SIGHT & SOUND
 High Drama all the way
Amita Malik

If one wanted real dramatics, there was more than plenty last week. There was the Narendra Modi visa denial. The US showed its visa power, the Government of India observed propriety, and Modi not only blew his top but also modestly compared himself to Mahatma Gandhi. On the cricket level, the umpire with a bad eyesight (some have other explanations) robbed Sachin once again of his just dues. That he later admitted his mistake is no consolation. It is like hanging a man and then discovering that he did not commit the murder.

Then there was the modest Karthikeyan coming 11th on the day this column was being written. Compared with his gentlemanliness and sporting spirit, some of the Pakistani bowlers seemed to play a rough game. I am sorry but I think the injury of VVS Laxman was not accidental. When the Pakistani bowlers found the Indian batsmen could not be got out any other way, they tried bodyline. They tried that with both Dravid and Kaarthick.

On the sentimental level there was the visit of President Musharraf’s mother. The reactions of the lady, the President’s brother, son and grandson made for nostalgic viewing. Human nature is more communicative than politics and there is nothing like a visit to one’s old school, hostel and college. The best of all was when the first families of both countries met. That is the way it should be and that is the way it should remain.

The most distressing event of the week was the odious Shakti Kapoor and Aman Verma incidents. I have supported Sohaib Ilyasi from the start when, after watching the Most Wanted programme in the US and the UK, he launched an Indian version with verve and professionalism.

I stood by him when he was out of work and welcomed him back when my good friend and colleague Rajat Sharma launched his original programme, and Ilyaai was doing extremely well. In any case, his successor in India’s Most Wanted, Rajyadhaksha, has been a disaster from the start and remains one. The two crime presenters on Zee and Star Plus remain the ham actors they are, never reaching Ilyasi’s skill and charm.

And now, in my opinion, both Rajat and Sohaib have ruined everything with their crude and blatant foray into vulgar voyeurism. It does not even make a socially important or justifiable point, whicah, for instance, Tehelka did. In this case I cannot support the programme, in all conscience.

I have repeatedly stressed that calling a Hindi channel the best in India without taking into consideration some very competent channels in the South as well as eastern and western India is a very lop-sided judgement.

I concede I do not follow the rich South Indian languages but I sometimes view by chance an English programme, as I did the other day on Asianet and am, at least, visibly impressed by the presentation of other language programmes. I was therefore not at all surprised when a fellow columnist who knows Telugu gave high praise to a channel launched by a southern media baron, Ramoji Rao, of the Eenadu fame. Those who have visited his staggering film city just outside Hyderabad are in awe of his organisational capacity.

Americans, Canadians and European filmmakers have found his film city better and cheaper than the western counterparts. And to let readers into a charming secret, Rao made his fortune through pickles. Try them when you next go to Hyderabad.