Song and dance shows: the next level

How many can we take? The answer is -more than you'd think. All it takes is a bit of imagination.

Rock n Roll Family on Zee TV is one fine example. It's the same 'doll up and put your best foot forward' variety of show. The difference is this is a family show. I don't mean family viewing but family performing. And the most interesting thing is it's THREE generations on stage together.

So we have the Bhalke family from Indore where dada sports hairgel and a Metallica tshirt while dadi wears a skirt (ankle length, but still!). And the Patel family from Ahmedabad whose performance is on the theme of being able to exchange your wife for a new one. Nothing perverted, just the real life wife walking out of a cupboard in a shiny silver costume showing off 6 inches of her midriff.

You would not wear that and walk down C G Road but all is fair on national television.

It's amazing how we seem to have loosened up as a country. These are all regular, not-so-Westernised families from Jaipur, Indore, UP and so on. But they lose their inhibitions on stage. They flirt shamelessly with the judges, and debate on saali being aadhi or poori gharwali. All scripted for sure but there is no sharam or lihaaj in either the banter or the matkas and jhatkas.

Another nice touch is having a 'family' as the judges - Ajay Devgan, Kajol and Tanuja. And before the judges award points each family must decide where it stands by climbing up a series of steps labelled 1-10. Meaning agar aapko apni kabiliyat ka andaaz hai tabhi to doosre bhi aapko appreciate karenge!

Enough said. I don't know if the 'best' family will win because the one of the few who got 9 points today bagged honours not for dancing well but a Taare Zameen Par tearjerker moment. The overall tone of this show is TZP actually, as against other reality shows where bitching and backbiting is used to retain viewer interest.

At least we know these judges won't be giving press conferences badmouthing each other :)

On the other end of the spectrum is song and dance shows using professionals - like Nach Baliye and Jhalak Dikhla Ja. Now there's Dhoom Macha De, which is also very watchable. This show features a bunch of semi forgotten stars competing to be crowned the best live performer in India.

And the mix of interesting themes, enthusiastic and well put together performances and endearing judges makes for good television. Devang Patel's humorous version of 'Chalte Chalte, mujhe koi mil gaya tha' and Richa Sharma's rendition of the ghazal 'Aaj jaane ki zid na karo' were both outstanding.

When we were kids there was a tradition of holding a variety entertainment show in our building basement on a makeshift stage, every 26th Jan and 15th August. Now it seems all the world's a stage and anyone can be a player.

No basements anymore, only living rooms.

Shweta - brew your own koffee

Karan Johar is a smart film maker and a great talk show host. Yes, his guest list is a little repetitive but he's trying.

Tonight he had Mira Nair and Tabu on 'Koffee' - and it was nice! Mira of course is the more gregarious type and shared some interesting ideas and anecdotes. Asked what she felt about Deepa Mehta, Gurinder Chadha and herself being lumped together she laughed, "You could call us the Charlie's Angels of Punjab". (All 3 women, brown and directors).

Of course she is in her own league and conveyed that but with warmth and diplomacy.

Tabu on the other hand giggled and hid her face for a large part of the show. "I suffer from low self esteem," she admitted. And it does seem like it! Despite so many awards and people gushing over her performances (especially for the upcoming 'Namesake'), she herself does not seem to believe in her talents.

Farah Khan was a 'surprise guest' and added some entertainment value with her muhphat jawaabs.

All in all Koffee with Karan is watchable even in its second season. I think Karan manages to put even those who aren't technically his friends at ease. He also does a lot of research, slips in provocative questions with a straight face and pull a leg or two.

Plus, he has a great sense of timing - he does interrupt but it's natural, like you would in a real conversation.

Quite the opposite, however, is the scene with Shweta Bachchan and her much hyped talk show on NDTV Profit. When the only non-acting member of the Bachchan clan makes her 'debut' so to speak there's bound to be some curiosity. And the idea of a 'Next Gen' show featuring 'achievers under 40' is an ok one.

But unlike Karan, Shweta is not a natural. She's well turned out and has done her homework but when you're not at ease it shows. Luckily she didn't have to put her guest at ease - it was Karan Johar.

One can't blame Shweta for being nervous but having Karan as one of her first guests? Seemed like the teacher giving an 'easy test' to ensure the principal's nephew will pass with flying colours.

Despite Karan's best efforts, it did not really work. He had nothing new or interesting to say.

To live up to its promise Nextgen needs to ensure its guests are more eclectic and truly 'next gen'. Not the already arrived and over-exposed!

Keep the koffee hot, Karan. And Shweta, brew your own unique blend. In short, keep away from Bollywood!

Don't kick 'the habit'

I quite liked watching Desperate Housewives. It was aired at 10 pm on Sundays when it was first aired. Now, it's back. But hey, the timings been changed to 9 am Sundays. And I don't fancy waking up that early on a holiday - for anyone or anything.

Could be just me. But the point is, I was a loyal viewer who had the time 10 pm Sunday imprinted in my head. Now you go and change it - pretty high chances you'll lose me. But channels do it all the time.

Last Sunday I saw a pretty gripping episode of 'Criminal Minds' which was 'to be continued'. But guess what, the show isn't even there in tonight's TV listings.

Then there was the 11 pm to 12 midnight slot on Star World which featured Seinfeld, followed by Friends. Both 'old is gold' kind of shows which put you in a happy frame of mind before you drop off to sleep. Well, now they've been shifted to the 12 midnight to 1 am slot. And guess how little I get to see of them!

TVwaalon, samjha karo. Habits take time to develop. And messing around with them is injurious to your TRPs.

All it's gonna do is drive people like me - hitherto lazy and somewhat technophobic -to download your shows from the internet and consume them minus the advertising revenues you feed on. Don't say you haven't been warned...!