Doing it differently - LRL and SAB

It might just turn out to be the year of the dark horse. If someone had, at the beginning of 2006, said that Sony's new sibling Sab, would turn out to be a more interesting effort at programming than Star's relatively new offspring Star One, I would not have taken it seriously.

But as the year draws to a close, I realised that I have been turning more to Sab for 'different' programming. On the other hand, Star One, that started with similar potential, now seems cluttered and burdened with the Nimmos, the Saathi Res and Paraya Dhans. It's the rare occasion when I turn to the channel for a few laughs (The Comedy Show Ha Ha Ha or a Naya Office Office). Sab, on the other hand, has attempted to carve its own image, although the ratings may not have started flowing in.

Tony and Deeya Singh's Left Right Left is a good example. It's racy, does not meander into meaningless sub-plots, the cast is good looking and acts reasonably well. The story, about life at a military academy has not succumbed to being merely a love story, and the stunts are very real. This week, Shweta Salve had to hang upside down swinging from a tree branch during a training programme gone sour, till she is rescued by a colleague. There were no excruciating close up shots, no ear splitting sound effects. Shot straight, nevertheless, the episode had potential to make you sit right through it.

Then, there is the newly launched Mohalla Mohabbatwala. Those who have watched Star Bestsellers may sense deja vu, watching this repackaged version of the long dead, lamented Nukkad. No wonder, since Mohalla is directed by filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia, who made some of the most enjoyable Bestsellers.

Dhulia's forte is portraying the small town common man's daily life, tinging it with wry humour. It works well, particularly as Dhulia is able to draw out good performances from lesser known actors, giving the show a realistic feel. Mohalla, true to its name, is currently tracing the love stories of a band of youngsters living their life out in a lane that could be anywhere in Hyderabad or Haryana. People move about on cycles, drink lassi and converge at hair cutting saloons for a chat. A lot better than watching overdone aunties living dreary lives in unreal mansions.

The only show that didn't click on Sab was the ill fated Twinkle Beauty Parlour,where the channel apparently succumbed to commercial demands. The plot went awry after the original cast was dumped and the show just went downhill from there. But Twinkle was the most promising of the lot, with the potential to tap endless emotions that affect any small town woman. It needed time to flower, but perhaps the channel didn't have that much time to spare.

Although its comedy band needs a bit of tightening, a couple more shows on original themes, and Sab could become the channel the discerning viewer has been waiting for.

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