The golden age of Rajeshwari

DANCER, actress, singer, TV star. Will the real Rajeshwari please stand up? Even as viewers were getting used to her in serials like Margrita and films like Sardari Begum, Rajeshwari has thrown up another surprise.

Her debut album Hulle Hullare, has hit the high notes and is scaling the charts rapidly. Which must be music to her ears as most of Rajeshwari’s years as a stage personality at Prithvi Theatre, an accomplished Bharat Natyam dancer and then as a star in Bollywood and television have gone largely unnoticed.

The only other field left to explore was singing. And that is exactly what Rajeshwari has done with her debut pop album Hulle Hullare. Her impeccable vocals and a foot-tapping video have made her one of the hottest newcomers on the pop scene.

In fact times they are a-changing for Rajeshwari. First her big break came in the form of the Hollywood epic Little Buddha opposite Keanu Reeves. And now the album Hulle Hullare.

"The album’s title song will take you back to the romantic fifties — the golden age of Hindi and Punjabi songs," says Rajeshwari, confident that her own golden age as a singer has just begun.

Portraying grim reality

It’s an unusual and gruesome subject to make a serial on. Yet, producer director Manu Bhasin has accepted the challenge and Sangharsh is ready to be aired on the national network.

The story revolves around gangs who abduct children for begging. The evil which pervades in this underworld gets closer home as the images start unfolding on the small screen.

Like terrorists, these gang members lift innocent children and torture them into a life of beggary. Are there laws to prevent such activities? Of course there are, but the grim message which comes through is that there is more to it than meets the eye. Like in every crime there are corrupt officials and colluding cops who help perpetuate it.

Subjects like these may find the going tough as far as sponsors and TRPs are conerned. But then, this is reality in all its shades of darkness. And reality cannot be ignored.

Holy snakes

If you haven’t had a fill of snakes from films like Nagin, Sapera and Nagina, you can now tune into Ichhadhari, a new serial about to be aired on the national network which is all poised to take you into the slithery serpentine world.

Directed by Tariq Ijaz, the story revolves around the daughter of a police officer who has been dreaming of snakes since childhood. One day she chances upon a Baba who tells her to pour a glass of milk on the base of an old banyan tree. And from there onwards starts the viewers tryst with the cobra.

Though the theme is tired and hackneyed, it is the special effects which are outstanding. The makers of the serial claim that all the special effects have been created on the kind of machines which were used in epics like Titanic and Godzilla.

In fact it is just the special effects created by Sunil Verma (who was technical director of the initial episodes of Chandrakanta) which is the strong point of this otherwise much touted theme of snake people. See it only if you like the slippery, crawly creatures.

Another world cup special

Though the popularity ratings may be slipping, but producers of Antakshri on Zee TV, are not about to give up. Innovations are being tried and topicality seems to be the new buzzword.

Whether it is Holi or Divali, Valentine’s Day or elections Antakshri is at hand to provide filmi songs for the occasion. So, it wasn’t surprising when the Cricket World Cup special was announced.

The ‘very special’ episode had a ‘very special guest’ — Mohinder Amarnath, in conversation with Annu Kapoor, Durga Jasraj, Renuka Shahane and Pallavi Joshi. He discussed for the umpteenth time about India’s victory at the World Cup 1983 in which he was the Man of the Match.

But if Amarnath talked of past glories so did the Antakshri team which back-patted itself over the victory on the ‘pitch’ of Antakshri at Esselworld in 1998 where the cricketers team of Eknath Solkar, Madanlal, Saurav Ganguly, Nayan Mongia, Rahul Dravid, Sanjay Manjrekar, Salil Ankola and Sunil Joshi walked away with a load of goodies after winning the contest.

So, what next? May be an Antakshri on the current political scenario? That would be comic relief indeed!

Life on the wild edge

From the first dangerous step after birth into a hazardous world, to the continuous efforts to find a meal and secure a home, almost every day in the life of most ordinary animals can be a constant struggle.

Animals have developed elaborate and unique efforts to ensure that their species will live and thrive in an environment that is often unfriendly. David Attenborough hosts Trials of Life on Animal Planet and takes a fascinating look at the diverse life strategies of a variety of animals.

The series asks: how do animals grow up in a volatile world; how do they find sufficient food supply and avoid becoming a meal to another; what sort of home do they live in and how do they build it; do different animals communicate with each other; and how do animals court and mate and then teach their young the necessary skills to survive?

For answers to these questions don’t miss the 12-part Trials of Life from June 17 to 30 from 19.30 to 20.30. It’ll keep you glued to your seats.

— Mukesh Khosla