Fenil and Bollywood

TV’S SIZZLING AND HOW: Rani Mukerji, Amrita Rao, Eesha Koppikhar, Genelia D’Souza andPreity Zinta. 

 

AAKANKSHA NAVAL-SHETYE Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; October 28, 2009)

 

Bollywood may be big, but Tellywood’s small screen is proving to be a bigger lure for our B-town actors and actresses. After a string of Bollymen — right from Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan — gave in to the temptation and showed their dum on television, it’s now the turn of the actresses to hog the telly-limelights. Years back, Karisma Kapur, Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon and Manisha Koirala set the trend because they were not exactly hot property at the BO. Now the new brigade is jumping on the TV bandwagon also because of the draw of the mass reach and the moolah. So, while Rani Mukerji is judging a reality dance show Dance Premiere League, Amrita Rao is a celebrity panelist on a reality matchmaking show The Perfect Bride. Not too long ago, Kajol alongwith mum Tanuja and hubby Ajay Devgn had turned judge for a family show Rock N Roll Family, as had Sonali Bendre for Indian Idol, while Soha Ali Khan is hosting a game show Khelo, Jeeto, Jeeyo. Urmila Matondkar, too, had created quite a stir with Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and Waar Parivaar, while Shilpa Shetty wowed viewers with Bigg Boss. Eesha Koppikhar’s wrestling with her reality show 100 Percent De Dhana Dhan and now Genelia too is set to join the fray soon with Big Switch. Even Preity Zinta is reportedly in talks with a TV channel to host a game-show.

Having started her career in the glam world with ads on TV, for Amrita, the small screen has always held a special place. “I have never underestimated the power and the reach of television. In fact, the entire industry depends on it for promoting their films. Besides I believe that there can never be boundaries for talent. Look how the stars have been balancing it abroad. Why can’t we have equal respectability for both mediums here too,” questions the actress, who was drawn to do a reality show because of the unique concept that the show offered.

Genelia is equally excited with her foray on TV and says, “I am really very excited about this, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
And channel heads are certainly happy to get a dash of Bollywood glam to sizzle up their TRPs. Says Danish Khan, VP Marketing, of a popular channel, “It’s a win-win situation for the actor and the channel. The actor gets to connect with the masses while the channel benefits since the actors bring with them their loyal fans.”

Even as industry watchers continue to debate on the real reason behind the stars’ descent on the small screen — with most industry watchers claiming that it’s all about reaching out to the masses, and some insisting that it’s purely a case of making hay while the sun shines — the stars continue to rain on TV. Viewers are certainly not complaining about getting an extra dose of their beauty queens right in their living
rooms.