SIGHT & SOUND
Dance for the don
AMITA MALIK

WITH the sudden upsurge of new news channels, all claiming to be the bestest, the mostest, the topmost with exclusives and breaking news, the competition has been the highest in exposes. Some are grim, really affecting the country and us citizens, some are plain sleazy porn masquerading as protectors of morals, and some, thank goodness, are plain entertaining.

Well, for sheer entertainment, except that repetition for days made it a bit boring, was what was rather cleverly titled Godfather. Both Aaj Tak, and its more sedate English counterpart Headlines Today treated us to some earlier versions of filmi geet and filmi dancing. The occasion was a birthday and the don was Dawood Ibrahim, smiling benignly at the gyrations of some of our top stars and starlets. Circa 15 years or so ago, judging by the youthful, slim appearance of some our now middle-aged stars. Guess who? Govinda for one, performing the most athletic contortions for the amusement of our slightly bored don. And, surprise, surprise, Anil Kapoor. Both in the company of now forgotten starlet.

Well, all such exposes call for a rejoinder. And the loudest and most domineering came from the Don himself. Dawood said he was more than ready to face trial in London, since he would not get a fair trial in India.

Meanwhile, there were more serious exposes on screen, some international. The video, first published by a London tabloid, of British soldiers brutally beating up unarmed teenaged Iraqis in Baghdad turned the stomach and added fuel to the already inflamed Middle East protests about the Prophet’s cartoons carried even now by European newspapers under the guise of press freedom. Then the terrible road accident in our Capital, where three people, including an engaged couple, got locked in their car and were burnt to death as a lorry coming from the wrong side rammed into them and set their car on fire. Some immediate noises on TV, but Delhi’s traffic, which claims 1,000 deaths due to rash driving by trucks every year, marches on unchecked.

Happier sensational news with India’s spectacular win over Pakistan in Lahore. And that photogenic moment when President Pervez Musharraf, with an eye on the enthusiastic Indian supporters who had braved all at the Wagah border to make it to Lahore, said to Dhoni: "I saw a placard which asked you to cut your hair but it looks nice this way." Wow, and a delighted grin from Dhoni, who is competing with Sehwag for hitting the ball out of the grounds.

Then the spectacular fireworks at Visakhapatnam and the breath-taking aerial feats by the aviation wing of the Navy. Our scientist President went inside a submarine and did a deep dive into the ocean and shared a meal with the rest of the crew while he was there. He amazed the crew with his knowledge of naval warfare and its more subtle nuances. He is one of our most erudite and lovable Presidents who lights up the TV screens with his affability as well as his expert knowledge whenever he speaks.

I must apologise to defence expert Maroof Raza because one or two of the papers where this column appears described him as Maroon Raza. Sorry Maroof. You are not even pink or red so I have no idea why they chose to make you maroon. Sorry from all of us, as they say on TV.