RIP RK Laxman

The Common Man passes on, leaving behind his legacy of the common man, who will live forever.

R K Laxman passed away at the ripe old age of 94 on 26th January 2015. Ironically he passed away on the evening of Republic Day. A man who gave voice to the millions of voiceless people of India, he passed away on the anniversary of the day that India got her collective voice in the world.

He gave voice to the common people of India. Be it politics, sports, films, natural disasters, eminent personalities ... all were grist to his mill. He spared no one, he commented on all ... but with a subtle humor and gentle wit that masked the bite in his sharp commentary, which was almost always spot on.

I grew up reading his daily cartoons in the TOI. What a brilliant man  he was ... in a few strokes of his pen, he not only drew instantly recognizable caricatures of all the leading personalities of the time, but also put the most glaring issues of the the day forward in a few pithy words. His common man was the common man of India.

RIP RK Laxman ... you will be remembered for a long time to come.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Best-of-RK-Laxmans-cartoons/photostory/45944693.cms

Tweet from Amitabh Bacchhan:
A commemoration for the great artist and mind RK Laxman from a friend of a friend .. poignant !!

Award Shows

So the award shows for the year gone by have started, and it was my misfortune to sit through the first one last night. Why did I bother?! Should have known what was coming when Queen and Kangana were not even mentioned in the nominations for Best film and Best Actress. *Head desk* moment ... the first of many ... when Farah Khan got Dream Director award for Happy New Year. Next one - Deepika got Best Actress for HNY ... and SRK got Best Actor for the same movie.

Kostin - How many awards did HNY team buy? They sure didn't win any on merit.

An article that echoes my sentiments very well.

http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/parineetis-orange-blazer-varun-dhawans-award-mysteries-stardust-awards-2041015.html

Last night I sat through three hours of the Stardust Colors Sansui Awards. Unlike the Filmfare awards, the editing is far better in this one and the acts take place in front of the audience and not separately. That’s about all that I can hold up by way of distinguishing one from the other, but having watched this spectacle, I do have a few questions.

Parineeti Chopra wore an orange blazer to this event. Why is she borrowing items from Jackie Shroff’s wardrobe? Or is it Karan Johar’s? Regardless, why is she wearing it?

Why had Madhuri Dixit chosen to cling-wrap her outfit around her? No, don’t make jokes about sealing in freshness.

Why is Parineeti borrowing clothes from Karan Johar? Image courtesy Twitter

Did Stardust decide only the A-list stars needed a good designer or were there different dress codes given to the smaller stars? After all, Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone were dressed extremely well, but the same couldn’t be said of everyone. (See first question)

Is this award show the coming out party for all Bollywood’s has-beens? I spotted Jackie Shroff and his under-eye sacs, Gulshan Grover and Raveena Tandon.

Amitabh Bachchan only cracked a smile when he was being praised and spent the rest of the show in a contemplative mood. Was he wondering which number tweet he had to post?

Why were Ayesha Shroff and Tiger Shroff applauding Deepika Padukone’s dance number as if she was their long lost family member?

Does Bollywood go to just one doctor for Botox treatments? Is that why all the faces -- particularly those of heroines -- are starting to look the same?

Who is Kainaat Arora and why must we keep seeing close-up shots of her face? (Though admittedly, it’s better than seeing Jaggu dada’s eye sacs close up.)

Sonu Sood, Tiger Shroff and Varun Dhawan won awards. How?

Sonam Kapoor won Achiever Of The Year. For achieving what? Her new accent (which sounds remarkably like Pocahontas’s accent in the Disney cartoon)? (Loved this one ... I tried watching Khubsoorat, sat through half an hour, and gave up because Sonam was SOOOO ANNOYING!!!!! Someone, teach her to act, pleeeaase!!!)

Of course Rajshri Productions got the Hall of Fame award, and deservedly so. However, shouldn’t they have lost points for subjecting unsuspecting audiences to Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon and Vivaah?

While Sooraj Barjatya was on stage, Sonali Bendre and Tabu were seen smiling wistfully in the audience. Were they remembering their shoot for Hum Saath Saath Hain and could hear the sound of black buck hooves in the backdrop?

Did Vishal Bhardwaj, who directed the critically-acclaimed Haider, throw up a little bit when Farah Khan won the Dream Director award for Happy New Year? I know I did. Even Shah Rukh Khan looked amused when he won the Best Actor award. (I thought Deepika looked actually embarrassed, and she even said she was accepting the award on behalf of all the nominees ... am sure she was doing a mental recap of her movie and the others, and burning!)

And finally, the two most critical questions.

If Happy New Year can win Film Of The Year, will pigs fly soon?

Most importantly, will the next award show I sit through be as deadeningly boring as this one? (Hope not ... the promos of the Filmfare Awards seem more promising, with KJO and Kapil, and minus Kapil's annoying cross-dressing friends.)

Random Ramblings

A few interesting posts that I came across in the last few days.

Barely Talking with Arnub : SRK - Hilarious! Worth a watch.

http://shaileshkapoor.com/2013/10/19/congratulations-you-are-too-evolved-to-be-measured-by-tv-ratings/

http://shaileshkapoor.com/2014/01/08/star-popularity-vs-box-office-not-the-same-thing/

Prayers

Prayers for the missing Malaysian Airlines plane flying from KL to Beijing ... prayers for the safety of all passengers and crew on board. 

RIP, Suchitra Sen

On a completely different note, RIP Suchitra Sen, who passed away on Friday in Kolkata at the age of 83.

I have loved her in all the Hindi movies I saw her in, especially Aandhi, one of the best films I have ever seen, and Mamta - these are the ones I remember. She was also in Bambai Ka Babu with Dev Anand, and of course in Devdas, the original one with Dilip Kumar. A classic breathtaking beauty, an extremely graceful and dignified lady and an actress par excellence.

Some tributes

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Suchitra-was-the-Sir-of-our-unit-Gulzar/articleshow/28956241.cms?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Dharmendra-on-the-actress-who-affectionately-called-him-D/articleshow/28959135.cms?intenttarget=no

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Suchitra-Sen-came-like-a-whiff-of-fresh-air-to-Mumbai/articleshow/28971469.cms?intenttarget=no

Yessssss ... San is BACKKKK!!!!!!

Am feeling seriously euphoric ... among the plethora of bad news and tension currently in my life, one huge piece of good news - final confirmation that Sanaya is BACK!!!! With a new look ... seems a bit like Gunjan of old though - the shy, nervous Gunjan sans specs ... let's see how the show goes. But if I could sit through MJHT only for the Sajan story and for Gunjan, then I can definitely sit through Vaidehi where she will be the lead! And anyway, although Sanaya may say ad infinitum that she hates crying scenes, the fact remains that she is at her best in emotional scenes - just hope they don't become the Ekta boohoo crying types, that's all, and she remains the restrained, underplayed girl she excels at.

What I'm really happy about is that this show catapults her straight into the big league ... a lead heroine on Star Plus!!! Well done, Sanaya ... and all the very, very best for the future, for your show ... and many more to come!

Links -
Sanaya in SBS - first look Vaidehi
SBS - Gunjan makes a comeback - the SBS commentator sounded genuinely happy to be covering Sanaya again! Monaya were a riot, let's see how SaRun are!

Another piece of news, this time on Mohit - an SBS segment where he's going to the gym - now, this one I am also really pleased about, because like good Punjabi munda, he has a tendency to put on weight! And again, like he takes everything about his work very seriously, he seems to be very serious about his gymming and fitness spree - hope he continues it, because it's important for him as an actor. Chugalkhor aunty hints that he might be back soon on screen as well ... not surprising really, because he's a very hard-working actor and has a huge fan-following. Am happy for the guy - because he's a genuinely sweet guy and is that rarest of rare commodities - a nice person! Again, all the best to him - hope his confirmation comes soon too!

Sanaya again ... yes or no?

Sanaya in Vaidehi

Yet another article ... all I really want is to see Sanaya back on screen, with a decent co-star, in a show with a decent storyline ... is that really too much to ask?! Considering most of the crap on Indian telly these days, it just might be ... and I include most of MJHT and DMG in that category as well - there were only a few gems in both those shows which hooked me for varying lengths of time. MJHT actually hooked me for longer, and that was chiefly because of Gunjan, Sanaya, Samrat, and the Sajan story in that order.

So the plus points here - plus number one and the biggest, is of course Sanaya! If she is back on screen, I think I can sit through pretty much anything.

Secondly, the storyline - a business tycoon and his sister and how their love lives change their lives. Doesn't seem like a saas-bahu scenario, seems more like a fairly contemporary, urban storyline ... another plus.

Thirdly, and this is more like plus points for Sanaya - a lead role (probably the title role?), in a show on Star Plus, and if it replaces CCBM, this would be prime time, or nearly so. Lots of exposure for her, lots of chance for her to show her mettle and prove that the restrained, underplayed and deeply moving Gunjan was no flash in the pan. If in a role that was not author-backed, where she had the least lines, where she had to convey her emotions chiefly through her eyes, that too through glasses - if there she could make her presence felt so strongly, how much more will she be able to do here?! And she definitely made her presence felt there all right ... judging by the number of people who love her, and even more so, by the number who hate her, chiefly because she consistently upstaged their favourite!

So these are the pluses.

Minuses - the musical chairs going on with the casting, and now with the PH. Doesn't somehow seem to bode well for the show - seems to indicate some confusion and friction somewhere. Moreover, Sanaya is an Endemol favourite, so since Endemol has backed out, will Sanaya also follow suit at some point?
Secondly, the lead - don't know him at all, so will just hope for the best. Would have preferred Karan Wahi, or Kavi Shastri - now he could have carried off young business tycoon to a T!
Thirdly, Sanaya herself has not yet confirmed ... so till she does, or till we actually get news of her starting shoot, might be wiser to keep hopes low, and fingers crossed.
A fourth negative - the PH's in question are those involved in Geet and Yeh Ishq Haaye - in an attempt at being fair, I tried to sit through one episode of Geet last night, and found myself laughing through the inevitable "maahi" scene - don't know the history behind why Geet has walked out on Maan, and it doesn't help that they whisper their dialogues in what they probably fondly imagine to be intense tones, so couldn't figure out the reason either. Anyway, that couple doesn't hold any magic for me at all, although funnily, I like both Gurmeet and Dhrashti offscreen! But ... the Punjabi family scenes were better, at least watchable and I like the actors playing Teji praaji and his dimwitted wife! Better than the new Dev - at least the first Dev was decent eye-candy - who's this new fellow? I could not sit through YIH at all ... so that is a big negative!

All in all, I would be inclined to be cautiously positive ... Sanaya in lead role, on Star Plus, in an urban contemporary show - three out of four on my wish list!

*Edit* - apparently not only has Chughalkor aunty conformed the news of Sanaya's return, but also there is news that she has started shooting!
Balle balle!!!!
Hope we get a promo by month end - can't wait to see Sanaya's new look!!!

BLEED BLUE!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think anyone except the most die-hard cricket haters would have been watching anything on TV apart from the match last night! And what a match it was!

Virat Kohli said it best - "He (Sachin) has carried the Indian team on his shoulders for the last 21 years. It was time we carried him."

They did ... and how!!! When Sehwag got out on the second ball of the innings, there was shock, disappointment, but no despair. After all, Sachin, the God of cricket, and definitely the God of Indian cricket was still there, and he seemed in fine form. But when Sachin's wicket fell, and he walked slowly back, all I could do was fervently wish and pray for a real-live replay ... another chance for him, because I thought that with Sachin gone, and 31 for 2, India didn't have a chance. Not with that mammoth total of 275.

But the Men in Blue proved me wrong ... and how! Starting with Gautam Gambhir, playing slowly, patiently ... Virat Kohli supporting him, then of course, Dhoni playing that captain's knock with Yuvraj's support ... the stuff dreams are made of, and unlike many which have earlier turned into nightmares, this one didn't - it turned into reality! And the best part was that Sachin and Sehwag didn't have much to do, it was the younger players who stepped up - as though to tell Sachin, you've done it for a long time, mate, we'll share your burden now, we'll carry on the legacy you've given us. And we'll do you proud.

I didn't watch most of the Indian innings - every time I went into the TV room, a wicket seemed to fall, so superstitiously I stayed out. I wonder how many people in India followed some silly supersition like me last night - sitting in a favourite chair, not going to the loo, wearing a lucky Tshirt ... but finally, when I went in and Dhoni was almost run out, I told my husband I'll watch if he isn't run out. If he is, that means my jinx is working. But Dhoni survived ... and I could watch the rest of the match, first in tension, and then as the run rate slowly eased, gradually with more and more excitement. And what fun it was ... a pure adrenaline rush. When Malinga came on to bowl the first of his last three overs, and the first four balls were dot balls, I nearly fled again! Then 3 runs came off 2 balls, the run rate's climb was arrested, and I sat down again. Next over was good for India, boundaries came and the RRR fell even more. Then Malinga came on again, and Dhoni clouted him for two consecutive fours. Of course, with that, India were well and truly home, bar the shouting, and even a pessimist like me could watch the last two balls completely free of tension ... and enjoy that last SIX!!!!

Victory is indeed sweet ... WELL DONE, MEN IN BLUE!!!! The dream of over a billion Indians, the prayers of over a billions Indians ... all for this moment! And truly, nothing unites India and inspires patriotism as much as this game of cricket ... when Vande Mataram, Jao Ho and other songs were playing during the breaks, it wasn't funny, it was inspiring!

Most touching moments - seeing the players in tears after the victory. Showed how much it meant to them, how hard they had worked for it. The group hugs, the hoisting on shoulders, the ecstacy on their faces ... it was really a wonderful team effort, and those moments showed how close-knit the team had become.

BLEED BLUE!!! VANDE MATARAM!!! JAI HO!!!

Yes or No?

Steady rain of Sanaya articles continues - thank the Lord ... as least we keep getting news of what Monaya are up to, makes the waiting easier. Although the conflicting news doesn't really add value, but what the hell, something is better than nothing!

Links added - will add comments later, when I have the time *sigh*

Sanaya to return?
Will she, won't she? The fact that she's commented at all, means that talks are on, Sanaya is very cautious and level-headed when it comes to work, doesn't give out much at all.

I miss work - Sanaya
You miss work, Sanaya, and we miss you! Waiting to see you back on screen - haven't really watched a single tv show with any interest at all after MJHT wound up.
She's really a girl after my own heart - misses working! How much I can empathise with that!
Interesting - till date, she's said she doesn't want to do Gunjan again, for the first time here, she says she's open to a character like Gunjan again, if the role is good.
Also, this came after the first article, and she confirms she hasn't signed anything yet.

Usual mantra these days - wait and watch!

MJHT - Over ... or not? :)

Just when I thought MJHT was over and done with, we get a new article, from the Managing Director of Endemol, no less, regarding the come back of MJHT. And I don't believe this - they're actually thinking about bringing it back - and are 'into developing the storyline' ...

Wait a minute. When did MJHT even have a storyline? Well yes, it did ... the Samrat Gunjan story had a definite path all through ... but the best storylines were the last two, both of which were left half-baked at the end - the career track, for whatever reasons, because the leap had to be taken (not, was taken, but had to be taken), and then the first two months of Season Two, which was the most gripping storyline I've seen after Astitva, and which again was left completely hanging in mid-air because of rodent calls. And of course it was far too mature and serious for the bulk of the established audience, which had gotten used to fluff and nonsense - the eyelocks and TCF's which now pass for high romance on most of the Star One shows. A track which actually made you think - to argue, to debate ... now how could that appeal to anyone at all?

So if they're going to bring MJHT back with the original flavour - that of light hearted fluff and romance, and no substance, hope they do it with a new cast. Or least, without Sanaya (and by association, Mohit). The rest can stay the same - maybe SaJan were whisked off to London by Sam's mom, who finally made an appearance. Then Mayur can continue their romancing and fighting and bringing up their kids in Excel, and maybe new kids can come in to continue the fluff. Or whatever. Don't know, don't care.

Or ... if wiser sense prevails, they bring back SaJan and a new cast as new characters - new people, new romance, all new stories - if they actually have something called stories. And this is a possibility, because at the start of S2, they did have some characters in place with solid storylines - Ash and Rohan were well-defined characters, especially Ash, and their story could have developed on a parallel track with SaJan's, keeping a lighthearted balance to SaJan's intensity, and this was already happening and would have been a treat to watch if it had been allowed to happen. The story writers were doing their work well, and were interlinking all the main characters really well for the first time in the show.

Uday and Benji could be brought back, they're pretty wasted in RBO and Geet from what little I've seen, Naveena looks too old for college, she always did, so am indifferent to her, AB fortunately has his new show, so he's out, besides he's not interested in a youth show now - self-realisation - he knows he looks too old for a college show! And as ratz fans only want AB with ratz, and she also looks far too old for college, she's out as well. Besides, don't think Endemol will touch her now - the tall claims of bring back RP and we'll give you trp's are pretty much exposed, and who would want to be exposed to those psycho fans again anyway. They've wrecked their Di's career pretty thoroughly and the best is, they don't even realise it!

The third option - and the one which I would love the most - bring back SaJan as new characters, grownup ones, in a completely different environment, a brand new love story, and brand new show. Call it whatever - MJHT2/3, or something completely different, I don't care. But a good show with a strong intense story, and no eyelocks, nokjhoks and TCF's, no pbm's and sajdas, so that the hormonoid audience stays away.
Wait a minute ... that's what I've been wanting for Sanaya all along, ever since MJHT ended! :D

Deepak Dhar - MD, Endemol

Sexy actresses

Saw a post on the forum about Karan Wahi ranking sexy actresses on the Indian tv screen ;) Must say, the choices the poor guy was given were fairly pathetic, consisting of most of the saas-bahu types on the screen, including Hina, Ankita and even Ragini - hey, I like the girl, but even her most ardent fans wouldn't be able to call her sexy - her Meethi Chhoori segment proved that!

Anyway, so got me thinking - are there any sexy actresses on Indian telly today? Apart from Sanaya, of course - she makes my list with awesome ease!

So my version of that list, probably colored a lot by the fact that I don't like overtly sexy, HAWT stuff, there has to be a mix of innocence and sexiness which really gets the scene sizzling. Which is why Sanaya makes this list with ease, and jumps straight to the top.

So Sanaya on number one - porcelain perfect peaches and cream complexion, a figure to die for, hazel eyes that are amazingly expressive, and a sweetness and innocence and sparkle in her face that lights up the screen, making her a complete scene stealer. She doesn't have perfect features, but her eyes are beautiful, and her smile is simply stunning. added to which, she looks gorgeous in whatever she wears, her simple Gunjan outfits, or her usual offscreen Western ones. She has an amazing dress sense, simple, chic and very elegant, and can look smashing in almost all colors under the sun - I really can't think of ANYONE else who could have looked so stunning in grey.

Shilpa Anand - I don't care for her as an actress much, but sexy she is. Although it was Armaan that attracted me to DMG, SA as Ridz had much to do with their chemistry. Again not perfect features, but there is some sweetness in her face, and she can look sexy in the simplest salwar kameez.

Rakshandha Khan - getting more actresses in this list was surprisingly difficult, till I remembered Meethi Chhoori, which had brought together some of the best ones! And Rakshandha again makes this list - she has grace, elegance, and a poise and confidence which would be intimidating to most men except the very confident ones.

Karishma Tanna is the next, again from Meethi Chhoori - haven't seen either of these actresses in their usual saas-bahu roles, which is probably why I can see them as sexy!

Sangeeta Ghosh - doesn't act much now, but in her day she was sexy - remembering her from her scenes with Varun Badola in DMNHC, and from her other show with 4 sisters - very pretty, and her sensuous scenes were good.

Can't think of any more!

Why oh why????

Ok, WHY is it that youth shows or family shows seem to have the most retarded heroines, and those are the ones that become the most popular??!!! Saw SGP after a gap of almost a week, and with the new TB write up, I was expecting a good episode ... it was good all right, in terms of acting, but the precap put me off so completely ... Suhana back to her 'wild child' ways, breaking up the room ...

WHY do the most retarded heroines always appeal to the masses??? Be it Nupur and her crass stupidity in MJHT, or the almost retarded Suhana in SGP, or the suddenly chirpy, nok jhok karne vaali Geet ... all have one thing in common ... lack of essential grey matter! Maybe that's why they appeal to the lowest common denominator in India ... those girls who aren't bothered about anything much in life other than dreaming about marriage, romance and happily ever after's! Can count on the fingers of one hand the heroines of youth shows which have actually appealed to me for their intelligence, and most of them, with the remarkable and completely UNIQUE exception of Gunjan, were not even the leads of their shows ...

Starting with of course, Dr. Simran of Astitva, but I don't count her because it wasn't a youth show, the reverse, it was an incredibly mature and sensible show ... at least as long as I was able to watch it ... and the heroine was intelligent, career oriented and yet family minded, such a difficult tightrope to balance on ...

then came DMG, where apart from Riddhima, I also liked both Anjali, for her extreme dedication to career and 'no' to romance ... no wonder she wasn't the main lead, but I always liked her a lot
and Muskaan, who actually dodged her parents attempts to get her married off early, because she wanted to be a doctor - both these girls wern't the main leads, but both had some sensibility ... up to a point!
I also see Akshara's bhabhi, Varsha in Yeh Rishta - she wants to study after marriage, and from what little I saw, she actually did so, with supportive inlaws ... BUT she wasn't a main lead ... the main lead is busy managing the never-ending rituals and parties in her house.

But it's not only the dedication to being full time wife and daughter-in-law that gets me, it's the fact that this is percolating into the youth shows and family shows as well, turning them all into saas bahu type of shows, and glorifying stupidity and childishness in heroines, rather than intelligence and grace, that gets my goat. And also prevents me from actually seeing the love in the love stories involved - I never saw any spark in Mayur, neither can I see it in Suhana and Ishaan at all. And whatever little I've seen of Geet, the interminable 'maahiii' always gets me laughing way before I can feel any romance at all!

Sigh ... I really am in a minority in my choice of heroines ... no wonder the Dr. Simrans and the Gunjans are so rare and precious on Indian telly! Can't we have a channel dedicated solely to the thinking audience in India - or is that too much to ask for?!

Oh well, needed to rant ... Suhana put me off so much today!

Random thoughts

Hmm ... so AB has signed a new show on Imagine on the lines of Josh ... interesting. Pretty decent choice ... because among the zillion saas bahu shows on screen, this sounds like one which might actually have some scope for both the male leads, although he's doing the younger brother, Chandrachur Singh, not the older, which is the meatier role. but that one was pretty negative - forget the guy's name. SRK's role in the movie goes to Kapil - that's actually the bigger one, had more shades to it. The actress being unknown is a surprise - considering the original was Aishwarya and it was the bro-sis story which was the stronger one, the love story was pretty incidental. Even SRK's love story was pretty incidental - took me a while to even remember who his heroine was - Priya Gill, and she had nothing much to do, which Aish actually did. More to the point, this isn't a saas bahu show, it's more likely to appeal to the youth, which might be one reason for AB to sign it. Even though it's on Imagine. Anyway, to make this into a serial, I'm guessing there will be lots of changes in the original storyline ... might go closer to the West Side Story rather than Josh ... or veer off in completely different direction.
Also, seems that after LRL, in which AB aka Alekh didn't even have a heroine, and MJHT, where Mayank started off somewhat like Alekh, then turned lover boy and was pretty much destroyed, AB has decided to go back to a non-lover role ... the destruction of Mayank seems to have had an impact!

Still waiting for New Years and news of Monaya - considering they're off to Goa to bring in the New Year, doubt we'll get much news of any new show of theirs, individually or together, before that - though Mohit muust be pretty confident, taking off with San as soon as she arrives. He's obviously done all his networking after getting back from Delhi. Or maybe - eternal optimist - we'll get some news before they go off to Goa ... doubtful, though. Let's hope this New Years is as special for Monaya and Sajan fans as 2010 was - on 1st Jan we got a Sajan kiss that kept us going for over a week on one scene ... this year what if we get news of a new show ... sigh ... And Cinevistas is a good well established PH ... so all positives so far.
Although, looking at the state of the shows on Star One - 6 days a week ... I really wonder - should they take up a show on that channel? It can't be a single lead couple show on Star One with this format ... unless they have really good strong supporting cast, which knows it is supporting ... to sustain a 6 day a week show. One of the stupidest decisions taken by the channel ...


Another completely random thought ... if RP is such a brilliant actress, why do her fans feel the need to continuously spam the accounts and walls of ph's to get her a good show worthy of her talent? Won't she get it automatically? If she is such a great actress as well as being so popular, humble, down to earth, genuine ... I forget the rest of the accolades, but they were pretty much along these lines ... if she is all that, then the Ph's should be lining up anyway ...
Oh well ... Ratz and her fans don't interest me much ...

Lost

Feeling strangely lost without MJHT and Monaya and Sajan to tune into and gush over ... I need to start watching the old episodes and enjoying them all over again. Nothing much among the new shows is catchy ... except Maryada - there the acting is good and there is a certain subtle chemistry between Aditya and Priya - she has those smouldering dusky looks of a Rekha ... and their scenes so far have been decent. There is an intensity there, which is building up. All the characters are well etched, especially the female ones, so yes, Maryada has potential. And the best part is, it is a very adult show, so none of the teenage hormonoids will venture here.

Manzilein ... not very impressed so far, the older actors are seasoned and are good, the guy playing the brother is decent, but Alka and Chander are both disappointing even after a week ... give them a month and see how they go - I didn't like Suku for the first two weeks in DMG, nor did I like Sanaya/Gunjan initially, so let's see.

SGP has lost most of its charm with this Sona/Suhani track ... let's see if the Deepak track can hold my interest.

I want Monaya back!!!

*EDIT* ... and why do I need to remind people who stumble upon this blog that this is a PRIVATE blog, with my personal thoughts ... and I am not looking to change those thoughts or opinions. My opinions are my own, and those who disagree are free to stay away and not read. I moderate comments to keep this blog clean and pleasant, so please don't waste your time here if you don't agree with me - there are lots of open forums to express yourself on. This is not one of them.
As for Monaya haters and bashers, you are clearly not welcome here - would have thought you would have got that message when you don't see your comments published here. Apparently your intellectual abilities are not developed enough for you to realise that by posting under different names makes no difference. My blog is not like other blogs with ineffectual moderators - I moderate each and every comment. Hope you will remember that in future, instead wasting your time in posting long comments which will not see the light of day.