Song wars, pitch peace

TELLY VISION

Telly: Yawn!
Me: Yawn!
Telly: Why aren't you surfing?
Me (still yawning): What's the point?
Telly (still trying hard to convince me): Aww, c'mon, just pick up the remote and start surfing. I'm sure I'm still worth it.
Me (looking lazily at the remote)
Telly (suddenly flaring up): You're behaving like Garfield. Pick up the remote and start surfing. I need to know I'm still alive.
Me (still staring at the remote)
Telly (very angrily): Will you *#$%....?
Me (getting into action): Okay pal, I'm giving you another chance, but if you still remain useless you've had it. You'll be packed off in a carton and kept in some dingy corner of the house.

Having issued a stern warning to my telly, I was back to flipping channels with my remote control. So there I was, staring at a music-based, talent hunt show on Zee television. It was the good 'ol programme Sa Re Ga Ma Pa twisted, turned and served in a new style that unfortunately didn't look too palatable.

Some contestants are promising but let's face it, the programme faces stiff competition, especially as rival channels churn out heavily marketed shows like Indian Idol and Fame Gurukul.

Coming back to Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, the episode I watched was special, with music of a different kind. Music directors Aadesh Shrivastav and Ismail Durbar were busy engaged in a high-decibel drama, lambasting each other after disagreeing on the way a particular contestant sang.

Tempers continued to flare while the telly beamed other jury members who held their heads down in shame. (Note: Maybe they were sniggering)

Telly: You look excited.
Me: Oh yeah, check out this fight, it's so much fun. Reminds me of programmes like The Big Fight.
Telly: You'll love MTV. There's a lot of drama on the MTV Fame Gurukul show too

My telly didn't disappoint me. On MTV, VJ Sophiya prompted lyricist Javed Akhtar and actor Ila Arun to engage in talk that could've easily passed off as a near-declaration of a war.

As jury members of Fame Gurukul (another singing show from the house of Sony television), they disagreed on an issue that involved a popular contestant getting voted out of the show.

When Ila Arun spoke a little louder to be heard, Akhtar went a pitch higher to shut her up. While they both shrilled and shivered to be heard, pretty Sophia sat sweetly and rubbed her hands in delight and exclaimed, "This is so much fun. Viewers don't go away. Keep watching Emmtiiiveeh." Phew! So much for music shows.

Meanwhile, my brother had bullied me into watching the grand finale of the Ashes series between England and Australia. "If nothing else," he said, "at least watch the prize distribution."

Since England had managed a victory after 18 long years, the team members obviously looked proud of their big achievement.

Even the Australian team members admitted it was one of the best series they'd played. Later, when news channels beamed the celebrations in London, one knew this was a proud moment likely to linger for a long, long time.

Bonhomie on the cricket pitch and war on the musical stage.