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Every time one watches family melodramas on primetime television one begins to miss quality sitcoms that used to delight us once upon a time. One needs to laugh once in a while just to keep the emotional equilibrium intact. Life would have been intolerably dull without humour. Just imagine living without a smile to relieve you from mundane worries! If you are the type who wallows in philosophical profundity involving such nerve-wracking issues as cause of pain, the purpose of all creation or the truth of God’s existence, without occasional amusement, you might well find yourself on the shrink’s couch before you could utter George Bernard Shaw. But television does not indulge in profound issues; it keeps doling out stupefying doses of frivolities. The inane soaps churned out sap the intellect and the soul. And, since the entertainment industry caters to the lowest common denominator, it cannot afford to be cerebral. This is precisely the tragedy with our television comedy scene. Unlike tearjerkers, a comedy show requires quality inputs in the form of original and innovative ideas, imaginative direction, novel dialogues and intelligent acting. This is as much true of a farce like Yes Boss (SAB TV) as it is of an understated humour like Waghle Ki Duniya (DD during 1980s, remember?) The latter, in fact, belongs to that rare breed of Indian comedy which is essentially a family drama sans high decibels but with plenty of social comment subtly woven into the narrative. The acting too is of high calibre. One seldom guffaws or even chuckles at the guileless couple dreaming ordinary dreams, which if and when realised bring smiles to their faces as well as make viewers feel real good. In contrast, Shararat and Khichdi on Star Plus today are poor alternatives as family comedies. And, who can forget Om Puri in Kakkaji Kahin? Originally titled as Netaji Kehte Hain it was renamed as Kakkaji`85 to soothe the political establishment’s brittle ego. The manner in which Puri essayed the role of an amoral, loud and thick-skinned netaji set a rather high benchmark for socio-political satires. Another comedy of substance that DD gave us in the 1980s was Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, which at one time became more popular than its contemporary soap Hum Log. The reason was simple—it was light and relevant to the rising expectations of the Indian middle class as far as entertainment values were concerned. One recalls other laugh riots too like Dekh Bhai Dekh, Idhar Udhar and Hum Paanch that kept us in splits. In fact, Hum Paanch’s 21st century avatar is quite entertaining too, although it is no patch on the original. Some ascribe Tu Tu Main Main’s unequalled success less to its comic content and more to the saas-bahu equation, pointing out to the fact that women constitute the single largest segment among television viewers. For this reason alone almost all saas-bahu sagas, comic or conventional soaps, have become runaway hits. However, it is Office Office that has kept the genre of satire alive on the small screen. Musaddilal, the perennial underdog, is pitted against a corrupt system, and more often than not he gets caught in the red-taped bureaucracy’s labyrinthine procedures rendering him vulnerable to extortion and exploitation by the petty and not-so-petty officials. One rejoices when occasionally he comes up trumps against the vile establishment, and almost joins him in his swagger as he celebrates his moment of triumph. Shri Sifarishilal was less subtle in its treatment of similar problems–corruption, nepotism etc. Here the street smart protagonist—devoid of all scruples— invariably triumphs over the more conscientious rivals. It leaves one a bit uncomfortable and distinctly sad. Chamcha In Chief failed to elicit much public interest for its below-par script and poor acting. It is true that various channels are exploring new avenues for generating mirth. Shekhar Suman’s now defunct Movers and Shakers tried mime and parody so successfully that one of his prime targets, the then prime minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, personally complimented him. Now Suman is anchoring Poll Khol wherein he targets various politicians. Often, the monkey in the show overshadows the host. However an all-time favourite is Swami and Friends in the Malgudi Days. It is not the usual comic production. The idyllic setting, innocent characters having small problems, and only imaginary demons to contend with, leave one wishing for such a laidback life. When, at the end of an episode, a problem is resolved one feels so contented. A sense of happy satisfaction is the ultimate test of a quality comedy. Give us more!
Nausheen goes musical SHE has a knack of staying in the news so a drought of serials has seldom bothered Nausheen Ali Sardar. The original Kkusum of Kkusum, recently shot a stunning music for the animation film Krishna. Nausheen is no stranger to music videos. She had earlier appeared in Pehle to Kabhi Kabhi by Altaf Raja which was a moderate hit. " But I was a big hit on the video," she adds hastily. Besides the music video Nausheen is making her Bollywood debut with Mumbai Marathon opposite Bikram Saluja. "I play a doctor. My character has been worked out with a lot of detail," says she. If she is signing off the small screen, she says, "I am still open to serials. I started my career with television and will always be faithful to it. But I’ll be very selective as I now have a big screen image to protect." Gifted Malcolm
WINNER of the prestigious Peabody Award and six Emmys, nominated for 23 more Emmys and seven Globe Awards, Malcolm In The Middle every Sunday at 7 pm on Star World is one of the most creative and distinctive series. The fifth colourful season of this hilarious yet truthful account of family life continues to follow the adventures and misadventures of this slightly dim-witted family through the eyes of its gifted protagonist Malcolm. Malcolm is a normal kid who is perfectly content skateboarding, rough-housing with his brothers and avoiding the school bully. He has even managed to accept – okay ignore – his parents’ penchant for running around the house in the nude. Malcolm’s world is suddenly turned upside down when it’s discovered he has a genius IQ. He is forced into the "gifted" class where he finds himself surrounded by a group of exceptionally bright social misfits. A hilarious sitcom that will have you laughing from the word go. — NF |
