Sunday, November 26, 2000		Television

IT was Chandigarh students’ day out as 30 schools participated in the keenly contested ESPN Star Sports Quiz 2000 held at Tagore Theatre. Vivek High School which emerged the winner was represented by Karundeep and Rahat Khanna.

The winning team was given a prize of Rs 5,000 and a trophy. The second prize of Rs 3,000 and a trophy was won by DAV College, Sector 10 and the third prize of Rs 2,000 and a trophy was bagged by Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 47.

The November 7 quiz was hosted by popular sports presenter, Charu Sharma. This is a continuation of a series of TV quizzes organised in six cities across the country including Delhi, Calcutta and Pune.

Manu Sawhney, managing director ESPN Software India Ltd., said, we are truly ecstatic at the response of the children from Chandigarh." Considering there were neither dus crorepatis or just crorepatis at the end of the day, the spontaneous turn out was simply overwhelming.

This one’s going to do wonders for the much-maligned image of cops. Khaki on DD Metro Gold is about honest and dedicated police officers out to destroy crime and its perpetrators.

An undercover police officer is dead and his senior officer, DCP Ved, blames himself for not having foreseen the dangers. Unable to deal with the guilt, he decides to take on the failed mission and lead an operation to smash the gang.

DCP Ved selects young people with no baggage and no preconceived notions and codenames the team khaki. The serial delves into the personal lives of such officers who put duty ahead of their obligations towards the family.

The only trouble is the nagging question which keeps popping up in the minds of viewers: Do such dedicated cops still exist? If you think they do, you’ll find the serial fairly engaging.

It’s truly a blast from the past. Starting from November 19, every Sunday 10 am. Cartoon Network kicks off a one-hour weekly block, Boomerang, packed with classic toon memories.

On show are beloved characters that include some of the most famous creations from the legendary animation team of William Hanna and Joseph Barbara.

Each week the spotlight will be on three classic characters in their original format — as they appeared in the sixties and the seventies.

Boomerang is a throwback to the great toon era that the whole family can enjoy. It stands up to the test of time that classic cartoons are as popular today as they were years ago.

Oh, what a fall! From being one of the most in-demand stars of the early nineties, Manisha Koirala has reduced herself to a non-descript TV anchor.

Though she’ll become a crorepati herself with the reported Rs 5 crore a year to play second-fiddle to Anupam Kher in Zee’s Sawal Dus Crore ka, she has very little to contribute apart from flashing a few smiles and mounting some inane dialogues.

If Kaun Banega Crorepati has given a dramatic boost to Bachchan’s sinking career, its copycat on Zee has failed to impact Manisha’s fortunes. So why did the star accept this role in the first place? Most say it’s for the rumoured moolah which breaks down to around Rs 2.5 lakh per episode.

Bollywood insiders feel that with the coming in of the new generation of heroines, Manisha’s fortunes have been plummetting and roles drying up. Says an uncharitable source. "It’s times like this when Rs 5 crore comes in real handy!"

Rahul’s starry adventures

He’s the archetypal new millennium model. The physique of a later-day Greek God and lean and hungry looks that have made him the ad world’s favourite to launch top-of-the-line products which range from Tata Sierra to Essel World.

Now, as a natural progression, Rahul has graduated from a top model to a TV and film star. Besides playing a negative role in Champion opposite Sunny Deol, he is being flooded with TV offers.

Bollywood is already talking about Rahul’s powerful portrayal in Champion. In fact so impressed was Shah Rukh Khan with his role that he instantly signed him for his forthcoming home production, Ashoka The Great. Says Rahul, "As long as the role is meaty and has substance I don’t care whether I am playing hero or villain."

In real life, Rahul Dev is a man who has worked hard to be a hero to his countless fans. A teetotaller, his second home is a gym. And his passion is riding a sturdy Arabian horse that he owns. Surely life is on a fast trot as far as Rahul goes.

— Mukesh Khosla