A scene from Kituu Sab Jaanti Hai: A departure from the world of over-dressed heroines and fantasy sets

Much as we revile DD, we forget that it had given us some classic shows like Hum Log, Deewar and that unforgettable telefilm Tamas – a record that is yet to be matched by any of the so-called quality-conscious up-market private channels. Real people’s real situations were depicted in these serials. What was the reason for their success? Obviously original storylines, portrayal of real-life situations and inputs like good direction, acting etc. Glamour was certainly not the reason for their success. As for fantasy-based offerings, who can forget the two epics that kept the entire subcontinent spellbound? Something that seems to be beyond the ken of even such leading channels as Sony, Star and Zee, all of whom rely upon hackneyed formulae-based plots. Can any of these even dare to invest in producing a teleserial like Godan–based on Premchand’s novel of the same name–which DD had been airing till recently and was being deliberately ignored by our uppity metros-based critics?

Satellite television began with a bang with serials like Tara. But these soon degenerated into mindless tearjerkers, crude comedies and not-so-thrilling horror and whodunit productions. Bedecked, bejewelled and suitably coiffured women in silks and chiffons have been ruling the small-screen ever since satellite television broke Doordarshan’s monopoly in the field of home entertainment. Oh yes, in between you have women like Anju Mahendru, Amrita Singh et al who have added to the legend of vile glamour-mums in an elaborately casual manner. Gradually, viewers have been coming to the conclusion that their intelligence is being insulted even as their tastes are being subverted through sheer vulgarisation. Ennui began to pall the potato’s couch.

This is when Jassi breezed into middleclass drawing rooms with her girl-next-door looks, clumsy office-manners and home-grown wisdom that stood her in great stead while facing up to the vagaries of the big bad corporate world. Couch potatoes perked up. Jassi has now, of course, fallen by the wayside after the media-hyped makeover. Kareena, now off-air, was next – frolicsome with charming innocence. Millie has upped the ante with a street-level lingo mouthed by an orphan girl who is basically an honest kid trying to tackle situations not of her making. Dusky Saloni of the Saat Phere fame is giving a new dimension to non-glamourous female protagonists – summon the power within one’s self to counter the malicious bias of one’s own flesh and blood. Sooner or later she is going to rebel and asserts her right to live in dignity – unless the scriptwriter comes up with a miracle skin-whitener and turn her into one more glam-doll.

Call them plain Janes or ugly ducklings, they have certainly brought about a paradigm shift in the field of female characterisation. They look and sound familiar. Their situations can be related to. More importantly, each of them has distinct personality traits with unique value systems – to which they try to remain true against all odds.

And now SaharaOne has come up with Kituu Sab Jaanti Hai (Monday to Thursday, 9.30 pm). Average-looking, middle class girl, Kituu, has a strong idealistic streak, which she displays even when she leads the gang of boys in her mohalla. Her idea of love is naïve. Soon, she realises that the world is not really a song-dance-romance affair. However, she is ambitious. She wants to be a journalist and displays all the traits of a hot-shot journo. She begins to outgrow the cloistered world she’s been living in, and begins to display the fighting quality that would stand her in good stead in her chosen profession. Despite her innate simplicity, Kituu is neither dowdy nor a frump. She is going to carve out a niche in our heart-scape, if initial impression is any yardstick. The question is, will this serial too go the Jassi way and fall into the TRP trap, or will we see something stunningly different? Only God and the scriptwriter know. Till then enjoy the show.

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