Read this if you want to be present positive, not past imperfect; if you responded to Agatha Sangma’s oath of secrecy with a delighted (or indulgent) smile. Perhaps even laughed out aloud. The here and the now are with us, and looking pretty good.

This is about soap. No, no don’t go away; this one is fresh, lime ‘n’ lemony and might just wash away the dirty politics of saas-bahus, fight infection, foeticide, child marriage, etc. Entertainment channel Colors rose to prominence riding the latter — Balika Vadhu has just seen a grandmother drag her wailing young, pregnant widowed granddaughter from the outhouse for an abortion to save the family izzat. Other channels have followed with countless serials on female exploitation, especially of young girls.

Now, Sony has introduced a new line in entertainment. It’s change with continuity, rather like the new UPA government. The change: Bhaskar Bharati. Bhaskar goes to bed a man, wakes up a woman — punishment for lightly promising Gita marriage and then spurning her. God, or a bald fellow with a peacock feather switches Bhaskar/Bharati’s gender, whenever. The result? A hilarious send-up on the war of the sexes from the inimitable team of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, and Just Mohabbat (remember them?). This is comic, cosmopolitan, sophisticated yet simple. It has physical humour, wordplay and a great sense of timing. Who says we can’t be witty, contemporary and zestful? Yes, we can.

Next change, the serial with a long title: Chittod Ki Rani Padmini ka Johur. Everything is big and beautiful and grand, including the grandstanding between Rani Padmini’s Maharaj-ji father and Rana-ji who’s come to claim her. The rest of the cast languishes in the century it belongs to but Padmini is a thoroughly modern miss — forthright, frank, she hides nothing, least of all her cleavage. Jokes aside, this has old-world charm and a filmi feel to it.

... contd.