To film or not to in COVID times

The reported death of a TV set crew ( Sab TV show Bhakharwadi) member has again brought into sharp focus the perils of shooting in COVID times. However,it is not that cut and dry. There are a host of valid reasons to keep shooting. 1. How long can you shutter down an economic sector which employs thousands? 2. Daily wager earners ka kya hoga? 3. All possible safety norms are in place. 4. Reporting to set is voluntary. You can opt-out if feeling unsafe as several actors have done so. 5. Insurance is mandatory just in case. 6. The govt is also unlocking for how will we make ends meet? 7. The death rate is only 2%, and more than three fourth of all reported cases are asymptomatic. Having said that all any death is too much, will all the above points provide any solace to tailor’s family who passed away. Will the insurance money make up for lost life. Right now, there is no demand for immediate suspension of the shoot, for the deceased is just another unit hand. However, all bets will off, if any known actor becomes the coronavirus’s next victim. Chances of which are luckily very less with this scourge mostly targeting people above the age groups of 40 and those having comorbidities. Therefore supporting senior actors in the 40-65 age group are at most risk.(above 65 cant shoot) I am sure the stakeholder must have considered all these factors before restarting( Can’t afford to go into lockdown again ) Naysayers will demand a return lockdown. However, I am in two minds getting both the points, i.e. life is essential but so is the livelihood. I am glad that I am not to asked to weigh on this age-old moral vs economic argument.

Vivian Dsena and Nia Sharma to sizzle Bigg Boss 14?

Vivian Dsena and Nia Sharma to sizzle Bigg Boss 14? Since Bigg Boss 13 was such a monster hit, there are enormous expectations from the next season of this big-ticket Colors reality hosted by Salman Khan (He might not be physically present due to COVID 19 restrictions) The main USP of this voyeuristic presentation has always been the right mix of housemates. There have been seasons when the combination did not fall right, leading to a drop in numbers. But 2019-20 outing was spot on, Siddharth Shukla sparing with Rashami Desai and Asim Riaz. , Paras Chhabra- Mahira Sharma - Shehnaz Gill love triangle, and last but not least, Devoleena Bhattacharjee doing her thing etc. stole the hearts and minds of the audience giving the show a month’s extension. Like every year this time around too, there is speculation regarding possible names who will be locked in the Film City house. Among the most prominent names doing the rounds this year, is brooding tv heartthrob Vivian Dsena. Would the channel also try to rope in ex-wife Vahbiz Dorabjee or Shakti co-star Garima Jain with wh Vivian was earlier linked up to add spice? One thing we don’t get usually get TV actors on top of their game fight shy of getting locked in BB. Here Vivian is still sitting pretty at the top of the heap; maybe channel is paying him a bomb? Preferably in this connection, the name of Sasural Genda Phoo lead Jay Soni makes better sense for off late his career trajectory was going nowhere. The rumour mills were abuzz suggesting that entry of Sushmita Sen’ brother Rajeev Sen, who is more in the news regarding his marriage with TV actor Charu Asopa( first PDA, then trouble in paradise) Rajeev has flatly denied the above abuzz. Can we take his refusal at face value (Maybe he has signed an NDA?_On the flip side, we might perhaps see Charu, which would work better for Big Boss is a more tube actors hunting ground. If Rajeev/ Charu does make, it will be fun to see them do online PDA reports suggest that for the first time contestant can connect with loved ones using the phone/social media Apart from Vivian the other name to get most traction would TV bombshell Nia Sharma who will soon finish her stint in other Colors supernatural saga Naagin 4.Nia’s glamorous outfits and energetic personality will add heft to the house. We wonder if Endemol can bring back her ex Kushal Tandon( Reportedly had a thing during Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai) for a short time. If mastermind Vikas Gupta can return, why not others?? Another name doing the rounds is cine and now web actor Adhyayan Suman. He can bring lots of eyeballs talking about his very tough B- Town journey and yes his long time ago relationship with none other current public personality #1 Kangana Ranaut. Interestingly Adhyayan's dad Shekhar Suman is also joining Kangy and others in demanding a CBI probe in Sushant Singh Rajput's death. Singer comedian Sughanda Mishra(Comedy Nights with Kapil) can sure add fun to the proceedings. =The names of Avinash Mishra ( Balika Vadhu) and Mishal Raheja( Ishq Ka Rang Safed) to have featured in the possible list. But no really know whether they or any or all of the entire above list, will make the final cut or no?

TV still going strong

Today is a red-letter day in desi TV, for we are now getting a clearer picture of where we stand after a three-month COVID hiatus. There was great fear of the tube losing audiences to the new web medium. OTT bosses also pulled all stops to take advantage of zero fresh content on traditional platforms, i.e. big and small screen. TV channels and production houses have had to fight against all the odds first to get restart permissions and then film in a secure environment. Despite all efforts, few actors did catch the bug halting shoots for short periods. Many actors have even refused to shoot citing health fears. Huge loses due to no show for three months have seen channels slash budgets, forcing the makers to pass on the damage downstream to actors and unit hands. A lead friend says, first, she would charge 50K per day now, but now is not getting more than 20K for new outings. So let's see how the thing stands this first Thur morning, TV equivalent to board exams. More significant rating offerings like Choti Sarrdaarni and Bhagyas (spin-off series) have taken a toll, e.g. Kundali Bhagya which was clocking around 3.5 TVR before the lockdown has fallen to 2.2. Similarly, the above Colors show is now down to 1.7, a loss of near one full point (2.7 before). The shows below Two TVR thresholds ie Barrister Babu(Colors) and Kasautii Zindagii Kay (Star Plus) have more or less held their ground. Yeh Hai Chahatein though has dropped 0.5 ( to 1.4), even other average fares like Qubaan Hua( Zee) have shed the same number to end this week at 1TVR. Some of the lower rating presentation like Madam Sir has not lost any value. Coming to new series, while Anupama has opened well, Ishq Mein Marjawan 2 has a very steep climb ahead. So moral of the story, while there has been some loss of audience the chasm is not very vast, so good content can see the tube get back to former glory. Naysayers who were predicting the demise of what they call the Idiot Box will have to eat their words. PS. Will do a separate story on non-fiction genre once more reality shows numbers come in.

You cant ride a blood thirsty beast and then cry foul

Off late there has been a lot of media bashing. Certain criticisms are well taken ( like intrusive questioning/speculation of victim families.) Also in many cases, the media is no longer an impartial observer, rather it to enters the playing field, batting for either side. This "complicity "stems from being too close to either of the belligerents or pure commercial interests. Here some might argue, why does the media not keep its distance? the sad answer is that it then will not get inside dope which gets them ratings or hits The reporter then has to repay by suppressing, underplaying or overplaying certain news. We as a tribe needs to introspect and make amends. However, there is enough blame to go around. Actors and their PR (I am an entertainment journo ) also keep chasing us to put out useless non- stories. Everyone wants to put out their two pence worth, on any imp news item. play along but then hits back when the tide turns. You cant run with the hares and hunt with the hounds.

Sidharth shukla top gun of Bigg Boss 13

Colors show Bigg Boss 13 is going full steam, picking up both online traction and TRP. Guess what has worked in the mix of contestants, we all love to watch Sidharth Shukla;s non stop fracas with Rashami Desai. Paras Chabbra making time with both Shehnaaz Gill and Mahira Sharma. Today I have decided to focus just on Siddarth Shukla's game. Guys lets face it as now he is numero uno, with most action of the house revolving only around him. Be it his fights with Rashami and now also with Asim Riaz. Even Sana is trying to cozy with Shukla. Last but not the least even Arti Singh's game some how or the other involves Shukla. today she wanted the latter to bat for her against Paras despite the fact that she herself wanted to go solo. Mahira has also had more then her fair share of run ins with Shukla. Bahu turned babe Devoleena Bhattacharjee too is trying to flirt with him though sarcastically. The only contestants who so far has avoided panga with him are Hindustani Bahu, Shefali Zariwala and latest wildcard entry Vishal Aditya Singh. so the thumbrule is that if you have to be seen, negatively engage with Shukla. He in turn never disappoints always screams and pushes people around. The females( Mahira and Himanshi Khuran) then cry wolf. in the heat of battle, no one will think of pulling back just because other is female. It would really be interesting if at the end Shukla ends up with Devo who is beginning to thaw towards him. Asim'exit from Shukla group will not really harm him for no matter if he is nominated. He will still be safe as Colors needing him will put all stops to save him if is ever in he red, if Shukla gets eliminated, the show will lose all it's mojo. Post script. Will Shukla get work after coming out given his quarrelsome personality? or will producers and channels will bite the bullet given his popularity!

Sanjivani post mortem 1

I had promised to write about what went wrong with Star Plus show Sanjivani. (to end soon) this Siddharth P Malhotra production lost it way around Oct and since then has gone downhill so here i tell you what wrong up front This is first installment let me know if you agree. There is more to come. 1. Writing was not the best. 2. Creative did not let the lead character chem develop as Gul didi did in Ishqbaaz before making it into a love story. 3 So the romance did not become really relatable as with Nakkul and Surbhi 4. Afer hating each other gut for long you just dont fall in love in jiffy . 5. They needed a very different set up for this show to work. 6. They need Sid and Ishani to be on equal footing,then rise up rank in the hospital's hierarchy, B/c it would justify their clash of personality over ethics. 7. k Ishani's- and- Sid's- pasts need to unraveled more slowly. 8. The conflict was clearly lopsided in Si.favour they should have made it more nuanced. as for what is happening now, the creative have completely lost the above plot r falling back t tried and tested family route. But that wont work for Sanjivani audience is not your family audience

our mature tv shows are not really dat mature

There is a new trend of calling TV love stories mature. But they are hardly mature at best they will deal with older man younger woman romance. Or coming together of an estranged couple. Have we not seen this before? If you really want to mature then in my humble urban ( I know I am not TG) opinion the following themes need to be considered(hope channels heads are reading) Inter religious and intercaste marriages and all the politics and social tension such couples face. Hindu Muslim families are shown as best friends but never as marrying each other. I thought matrimony was one important factor to be cement equations or am I wrong?? One more story could be tension a working woman faces with her conservative in laws. While they have no issues with the double income the wife brings, they expect her to also do the household chores after work, No one chips in.If husband returns late from work it is fine, woman is expected to be home best say by 10 pm. Late night parties and calls are looked down upon. One other burning issues is of kids, how do you inculcate right values in them when everybody is racing towards success. Girls of earlier generations were taught that it was important to be a virgin till marriage but today when woman marry much later . And society also teaches a woman that she has full right over her body and need not be ashamed of her sexuality . So today young woman are more ready to experiment which has it conseqeunces unwed mothers . How do you deal with your daughter's boy friend? Also why don’t shows which are set up in cat b and cat c towns shows lead girls dressed in jeanS. Good girl will always be shown in eastern dress in small town. We need to break this stereotype that western attire is bad. If a woman wants to show flesh a sari can be very good option . Before you jump even boy's parents need to be aware and tell their young kids to be good if not careful lest they might fall victim to STD. A Last but not the least is problem which parents face if they come to know that their son or daughter is gay. What hell breaks lose, how much pressure is brought on the boy girl to become “normal . sadly we stereotyping them as queer is when in real most closeted gays like u and me.