For those who find the present Hindi entertainment channels dull, and the news insufficiently entertaining since momentarily, politics and violence have beaten ghosts, comics, film stars, grave-diggers and other other-worldly creatures to the headlines, Colors offers a new rainbow of shows. This new channel doesn’t make a song and dance out of everything, like all other entertainment channels do. That is a rare accomplishment.However, and unfortunately, the channel is like minting an old coin.Perhaps it is unfair to expect it to be different and succeed but why does it have Jai Shri Krishna - with Kans’s loud and ha-ha-ha laughter, indistinguishable from any other mythological since it is a Sagar production that has given us other lookalike epics. A new channel needs to look different but Jai Shri Krishna simply continues where NDTV Imagine’s Ramayan ends. Except, that is, for Kans’ sister who was dressed as though auditioning for a wedding — did women in times immemorial dress as if they had just emerged from a boutique?The serial Jeevan Saathi, has another big little rich man in a mansion the size of Delhi with children who want or don’t want to get married. Ho-hum. It is also the proud possessor of foreign, blond Lydia whose accent defies all linguistic recognition — she speaks English like it’s Hindi and faltering Hindi as if she is ET. Terrible.There’s also a serial on child marriage, Balika Vadhu that celebrates the institution with little prince charming and little princess charming smiling winsomely at each other and us — even as it opposes it. Negative advertising is often the best advertisement.Mohe Rang De, set in 1942 ‘Lahore’ during the Quit India movement is the most promising offering and a departure from current television serials. At least it is a historical drama with the trappings of something akin to Tamas and Buniyaad. Now, if only the production values were superior. Lahore is represented by a club that resembles a furnishings store, large mansions (what would television do without them?), and a long winding tunnel where reside the brave krantikaaris. Our heroine’s name, by no strange coincidence, is Kranti who continually encounters our hero Rajbir, nickname The Hat which he never doffs unless he can’t help it — just returned from the Bar in London to club in Lahore. A new English administrator is in town, and the freedom fighters’ abortive attempt to kill him spews retributive venom from the administrator. His characterisation, like Lydia’s, is a caricature — everything lean and mean that can be packed into a broad, fat man has been done so to make him appear despicable. Still, Mohe has real drama, a realistic story, believable acting and enough suspense to make you return for more. Thank you, Colors.Not sure Khatron Ka Khiladi is the K in the pack even if Akshay Kumar is relaxed and winsome as the Fear-some host. He gets to show off, although never employ, his fearsome physique — his favourite attire is a banyan (does he advertise it as well?) and a scarf (why?). The stunts are something to be afraid of — mice, spiders, fish and ice water reduce the actress-contestants to jellyfish. After a while, it gets repetitive and anyone who has watched the original Fear Factor has seen worse.And Sajid Khan has what he must have always craved — his own talk show, Sajid’s Superstars where he does all the talking (as usual) and his cine star guests listen. Or, react to his sallies. Good for Saturday nights.Finally, SBI Life Insurance must hope it never ends up on the operation table, as does its model in a new TV commercial. The poor man, prostrate and helpless watches with increasing and sweaty horror the tremors of the geriatric surgeon’s hand faster than a blender. Not exactly what the doctor ordered.shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com
