Sing like a Man

Sing like a man
Artical by Shailaja Bajpai

posted online: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 at 0000 hrs
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/16220.html

There is something that gets stuck in the throat every time Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma's L'il Champs appears on the screen. And it's not a lump that wants to burst into tears. It's a fish bone that needs to be pulled out or swallowed before one chokes on it.

Maybe an odd response because the show is very popular — no less an eminence than the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has expressed his appreciation. The children have sung their lungs out and astonished everyone with their virtuosity. You have to admire them. You do, you're almost envious of these nightingales of India, so young yet so accomplished.

And yet, yet. As you watch these young 'uns swing and sing, you wonder whether a part of their youthful spontaneity as children and teenagers has been snatched away from them. This feeling persisted throughout the tournament because the Li'l Champs are like Debojit and Vineet and all the other contestants of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

Except that they are very young. Too young to be acting like adults. Too young to be singing like them — perhaps even better. Singing the same Hindi film songs. Dancing like a Shah Rukh or Aishwarya Rai. Moving their elastic bodies in wonderful imitation of actors. Is that how we want our children to be? Behaving like grown ups?

Don't misunderstand: they are wonderfully talented, with immense poise and presence. However, there is this sneaking sadness at their loss of innocence. At the feeling that there must be more to Indian music than filmy songs that children can sing to show off their talents. So even as we rejoice in their voices, can't help feeling there's something wrong with Li'l Champs behaving like Big Champs.

Or like Bigg Boss (Sony), the new reality show that has taken many countries by storm and Sony is hoping there is an audience avalanche as it struggles to catch up with Star Plus and Zee. The Bigg story, sorry the big story is that the show stars Rakhi Sawant. Not doing what you expect her to do (dance) but living with men like Salil Ankola, Rahul Roy and Deepak Parasher! And

Bobby Darling. Not to mention several women!

On the first day of the show, she looked like she would sleep with them too. In the same room.

However, the next night the men had been separated from the women. Yawn.

The idea is that 13 personalities from the world of entertainment live together for three months in a two-room set with Bigg Boss and all of us watching them until one by one, they, along with you vote them out. No singing or dancing, but washing clothes, cooking, cleaning and, if you please, milching the cow. All in public view.

So far, they seem to specialise in relax time (swimming, lounging, eating — 'good food' — sleeping), complaining about each others' habits (snoring) and indulging in tantrums — the females, who else? With the exception of Parasher, the men have been giving it those strong and silent ones so far which suits the loquacious women fine but doesn't help us get to know them or vote for them. Could it be that they want to get away from Rakhi &Co. as fast as possible?

Lastly, Max could have lost considerable money on the Champions' Trophy. It has been shortchanged in a manner of speaking with the games ending well before time or loosing steam early. It hasn't been the most competitive of tournaments and we have had to listen to Navjot Singh Sidhu instead. Or put up with him, depending upon your point of view. Much nicer to anticipate Mandira Bedi's latest (not spaghetti straps) hairdo. No wigs, just look. You may have noticed that it changes with the clothes she wears and since she changes clothes each time, she sports a new hairstyle every time. Or, in a manner of speaking, hair, there and everywhere.

shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com