Arvind Kejriwal has changed his style and substance. Hes gone from being the co-star to the lead player in a drama of David and Goliath proportions. Anna Hazares right-hand man has been on television nearly every single day in the last few months. He went on a fast,he broke his fast and then broke with Anna Hazare; he talked of launching a new political party,launched a new political party and most recently,a campaign against corruption in high places or,should one say,highest places.
Currently,he is accusing Robert Vadra,son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi,of receiving undue benefits from DLF. And hes got everyone watching TV,everyone talking about him on TV: if its Tuesday,it must be a new revelation/ accusation live on the box from the vox populi,Arvind Kejriwal.
Theres a new kind of victory jig after winning a cricket match,called Gayles Gangnam style. Each time the West Indies won a game at the Twenty20 World Cup or took a wicket,he would behave like a psycho or more precisely the rapper PSY,prancing about like the Congress party trying to sidestep the burning questions raised by Kejriwal. It has been a joy to watch the West Indies winning the T20 World Cup. They were men with happy feet and smiles straight out of the Center Fresh sparkling smile commercial. Nobody, observed one of the commentators,celebrates likes the West Indies!
So its a great pity to find something far less amusing happening off the field. India TVs sting operation on four international umpires declaring their willingness to lift an index finger even when the batsman is not out in return for a little something is the second time the channel has pointed a finger at match-fixing in recent months. The last time it involved young Indian players in the IPL. Between them,India TV and Arvind Kejriwal are exposing any and everyone. Where is Mr Clean?
Salman Khan is in our midst once again with season six of Bigg Boss (Colors). In the opening episode,Khan gave a magnificent performance of Salman Superstar. His dancing,his drawl,his slow motion movements and expressions were an exaggerated version of himself in Dabangg,Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger. No wonder we encountered six of him for the price of one in the new Bigg Boss house. Which,by the way,resembles a posh new supermarket that FDI in retail may bring into the country soon a sort of Walmart at the International Space Station. With the sponsors logos everywhere Vodafone is more omnipresent than Bigg Boss himself.
The new motto for this season is see no evil,hear no evil,speak no evil. Just do. The contestants include slick- tongue-Sidhu,cartoonist Aseem Trivedi,TV actresses and actors and a number of other people you will get to know only too well if you stay with the show for the full 98 days.
Sur Kshetra (Colors and Sahara) is a singing talent contest with three wonderful judges: Asha Bhonsle,Runa Laila and Abida Parveen. Some seriously good singing on the show is lost in the din of patriotic fervour. As singers from India and Pakistan face-off you feel its the next war between the two. Theres too much jingoism: Apne desh ke liye dua mangna na bhoolein (Dont forget to ask for good wishes for your country),intones host Ayesha Takia. India ko jita ke hi rahenge (Well ensure India wins),proclaims a proud Indian contestant,Vande Mataram. The Pakistanis respond with vows for the qaum. Seems all wrong to dress up a singing contest in national flags,somehow.
shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com
