit. There’s only one way out — a chilling new life as La Femme Nikita Watch this thrilling, action-packed serial on Zee English every Saturday at 10 p.m. Based on the hit movie of the same name, in this TV adaption Nikita is a beautiful, courageous woman given a difficult choice — join a ruthless government agency, or be executed. Falsely accused of a crime she did not commit, Nikita joins in.

She is entrusted to agent Micheal who teaches her how to kill. She also has to cope with other members of the covert organisation like walter a technical wizard, Brikoff a computer buff and Operations the ultimate intelligence bureaucrat.

Will she be able to survive this big world where crime is the only thing that rules? Only time will tell. Keep tuned to this rivetting series.

Celebration time

Dancing and eating are vivid emblems of nations and their cultures. Around the world melodies and dances are present in most festive occasions. The food people eat also plays a vital role in these ceremonies.

Discovery Kids profiles children from every corner of the world who demonstrate their culture, music and folklore, as well as the preparations involved in traditional celebrations, with the premiere series Let’s Dance & Eat every Friday at 6.30 p.m.

Each episode follows children from a different country as they go about their daily activities — among them taking dance classes, preparing costumes or shopping for important festivals.

From Japan to Argentina, Discovery Kids takes viewers on a journey around the world to taste different foods and experience musical traditions which will surprise you with their diversity.

— Mukesh Khosla