Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Telly Shows

There has been a heavy dose of television viewing happening the past few weeks, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Most of it is Indian telly, and all those who want to snigger, can now stop reading further. There are two shows that I want to talk about, though for completely varied reasons. The first I am really liking, but then every new show is likable, and then just starts treading on the well beaten path and gets boring isn't it?

12/24 Karol Bagh
is a new show on Zee TV, and I am following it quite ardently for now. Its about a middle-class, Punjabi business family from West Delhi, and the authenticity of the show is what I am really enjoying for now. The sets, and the characters are very real. I had friends from similar backgrounds back in the days I was in Delhi, and I can actually replace the characters and sets with them, their family, their homes. It is just amazing to see how well, they have recreated the scenario. Most of the actors are doing a great job in maintaining the authenticity, and doing justice to their roles. I feel like I am in Delhi, at a friend's place while watching the show. The story is about a family with four grown up kids, three daughter, and their parents. The hunt is on for a groom for the eldest daughter, who is a bit plump,the trials she is going through to find a match while getting older by the day, the son, who loves a girl from a rich family, the second daughter, who is the perfect pretty bimbo, and the youngest one, who is smart and perceives what others don't.The cake though must go to the current villain of the show, who is the fiance of the eldest daughter of the family. And he is enacting his part too perfectly to be expressed in words. The over smart guy, the habitual liar, the one who lacks manners, etiquette's and sensitivity of any kind, who has different personalities in the presence of his mother and otherwise. He is the kind of creep one would love to hate, and the guy playing the role is enacting it just perfectly. I will definitelycringe if I see him on the street, that is how well he is doing it. Oh! And did I mention the absolutely perfect dilliwaali Hindi (aaiyyo, jaaiyyo, khaaiyyo) ages since I heard or said it. Please catch an episode of this show if you can, it is one of the better ones on Indian television for now. And if the makers of the show ever read this, please stop showing all the yummy snacks from Bengali Market, it is making me drool. And my favourite on the show is the youngest daughter, Mili. She is the kind of girl I love, smart, brave and full of spunk! A question I have though is, what would a parent do, if sacrificing the happiness of one child, meant happiness for the other children?

The second, and absolutely nauseating show, that will soon hit the telly is a reality show called Pati Patni Aur Woh. Telly couples have been selected to babysit kids. What is the purpose of the show, I have no idea, but the very advertisements are disgusting me. It is full of the couples with howling babies, who they try to pacify, while the baby continues to howl. First up, a couple of my choicest abuses to the parents who have given their children to this show. This is like the way animals are captured and made to perform in the circus. Parents are doing this to their own kids? Why? The participating celebrity couples need to be socked, for their stupidity, one of the couples actually screams back at the howling child. have people become insensitive enough to watch this happening in the name of a reality show? Cherry on the icing? One of the participating celebrities is Gaurav Chopra, the man who almost ran over a blogger's son last year, and he is trying to take care of a teeny weeny baby, is it a surprise then, that the baby is howling in that case? How mindless, and disturbing can television get?

9 comments:

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

Ooooo! Your rider regarding the first serial has me curious/thinking now! Maybe I should try and catch it now!

The second show sounds disgusting!! There are actually parents who would give up their kids for this kind of a show!?!? Chee! Shame on them!

Solilo said...

I have no clue about both the shows.

The first show sounds just like another of those serials which starts in a middle class family and then soon everything changes and it is then all about poor-rich difference,scheming, killing, 4-5 marriages and plastic surgeries.

The second one sounds like a copy of an American show where they give babies to couples and have cameras 24/7 to watch how they take care of the kid.

I wonder who gives away their babies for these tele celebs to play with.

Anonymous said...

I thought this was one of those "how can you watch Indian TV" kind of post. I am so glad that it wasnt!! I have a favourite too - Balika Vadhu. It started well with a strong social message. Now its stepping a little on its feet, but I do hope they sort out. I ll watch out for Karol Bagh.


I was asking the same question when told about the parenting reality show!! Absolutely sick and indeed the parents of the kids need the choicest abuses! The Reality shows are taking it a tad too far and I think the best way to depopularize them is not watch them.

Anonymous said...

Like Solilo, I haven't watched any of the shows...The first one seems like any other show except for the fact that it is set in Delhi...Hindi shows often start off well but fall into a rut once they get the initial viewership...

sraikh said...

Oh the first show sounds fun.

The 2nd show I am shaking my head in disgust. And it has that very same moron. Is he married? Are all the couples married?

I read this someplace else but cannot remember.

Maria said...

Ive been watching 12/24 ...although it reinforces stereotypes...but the way they have captured the a typical dilli ki middle class family from jankapuri/karol bagh types is amazing. I love the attention to details...the house, clothes, language, furniture, upholstery, jagrata, roads, metro, typical panju guys...everything is so so typical of a delhite from karol bagh. Ive lived and grown up in Delhi, but have been away from the city for the last 3 years....but watching this shows takes me back to sada dilli :)
Yup, and my thumbs up for Mili!

Maria said...

Also, isn't Rakhi Sawant supposed to be in the Baby wala show? he he he..before you and me can express our disgust...the show will be a big success with Rakhi ke jalwe and drama :)

Passionate Goof said...


M4 - I am specially loving it because its inducing nostalgia, about Delhi. But it is a good show, do give it a try. And indeed shame on such parents.

Solilo - It may turn out that way, I guess, but for now it has a nice track, and the actors are really doing a great job.
Aah! that reality show is a rip off too is it? I should have guessed. It is pathetic! And the celebs are not playing, I believe its more of torture for the poor baby.

T3 - Baalika Vadhu is great. But Colors is not available here, atleast not legally, so i cannot follow it. :( Will catch up on it in India from Monday. :D
I am definitely not watching the second one.

Bones - Very likely. And maybe I am liking ti more because of the Delhi touch. But for now, its a great show. :D

Sraikh - The first one is nice.
The second, well, I don't know if they are all married. Some are they announce that in the ads, rest i have no idea. Whatever it is, its pathetic. About that guy, recently he was part of some other couple show with some other girl, so I have no idea at all.

M@ria - You mirror my feelings. Its so authentic isn't it. Even the architecture of the house is so typical of West Delhi homes. I have been away for over ten years now, and this just so takes me back.
Yes, rakhi is a part of the show, and people will watch the show for that reason.

Just call me 'A' said...

have not heard about those shows but only because I have not subscribed to indian channel and only because I've living in a hotel the last few months, otherwise I find nothing bad about watching indian channels...they are as equally good or crappy as other channels.
from your description the second one sounds like another reality show copied from the west.....and the first like a soap with enough masala to last a few season.

I like watching mindless shows/movies sometimes...it puts the mind to rest :)

carry on Momma :)