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Showing posts with the label Doordarshan

JAWAAN (2023) : review

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And finally the much hyped, much awaited Jawaan saw light of the day ! Big stars, big budget( humongous budget actually), big music composer, everything super large. But does it meet the expectations of the average viewer? No it goes not. Read on.  A decorated jawan locks horns with a criminal called Kaali, this is in 1986 ( the year movies like Aakhri Raasta released, just for reference). Kaali gets him eliminated and send the pregnant wife to jail. The baby born in jail grows up to become the hero (look alike of the father) and decides to avenge the misdeeds done to his innocent patriotic parents. Well, isn’t it a masaaledaar full on Bollywood- Tollywood drama subject ?  And then the director Atlee also borrows ideas and references from various retro movies, some idea from Sholay (1975) as the hero assembled a gang of jailed Qaidis in order to form a team to nab the villain, then there’s an entire episode borrowed from Dhartiputra (1993), and the basic theme is copy pasted ...
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DIAL D FOR DETECTIVE: rewind to Doordarshan part 2

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Revisiting the good old days of Doordarshan yet again, when it wasn’t exactly a boring cousin of the satellite channels like ZeeTv or mtv. One genre that has intrigued viewers over the years is suspense murder mysteries. With a common base of a chilling murder committed and then a detective is summoned to investigate. Sometimes it’s the detective who coincidentally ends up being at the place of the crime, convenient isn’t it? But that’s what crime genre lovers have loved all these years. From Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot to our very own Byomkesh Bakshi and the hot selling detective novels featuring Kaala Pahad and Dhananjay, we’ve had an amazing range of entertaining investigators, here’s a quick revisit to five detective serials from the golden days of Doordarshan.   KARAMCHAND (1985)  Termed and credited as India’s first detective series on television, though I’m unsure if it’s true, but certainly an engaging and thrilling series. With generous humour added to give it...
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REWIND TO DOORDARSHAN - part 1

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So the unavoidable lockdown makes you yawn in despair? And you have had an overdose of espionage spy thrillers and crime dramas on the ott platform ? Then revisit some good old feel- good slice of life television series from Doordarshan days which are available on YouTube and some other steaming platforms. What you’ll invariably and unmistakably find these retro serials is the simplicity of the characters that’s awfully missing today!  Kachchi Dhoop (1987)  Directed by actor Amol Palekar this desi ‘little women’ featured future one film wonder Bhagyashree in a pivotal role along with Ashutosh Govarikar and Palekar himself. Sweet, sugary and simple it’s the perfect remedy for a bored viewer! The characters are simple and relatable, they speak in a sing a song manner and make you fall in love with their on screen trials and tribulations.  Idhar Udhar (1985)  If you are an sitcom fan then this show is unmissable! Starring the talented Pathak sisters playing roomies alo...
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KASHISH (1991) - revisited

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KASHISH(1990) - revisited YouTube is generously retelecasting retro Doordarshan serials and one such classic is the fresh as a morning daisy Kashish (1991), almost thirty years and still so watchable and heart warming.  Directed by Kaamna Chandra it’s a simple love story actually a love hate story between an eccentric film maker (Sudesh Berry) and his heroine(Malvika Tiwari). With just eight episodes it deals with their bittersweet relationship, egos, unspoken romance and must say the director has handled it with so much tenderness and simplicity. There’s also a lovely ghazal sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy.  Nothing over the top, no sex no violence, yes there is a prospective Saas and her to be Bahu but they are so normal almost unbelievable in today’s context of tv serials! Berry no doubt had an visible Amitabh hangover but he looked dashing and fit that Mills and Boon hero slot in this romance. Malavika looked like a dainty, petite blooming flower, that husky sexy voice and s...
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