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Journalism of Courage
There is something that gets stuck in the throat every time Zee8217;s Sa Re Ga Ma8217;s L8217;il Champs appears on the screen. And it8217;s not a lump that wants to burst into tears. It8217;s a fish bone that needs to be pulled out or swallowed before one chokes on it.
Maybe an odd response because the show is very popular 8212; no less an eminence than the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has expressed his appreciation. The children have sung their lungs out and astonished everyone with their virtuosity. You have to admire them. You do, you8217;re almost envious of these nightingales of India, so young yet so accomplished.
Except that they are very young. Too young to be acting like adults. Too young to be singing like them 8212; perhaps even better. Singing the same Hindi film songs. Dancing like a Shah Rukh or Aishwarya Rai. Moving their elastic bodies in wonderful imitation of actors. Is that how we want our children to be? Behaving like grown ups?
Don8217;t misunderstand: they are wonderfully talented, with immense poise and presence. However, there is this sneaking sadness at their loss of innocence. At the feeling that there must be more to Indian music than filmy songs that children can sing to show off their talents. So even as we rejoice in their voices, can8217;t help feeling there8217;s something wrong with Li8217;l Champs behaving like Big Champs.
Or like Bigg Boss Sony, the new reality show that has taken many countries by storm and Sony is hoping there is an audience avalanche as it struggles to catch up with Star Plus and Zee. The Bigg story, sorry the big story is that the show stars Rakhi Sawant. Not doing what you expect her to do dance but living with men like Salil Ankola, Rahul Roy and Deepak Parasher! And
Bobby Darling. Not to mention several women!
On the first day of the show, she looked like she would sleep with them too. In the same room.
However, the next night the men had been separated from the women. Yawn.
The idea is that 13 personalities from the world of entertainment live together for three months in a two-room set with Bigg Boss and all of us watching them until one by one, they, along with you vote them out. No singing or dancing, but washing clothes, cooking, cleaning and, if you please, milching the cow. All in public view.
So far, they seem to specialise in relax time swimming, lounging, eating 8212; 8216;good food8217; 8212; sleeping, complaining about each others8217; habits snoring and indulging in tantrums 8212; the females, who else? With the exception of Parasher, the men have been giving it those strong and silent ones so far which suits the loquacious women fine but doesn8217;t help us get to know them or vote for them. Could it be that they want to get away from Rakhi 038;Co. as fast as possible?
Lastly, Max could have lost considerable money on the Champions8217; Trophy. It has been shortchanged in a manner of speaking with the games ending well before time or loosing steam early. It hasn8217;t been the most competitive of tournaments and we have had to listen to Navjot Singh Sidhu instead. Or put up with him, depending upon your point of view. Much nicer to anticipate Mandira Bedi8217;s latest not spaghetti straps hairdo. No wigs, just look. You may have noticed that it changes with the clothes she wears and since she changes clothes each time, she sports a new hairstyle every time. Or, in a manner of speaking, hair, there and everywhere.
