Kalam makes way for the precedent

Put it down to a poor sense of timing and channel choice. Tradition dictates that the President broadcast exclusively on Doordarshan, that too at 7.30 p.m. Reasonable when Doordarshan was the only channel, unrealistic in a multi-TV news channel world. Since Mr Kalam delights in flouting precedents and setting new ones, here’s his chance: go live across channels.

And it was so nice to hear the Prime Minister in his speech promise us the moon, when all his audience wanted was an umbrella.

The jury is still out on Pepsi-Cola but there’s no doubt about TV cameras and journalists. They are a serious health hazard and children are their most vulnerable victims. First, Baby Noor was fairly fainting from the glare of publicity her little heart received and last week, Boy Munir had to be medically treated for media exhaustion: he was, NDTV 24×7 said,‘‘tired of the spotlight’’.

On the subject of Pakistan: we saw the Indian goodwill team feast upon the choicest meats and sweat meats served by their hospitable Pakistani hosts. They would have found the Kashmiri propaganda being dished out by PTV during their stay, rather less to their taste. Food for thought, here?

Plenty for security forces in Delhi. Television news found more lapses in the capital’s security cover than in the porous LoC border. First, Aaj Tak filmed Shotgun Sinha’s clone ambling through Parliament without once being challenged (or saluted!), then a Sahara Samay reporter strolled by the India Gate barricades and roused sleeping constables — and, an occasional newsreader with AIR climbed to the top of its broadcast tower while security men waved at him, ineffectually, from below.

The biggest breach came on Friday when actor Amir Khan diverted Indian soldiers in Kargil on Jai Jawan, NDTV 24X7’s Independence Day special. Poor chap waved his hand till it all but fell off. He was visibly touched by the jawans, as well he should be, seeing how they embraced him with their warmth.

Khan’s idea of entertaining the troops was to beat them at cricket, carom and chess. He also sang ‘‘Kya Bolti Tu’’ and danced, besides complimenting them on living such a ‘‘tough life’’. The military men let down their guard and Barkha Dutt her short hair. There were more stars in her eyes than on the American flag.

Ally McBeal’s stars are suffering a black out as total as last week’s North American power outage. The hit comedy has hit an all-time low. Since when did the entire cast turn so propah, they now lock the door on a visit the toilet? Since when did they start singing soggy numbers like ‘‘Your were always on mind’’, like they really meant it?

And when did Ally begin to take herself so seriously, she’s spouting sermons instead of spite? ‘‘(Love) isn’t always smooth…(but) you’re a great guy and a great girl is waiting for you…’’

Is this the Ally we knew and hated, the one whose lustful tongue fell out of her mouth and slobbered the gorgeous guy next to her — and never mind the great gal waiting for him?

Speaking of gals, please welcome back a few bad ones. Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’s Betrayed Wife (Avantika) has been packed off to prison for murdering her husband, only to make way for The Woman Wronged (Pallavi), her side kick, The Woman Scorned (Ambika) and her sister, the latest in an endless sequence of Vengeful Vamps (Aslesha). Esha has returned to Kkusum: for a while back there she played The Reformed Character but that wasn’t improving the show’s viewership ratings, so now she’s reverted to being herself — The Other Woman. Difficult, under the circumstances, because Kkusum treats her like a Long Lost Sister. Now, it only needs Kyunki’s Mandira Bedi to rise from the dead — as any of the above!