Opinion Bowling from both ends
India ended up in a tie,Sidhu in a tunnel,and a boy and a girl on a terrace.
As things transpired, it wasnt a Black Sunday but a grey one as India allowed Englands shadow to fall between victory and defeat on what had started out as a sunny Bangalore holiday. Moody Monday saw our fortunes fluctuate as Pranab Mukherjee alternately raised and sank our expectations with his budget. Uncle Oscar did likewise to nominees at the Academy Awards. Is it any wonder,then,that Tuesdays TV talkies were all about what had been gained and lost over the previous two days?
Talking about Sundays match,which we won,then lost,then won and lost again before finally managing to tie,precipitates severe palpitation. So lets discuss Navjot Singh Sidhu instead,who was clearly on the losing side of Cricket Extra (ESPN) after the encounter. When Harsha Bhogle teased him about his predictions,he said,Who would have given England a hellcats chance to win? Certainly not him. Unaccustomed to eating humble pie,he employed his obscure way with words to dig himself out of a hole as,he said,did England during the game: (They) were in a dark,deep tunnel and then (they) jumped out of the tunnel. Rather like a hellcat? Apparently,they kept their momentum going by strapping on skating shoes to give their team a boundary in every over. Hmmm.
Sidhu fell into a dark,deep tunnel himself,after he said he would have given Ian Bell out after the LBW referral. Fellow panellists Dermot Reeve and Ian Chappell piled on to him. It became so contentious that Bhogle thought he was a news anchor hosting a discussion which says as much about news TV as it did about Cricket Extra.
For those viewers who want to enjoy a life without cricket,how about Life Bina Wife (Star Plus)? You will witness an entirely different set of men win or lose the battle against elimination. All they have to do successfully is to rear their children,alone. You feel for the guys who struggle with household chores,kids tantrums and fancy costumes. On second thoughts,maybe cricket is more fun to watch.
Then theres Pyaar Mein Twist (Star Plus). Average Anmole is married to rich Rekha and thats the problem. Her mother is visiting and wants a bathtub. Bathtub arrives. To Anmoles friends,it looks bigger than the bathroom but to Rekhas brother,it is smaller than the commode in my house. The sitcom depends on slapstick,but maybe it is better than watching Indias bowling attack being smacked around?
Try Chhaje Chhaje Ka Pyar (Sony). Its got several things going for it,not least its setting Delhi. The capital is a popular Bollywood destination and now it is on the television map. Be it films or soaps,it seems to be a good city to see on two wheels Rang De Basanti,Do Dooni Chaar,Band Baaja Baaraat and now Chhaje Chhaje Ka Pyar where hero Dhruv is on a mobike. The plot involves two families who live as landlord and tenant on the best of terms and share a terrace. It is up there that tomboyish Ginni and roadside Romeo Dhruv,best friends,fall in love. All resemblance to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is entirely intended: on Jhalak Dikhla Ja,where efforts to promote Sonys shows see the protagonists dance,Dhruv and Ginni performed to Yeh ladka from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. So far,the romance is still to bloom,so the serial is lively and amusing. Welcome back,comedy,to mainstream entertainment channels The challenge will be not to take love too seriously,which is what usually happens.
Meanwhile,its Thursday and if some Dutch courage can help Holland reconquer their former (partial) colony of South Africa,then it will be a special Sunday for India.
shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com
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