By Kanika Rajani In a special segment introduced by the direct-to-home (DTH) player, Tata Sky — Active Javed Akhtar, viewers will get to hear their favourite lyricist, Javed Akhtar, recite few interesting dohas and shayaris. Vikram Mehra, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Sky, says with every passing day, life is getting complex, stress levels are increasing, people have fewer friends but the core issues like love jealousy, competition still exist. “A platform like this brings soothing element that is calming,”explains Mehra. The initiative has two segments — one for morning telecast and another for evening. While in the morning, Akhtar will recite a doha, explain its meaning and discuss its relevance in today’s time; the evening segment will see him reciting five to six Urdu couplets by different poets on a chosen theme like loneliness, childhood, friendship, love, etc. He will further explain the meaning and message. “When you understand the meaning, you realise that dohas or good Urdu poetry are talking about life. They talk about human emotions, human interaction, which are universal and relevant in everybody’s life. Once you cross this barrier of unfamiliarity and realise what it is, you appreciate it.” Akhtar also ponders on why there’s minimal use of shayaris and dohas in films these days. “Producers feel that the younger generation doesn’t relate to anything that has any depth or sensibility, and they want everything that is light, but I don’t agree,” says Akhtar and adds that if one talks to the youth in simple language that they understand and appreciate without puzzling them by using indecipherable language, it will resonate with them. Akhtar is certain that through this programme the youth will be able to relate to shayaris as it has been presented in a way which will appeal to their sensibilities.
