That Fragrance on Indian TV...



I am not a TV buff. Actually I used to be one. Now I don't care much. But yes I have few favorite shows still and but I am not hooked onto them. In other words if I miss one episode, I don't care. Now I mostly watch Travel shows, Food shows or Music shows like Coke Studio or Unplugged. I do not follow hugely popular Big Boss or Roadies or any other "reality show". There was a time I could spend hours on TV watching this serial, this reality show, that talent hunt. My mother would be fed up. My earliest memory of TV are the shows like Fairy Tale Theatre, Vikram Betaal, Dada Dadi ki kahaniyan. I used to spend all my Sunday afternoons watching those award winning regional films. Those were the best days of Doordarshan. Then cable TV came to India and the scenario changed. So many channels so many shows to watch. Along with many shows that time, I even watched Zee Horror show and Ahaat . I loved Hum Paanch, Saans, Kora Kagaz, Shanti. There were shows that portrayed such strong women characters. I shudder to think how did we manage to come from Shanti and Priya ( characters which made Mandira Bedi and Neena Gupta hugely popular) to Nagins and Kaala Tika ( black spot!). Should  I still care to know which show comes on which channel? BTW I know of this shows because since there is nothing much on TV, I just flip through channels and giving each one about 2 minutes. I am referring to GECs here.



So 'If I Could Create A TV Show’ what type of a show will I create? Hmm Let me think.

If I could create a TV show I think I will create a show like Surabhi.  I think many of my age will know which show I am referring to. Surabhi means Fragrance and this show spread such a fragrance across the country which many people still remembers well.This is the cult show which used come on Doordarshan and made Renuka Sahane and Siddharth Kak, the hosts, household names. It was a show everyone in our family would sit together and watch . Renuka Sahane, her bright smile and awesome handloom sarees were what the ladies used to talk about. And Siddharth Kak with his wit and gentle humour made the show a cult one. He was also the producer of the show.

The famous hosts. 

This Culture Magazine showed a part of India in each episode which the rest of India looked forward to see and know about, week after week. The stories, the views, the famous quiz at the end of each episode all were so interesting. Everyone would learn something at the end of each episode. I remember in one episode it showed Avadh Assam Express, then an incredulously slow train. I am not sure if the situation has improved now. I hope so. But that was a sadly hilarious feature to which all in our home in Dibrugarh laughed and felt bad too.

And who can forget that famous title music. It can still transform me to my teen years and those glorious days of Doordarshan and Television in India over all.

Here have a look and listen.

Surabhi ran for 9 seasons and from DD it moved to Star Plus later. But the show ended in 2001 and that's why we miss it.

And most importantly,  'If I Could Create A TV Show’ it will end too after a decent number of episodes. There may be seasons 1,2,3, till 50. But each season must end after 20-25 episodes. 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.




20Feb'16

Ek din Zindagi ke naam

It was planned that I would be in Delhi during the weekend of 21-22June. Then Husband dropped the bomb that he would be working full day on Saturday 21st June. Now that's wrong. What do I do in Delhi on a hot summer Saturday in June? As a blessing from the skies there landed a mail from IndiBlogger in my inbox informing about a interactive session with the team of the new Channel which was to be started from Monday. Zindagi from the family of Zee. The uniqueness of this channel - It will show some wonderful stories from across the border; from Pakistan. This meet was to be held in both Mumbai and Delhi simultaneously.Howzzat. In Delhi the venue was Taj Palace hotel in Man Singh road.

I registered myself for Delhi meet. Even though I was slightly apprehensive at first as I didn't know anyone in Delhi whereas in Mumbai many of my blogger friends would have attended. But then it reminded me of the day when I went for my first IndiBlogger meet without knowing anyone and now I have some really lovely bunch of fellow bloggers as friends.

The event started a little late. But please donot let that dampen your spirits. We were connected with the bloggers in Mumbai by a huge screen. Nihal, from IndiBlogger Delhi and Anoop from Mumbai did a wonderful job of connecting the bloggers from both the cities. There was a fun debate. The perennial debate between Delhiwale and Mumbaikars.
Q.Which city has the best public transport? ; Which city has more number of good looking men; Which city has the best weather.
Both Delhi and Mumbai came up with interesting details in support of their respective cities. All the while everyone had loads of fun. I, for one, a Mumbaikar sitting amidst Delhiwalon was having a good laugh.
Then came the creative head of Zee Zindagi TV and came along with her one of the lead actors from Pakistan Imran Abbas.   We all can surely hear the loud welcoming given to them all the way Delhi. Also joined us on the screen was Ms. Sultana Siddiqui. A very respected and well known TV producer and director. It was really wonderful to hear them talk about the life and the stories inspired by life in our neighborhood country with whom we share a bitter sweet relationship. Imran Abbas sang " Dharti sunehri" from Veer Zara which said so much of both the countries. While looking at the promos of the serials from Pakistan, one thing which I find heart warming is that we are so strikingly similar. They just look, talk , walk, wear, eat just like the way we do. There was no need of dubbing the serials because we speak the same language.

Few weeks ago I had the opportunity to watch a very wonderful little film called " Filmistaan" There the protagonist Sunny Arora who got kidnapped by terrorists by mistake and has been kept a hostage in one of the villages there says " Kaisa pata chalta ke Pakistan main hoon. Ghar, rehna, khana sab same hai" ( How would I know that I was in Pakistan. The homes, living, food everything is same)
That's what I felt when I saw the promos of the serials from across the border. Everything is same!

Zindagi comes with the message of Joday Dilon Ko - to unite the hearts.I hope Zindagi manages to bring a "Aman Ki Aasha " between the two countries and unite the hearts someday.

Another reason to watch the channel and serials : they end in 25-26 episodes. Beat that!!