Sky walking

First,Chandrayaan took off. Then we found water on earth. And for the past month,UTV’s been on a star trek. And why not – it’s the year of astronomy and the television channel has joined hands with Vigyan Prasar,an autonomous organisation under the Department of Science and Technology,Government of India to produce five episodes on a series on astronomy called,”Taaro ki Sair” on Doordarshan. The show which is on air till November,has been made to promote scientific temperament among the masses. “The series will cover few of the most important discoveries and happenings across the Solar system in the last 400 years. Unearthing some astonishing facts,the five episodes titled The Sun,Rocky planets,Gaseous planets,Pluto and Exo-Solar Planets,brings to light some extraordinary findings about other planets in our solar system,” tells Rahul Bhatia,VP,North TV and Dubbing. Part of the grand 26 episode documentary series,Bhatia feels that such infotaining programmes are a must on the telly,and the fact that they are being telecast on the national network makes them all the more popular. “Compared to private players,DD has the largest reach and penetration,and masses still tune into it,” Bhatia says they are also planning to dub the series in different languages for educational purposes. A daunting task and a huge challenge,producing the series,adds Bhatia,wasn’t that easy. “For we went where no one has gone before,” he jokes,telling us about the extensive R&D that went into pre-production,studying the planets in detail and then translating it all graphically on screen – “everything,from the depiction,language,movement,angle,animation…it had to be precise,” he says. Before this,the UTV team has done a lot of science work for the department,made documentaries for the Ministry of External Affairs,and even produced the ‘status of of various projects at Commonwealth’. So what is status,we get curious. “Well,all said and done,I think they’ll pull it off!” What to say,’jugaad’ is out middle name!