Okay, so I think we’re all pretty much agreed on the fact that Indian television is terrible. Ghastly, in fact. It’s boring, repetitive, regressive, unimaginative and just really, really bad. And there are very, very few exceptions. We’ll talk about them some other time.
Today we are going to dwell on a fresh new horror that has been unleashed in the reality show scene. Now the concept of the reality show itself deserves a separate post, so for the moment we are just going to focus one particular show that’s so cringe-worthy it makes you want to pull at your hair.
Sur Kshetra is supposed to be a musical battle between India and Pakistan. The team of singers from India is headed by Himesh Reshammiya (gasp) and the Pakistani team is headed by Atif (gasp, again). Then there’s a jury of three very revered singers, one from Pakistan, one from India, and one of Bangladesh (to provide balance and harmony, literally and figuratively, of course).
I’ll tell you what I like about the show first. The singers are actually pretty good. In fact, there’s nobody I dislike. And they seem pretty sweet, despite the whole Oh-I’m-here-to-fight-for-my-country-nonsense. I sincerely feel they’re better off elsewhere.
Let’s count the cons now.
First of all, musical battle between India and Pakistan? My god, really? How sickeningly manipulative can you get? And you’re using music, of all the things! The one thing that’s actually worked out to be a unifying factor all these year …
Atif is annoying. ANNOYING. He disses all the Indian contestants ruthlessly, picks non-existent flaws in their singing, and argues with the jury over the results each time. Himesh, believe it or not, is surprisingly less annoying that way.
Ayesha Takia really gets on your nerves. She giggles a lot and unnecessarily, and interrupts people when they’re talking. The show would be slightly better if she didn’t talk at all. But only slightly.
It’s such a pity that this show has so many good singers but they’ve been pitted against each other in some kind of weird Indo-Pak war. Music should be about collaboration and consonance. And if it has to be a competition, then let it be based on talent and skill. Don’t let music be a cricket match.
PS: Why are there only two female contestants in the show? So weird.
Fudge 