A powerful breed of women rules the prime time
Jai is caught in the pain of love. The father-to-be is on the brink of divorce from his wife, Bani, whom he loves deeply. But she hates him. The tussle between the couple is giving sleepless nights to Sudha Aggarwal, a mother of two. The middle-aged, suave Jai is as much her favourite as is the 20-something Bani, and their family life is her daily dose of entertainment.
Recently, when Mumbai's cablewallahs pulled the plug for two days, it was nothing short of a disaster for people like Sudha (and here's an increasing tribe).
No doubt, television has tightened its hold over the country's populace, and television stars are no less than movie celebrities: a larger-than-life status, media attention and a crazy fan following. For actors, TV is suddenly the place to be.
Channels are of course cashing in on the burgeoning medium; slugging it out in a free-for-all, ensuring that audiences are riveted to that couch. In the last three months, there have been new shows on every channel: Sony-Vaidehi and Akela; Star One-Resham Dankh, Naya Office Office; Star Plus-Viraasat, Thodi Si Zameen...Thoda Aasman, Karam Apnaa Apna; and Zee-Shaabash India, Johny Aala Re and Banoo Mein Teri Dulhan.
In September, the fight goes full throttle as reality formats featuring celebrities make a comeback. Sony's Jhalak Dikhla Jaa-Dancing with the Stars has eight popular faces including cricketer Ajay Jadeja, actor-host Pooja Bedi, actor Rati Agnihotri, and TV face Mona 'Jassi' Singh. Sony has roped in Farha Khan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shilpa Shetty as judges. Keeping step with the rival is Star One, which is back with season two of Nach Baliye, with ten new jodis. Saroj Khan, Malaika Arora Khan and Kunal Kohli will take the judges' chair. Sahara One joins the fray with talent hunt Super Stars judged by Urmila Matondkar.
The action doesn't stop there. There are more new themes, more new faces, more new shows. Star One brings you Lucky, a one-hour weekly about a teenage boy who has been designated saviour of the world, Antariksh, a daily adventure series about space and a new Balaji show. Zee has yet another woman-centric serial Betiyaan, while Sony will air the Indianised Big Brother and Extreme Makeover besides two action shows.
From an idiot box to an impressive box, television is big and so are television stars. No geeky secretaries or saccharine-oozing bahus; the new television superstars essay closer-to-life characters. A breed of powerful women are here: Zee has righteous Bani in Kasamh Se and dark-skinned Saloni in Saat Phere. Sony has the progressive bahu Sneha in Thodi Khushi Thode Gham and Star Plus has its oomph factor Priyanka in the mega-starrer Viraasat. Zee seems to have the only male icon in Mills 'n' Boon-styled tycoon Jai Walia of Kasamh Se.
It is big money, too. And none of our top actors thinks anything of working 14-hour shifts without breaks for 22-26 days a month.
Ram Kapoor, who has been playing Jai for the last six months, says it has been a long way to the top. He started in the afternoon slot with Ghar Ek Mandir almost six years ago, took a break to do films like Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi and an English film, Missed Call, and made a strong comeback with a prime time Balaji character.
In his mid-30s, Ram plays a character at least ten years older, who falls in love with a much younger girl. But he seems okay. "I love to play characters as different as possible from the real me," he says. "I knew how this character was shaping up, the exact look that he would be given. It was exciting." Kasamh Se was first of the Balaji shows to have intimate bedroom scenes.
Prachi Desai, who plays the simple Bani, is rumoured as the latest Ekta favourite. This may prove quite beneficial for the petite 17-year-old whose track in the show has been reportedly altered to give her character interesting hues.
For Sangeeta Ghosh, Ravi Chopra-directed multistarrer Viraasat marked her return to the prime time slot, since playing Pammi in Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand. "I have no qualms in admitting it's a big kick to be on prime time," says the actor. She played Veera in Rabba Ishq Na Hove besides co-hosting Nach Baliye-1.
Her current role has been in the news for the steamy scenes with co-actor Rohit Roy, but she says she is not averse to the 'sexy' tag. "When we shot for the scene with me under a black satin sheet, the viewers didn't know that I had jeans and a top on. We just have to act out our roles," she says. She believes that acting is about "reacting convincingly to situations" and to achieve that, she takes up only one show at a time.
Rajshri Thakur's maiden TV show Saat Phere has put Zee ahead of Star Plus in the ratings. The actor who played the lead in an Indo-French film Hawa Aane De, confesses that she thought the producers hadn't seen her photograph when they called her to audition for Saloni. "All they wanted to know was whether I had long hair," she says. The dusky actor later realised that the story was about a dark-skinned girl who faced problems due to her complexion.
The Thakur household is proud of their daughter who has inspired dark-skinned boys and girls across India to shed their inhibitions and pursue their dreams. For a country obsessed with skin colour, that's a lot. "I feel happy when I realise that my character not only is popular but has also influenced people," she says.
Shveta Salve who is eagerly waiting to put on her dancing shoes in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa already has her hands full. She plays Dr Ritu Mishra, a psychiatrist, on Left Right Left on SAB TV, and the male basher corporate honcho Malaika Banerjee on Sahara's Kittu Sab Jaanti Hai, besides hosting PopKorn on Zoom.
"Honestly, I'd rather be known as an actor. But people have seen me only in glamorous roles and associate a certain image with mine," says the ex-Gladrags Mega Model finalist.
Deepa Parab is trying to keep Sony's rating steady with her portrayal of the modern day bahu in Thodi Khushi Thode Gham. The theatre girl has done Marathi teleserials, too. "I have also been lucky in getting great directors," says Deepa. "But sometimes, daily soaps turn out to be no-brainers. You end up reacting to a camera which doesn't satisfy the actor in you." The popularity is something she enjoys. Jains walking up to her and greeting her with Jai Jinendra (Sneha is a Jain in the serial) and calling her by her screen name is a great feeling.
One male actor creating ripples on television is Sumit Raghavan, better known as Dr Saahil Sarabhai, the mollycoddled son of Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai. Sumit started as a child artiste, acted in Marathi plays Mala Bhent Havi Ho-which won him the award for best child artiste-and Rang Umaltya Manache. Sumit also tested his dubbing skills, but was back on TV for a Star Plus show Ek Do Teen and a comedy called Shubh Mangal Savadhan.
However, it was his role in Sarabhai... that made him famous. "Saahil was actually not funny, but it was the amazing lines scripted for him that made it appear so", he says. Sumit plays Savio, the humorous bhoot on Akela and Shantanu on Resham Dankh. "My TV career is going fine now. I do limited shows because I need to give my family also some time," says the father of two.
With star status and media glare, can controversy be far behind. Ram Kapoor got a taste of this when his comments about a male co-star led to articles questioning his sexuality. The married Ram says that it was a fun story, done to reveal his humorous side. TV actors are realising that being in the news helps. Says Sangeeta Ghosh, "Publicity, whether good or bad, always works. So there is no need to be judgmental about it."
They are working their way up and definitely Bollywood dreams are on the horizon. But not at the cost of their blossoming TV career. They are smart enough to realise that no KJo film is awaiting them, but are on the lookout for that meaty role. Till then, tellywood is happening! |
Arjun
Cricket
