Doordarshan should try reviving its lost glory by doing stuff the same spirit that it did in in the past.
For example, *no one* does mythology, historicals, documentaries, quizzing shows the way Doordarshan did in the late '80s and the early to mid '90s. *None* even comes close. Look around!
To begin with, if they had to reimagine stuff like Bharat Ek Khoj by giving it a progressively modern sheen without losing any of its glory, grace, relevance and class, it should rope in people like Jaideep Sahni / Prasoon Joshi / Javed Akhtar to write, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to score music, Shimit Amin / Vishal Bhardwaj to direct series' of episodes.
If it wants to target the right demographics from the late teens to 60s, and appear credible (up the TRPs incidentally), attract big sponsors, it shouldn't look beyond and hedge bets on Farhan Akhtar to do voice-overs, present the episodes. Few blokes in contemporary media typify "balance" in a manner Farhan Akhtar does.
I may be woefully ignorant of all those serious academics whose contribution would be definitive. Then let it be a healthy mix of scholars and celebs. Content and commerce will be in good marriage. Like any marriage, with healthy compromises.
People like these will ensure that pleasant attention to detail without losing out on the bigger picture. Realism, even if selective, will never appeal more. We have done it unconsciously in the past (apparently so). It could be very well done again. We have been primed enough for that.
The young generation needs it badly and none better than these people to pull back viewers into the right kind of television. For all the monetary success these people have had, they can only pay back this way. This will be their social service. It's about time.
That's far sightedness. That will be true to its name.
For example, *no one* does mythology, historicals, documentaries, quizzing shows the way Doordarshan did in the late '80s and the early to mid '90s. *None* even comes close. Look around!
To begin with, if they had to reimagine stuff like Bharat Ek Khoj by giving it a progressively modern sheen without losing any of its glory, grace, relevance and class, it should rope in people like Jaideep Sahni / Prasoon Joshi / Javed Akhtar to write, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to score music, Shimit Amin / Vishal Bhardwaj to direct series' of episodes.
If it wants to target the right demographics from the late teens to 60s, and appear credible (up the TRPs incidentally), attract big sponsors, it shouldn't look beyond and hedge bets on Farhan Akhtar to do voice-overs, present the episodes. Few blokes in contemporary media typify "balance" in a manner Farhan Akhtar does.
I may be woefully ignorant of all those serious academics whose contribution would be definitive. Then let it be a healthy mix of scholars and celebs. Content and commerce will be in good marriage. Like any marriage, with healthy compromises.
People like these will ensure that pleasant attention to detail without losing out on the bigger picture. Realism, even if selective, will never appeal more. We have done it unconsciously in the past (apparently so). It could be very well done again. We have been primed enough for that.
The young generation needs it badly and none better than these people to pull back viewers into the right kind of television. For all the monetary success these people have had, they can only pay back this way. This will be their social service. It's about time.
That's far sightedness. That will be true to its name.
2 comments:
Well written. The only problem is that this gradual shift from a staid, state-controlled media to a diverse bunch of sensationalist, lowest-common-denominator is a natural progression based on free market economics. Channels will make shows that they believe sell (as dictated by advertisers) so there's really no chance that someone will take a bet on information rich content (turns out people do want to watch crap). What we need is for DD itself to become like PBS in the US and start focussing on high quality documentaries and knowledge rich shows
Kris Ashok,
This isn't being cock-eyed optimistic or calling for utopia.
Let everyone concerned make truck loads of money.
But is *balance* difficult? :) Aren't scales favorably tilted in favor of commerce *much* better than heavily lopsided ones?
What have we got to carry along with us for the next decade or two?
Roadies, unreal music talent shows, news dramas?
When we look back, what would we have had?
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