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Of webs of fantasy, snake boats & black humour

Spiderman: HBO Blockbuster

AFTER ending 2003 on a high note, HBO comes up with The Big One to take you on a thrilling entertainment journey showcasing the biggest money spinners of Hollywood.

Starting with Spiderman on January 30 at 9 p.m., the channel plans to come with a big movie in each quarter of the year.

And with the movie come big prizes as you get a chance to win exclusive holiday packages to exotic destinations, mobile phones, TV sets and lots of Spiderman paraphernalia.

But apart from a blockbuster every quarter, HBO in February has lined up 30 movies that have either won or are being nominated for Oscars.

So get set for a real treat of high voltage Hollywood stuff. Even if you are not a big Spiderman fan, you would surely find the Oscar fare hard to resist.

He’s on a very unusual mission----a triple impact spy who not just fights crime but more importantly, works to counter the epidemic of AIDS and also educate people about crimes against women, superstition and gender discrimination.

Jasoos Vijay aired on the National Network Sundays at 9 p.m. is a fast paced, action packed detective series which is a collaboration between Doordarshan, BBC World Service Trust and the National AIDS Control Organization.

One of the world’s most intensive broadcast campaigns, Jasoos Vijay is now being dubbed in five languages--Tamil, Telgu, Malyalam, Kannada and Bengali.

Aadil Khandilkar who plays the Desi Bond Jasoos Vijay in India’s first interactive detective series, has quite a following in rural areas where DD is still the sole source of entertainment.

The project funded by the British Government is budgeted at around Rs. 26 crores and is succeeding in raising AIDS awareness in different parts of India. By promoting behaviour change, including condom use the objective is to contain the epidemic before it spreads its vicious tentacles.

Despite being the bane of high-minded critics, the latkas and jhatkas of Boogie Woogie Wednesdays 8 p.m. on Sony obviously appeal to a certain section of viewers.

The show which is all set to enter its eighth year speaks for its enduring pull. Over the years Boogie Woogie has become funkier with many big names from Bollywood and the TV world becoming of the part of this dance mania where young people shake their legs and torsos to current chartbusters.

To consolidate its hold over the youth the show keeps traveling around the country. Says producer Ravi Behl, " The response is so overwhelming that we’ve not had a break even for a day in the past seven years."

The show has gone through many changes, but the basic concept of kids dancing to film music has remained unchanged. And the good news for the fans of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi is that Jasmeet Walia will soon be shaking a leg or two in Boogie Woogie.

She’s happy in the fact that millions of viewers love to hate her vile deeds. For over a year now her wicked ways have been tormenting people---primetime after primetime. But Lalita is no ordinary saas, she is evil but has a funny side to her character.

Grusha Kapoor is all smiles about her unusual character in Kehta Hai Dil on Star Plus. " I don’t play the boring vamp who has become pass`E9. There’s a funny side to my character which makes it so unusual and appealing," says Grusha who initially had reservations about playing such a character.

Still remembered for her rebellious role in Tara on Zee TV back in the early nineties, things haven’t changed for Grusha over the years. The offers are coming in but she’s saying no to vamp roles and says she’s only available for multi-dimensional characters.

"In Kehta Hai Dil viewers might hate me, detest me and find me insufferable. But they can’t ignore me because I also provide the much needed comic relief," says Garusha relishing the limelight surrounding her all over again.

Kerala’s tranquil backwaters come alive with the large crowds that gather to watch the snake boat races during the festival of Onam. These boat races are an unparalleled attraction in God’s Own Country.

Onam & The Snake Boat Races on the National Geographic Channel, January 26 at 5 p.m. showcases the sport that signifies the ethos of the land, team spirit and amity of its people. The boats with 100 to 120 oarsmen plough the waters to the fast rhythm of the vanchipattu (song of the boatmen).

Snake boat races are preceded by colourful parades and thousands of people cheer the huge black crafts as they slice through the waters to a spectacular finish. Be a part of the largest team sport in the world and witness the adrenaline-pumping action on the backwaters of Kerala.

It’s boomtime for car and bike manufacturers, as India becomes one of the world's fastest growing auto markets. Leading companies from the U.S., Europe, Japan and South Korea are busy wooing buyers with new styles and newer gizmos.

Faced with an array of choices the potential customer can sometimes be overwhelmed. And that’s where CNBC steps in. The channel best known for stock market news also organizes the popular auto awards annually.

This year the third awards night threw up a lot of surprises. Honda City won the prestigious Car of the Year award and the Ford Endeavour bagged the SUV of the Year title while eBajaj Wind was the Bike of the Year.

However, the viewer’s choice award for the Best Driver’s Car threw up a surprise. The car that received the award was neither Honda City nor Hyundai or Toyota but Chevrolet Optra which not many had given a big chance. Awards and surprises sometimes go hand in hand.

— Newsmen Features

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