Well, we’re at the fag end of this year…


… I can’t say I’m not grateful for the year that’s gone by but I can say I’m ecstatic it’s over and done with. 2009 was quite exhausting… Of course, I’m feeling that more now than before because we’ve just completed our grand, super successful & abundantly thrilling GR8! 9th Annual Indian Television Academy Awards event presented by WESTERN UNION..

GR8! will be covering and carrying all the microscopic, gory details in our next issue… So make sure you don’t miss it.

The past month in telly-land was nothing worth writing home about. Nothing unique, inventive or creative happened, nobody new showed up… just the usual, now almost lethal overdose of
Saif & Kareena. Seriously, I know they’re all more than ready, willing and able to show up at the drop of a hat, at every news channel studio to promote their new film but the past month was expressly overbearing. It’s nice to see these people in reel life, but in real life most are so disappointing. Katrina’s trying quite hard to cast off her not-an-Indian and Saif & Kareena are trying very hard to come across as mature adults. They’re also perpetually on that we-can’t-help-it-we’re-in-love trip… Quite nauseating! And, what was it with the IBN-HT Leadership Summit inviting “Saifeena” to partake in “leadership” discussions. They were a joke and then there was Saif bearing his forearm once again and once again declaring his undying love for Kareena, doesn’t he ever worry that his kids might be watching these shows… How embarrassing for the poor kids… I truly find it to be in such bad taste. Seriously, keep your boudoir details where they belong, in your boudoir!

Other than that, there were lots of 26/11 remembrances, debates and discussions. I don’t know… As a Mumbaikar, I still don’t feel comfortable or totally secure – I don’t feel as though anything has really been done to prevent such an attack again. Not even if the same people do it, using the same method of entry & carrying out the same operation. Security measures we see around us seem such a farce. Every hotel has security checkpoints but hot shots still get in armed, if not themselves then their security guys’ walk in armed. Only recently we heard about that Manu Sharma fellow in a Delhi disco, with a rich exporter friend and his armed bodyguards picking a fight. Also, like the case of poor Rahul Bhatt. Our government happily issues visas to people like Headley and he happily befriends people here – who eventually have to pay the price for just being and behaving normal. 26/11 is no forgotten distant memory, it’s still quite real and it’s still quite scary.

Finally, for those of you who don’t know and do care to know, lots of transformation & modifications have taken place in the top management at Sony TV, at Star TV, at Zee TV… I feel Colors is giving all our seasoned khiladi’s a real run for their money! Anyhow, good luck to the new teams and as always, may the best ones continue to win!

And, that’s it from me this month. Happy Reading.

Happy New Year and All The Best for 2010.
ANU RANJAN
anu@indiantelevisionacademy.com