Opinion The ballad of Tihar gaol

Alas,it is not likely to happen,but it would have given the news channels a run for their viewership.

Baba Ramdev,who narrowly escaped going to Tihar Jail,is now in his element. For a while back there he had exchanged his saffron dhoti first for a ladies’ salwar kameez,and then for the mantle of a black money crusader.

Often you saw him on Sanskar and Aastha channels,seated on a chair,at a table (how unusual and uncomfortable for him) conducting coaching classes on the origins and evils of “kala dhan” or how to select candidates for the next elections. Now he has resumed his cross-legged position on the floor and the role he is justly famous for: yoga guru.

Fortunately,homosexuality is no longer considered a crime,otherwise Gaurav and Karan may have found themselves inside Tihar Jail too. Last seen,the two were locked in a Fevicol embrace until a loud ring of the doorbell forced them apart. This was a scene,last week,from the daring Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak (Star Plus). The serial focuses on the travails of four women,one of whom is married to Gaurav,who is gay.

Since that tender embrace,there’s been a dramatic “soap opera” confrontation between Gaurav and his father Brahma,with the father demanding to know if his son is gay,and the son’s wife telling him that of course his son is not gay and who should know that better that she? Being a good Indian “nari”,she then came between father and son,and was accidentally shot by the father. All is not lost,least of all her life,because this is a serial and good will,hopefully,triumph over evil.

A Hindi serial openly embracing gay characters is bold. That the gay couple shows affection for one another,on screen,is extraordinary,TV’s Brokeback Mountain moment (the Hollywood film about two cowboys who fall in love). Let’s not quibble over portrayals or treatment of the subject. Just seeing two men hug each other meant everything — or at least an acknowledgment of their right to do so. Let’s hear it for Star Plus and the producers,Tony and Deeya Singh.

Meanwhile,Anna’s August is over and come September,we have Amar’s autumn and Assange’s audacity: the Wikileaks’ impresario has offered to send UP CM Mayawati many pairs of footwear. So that she can stamp him out like an ant (ouch!) after Wikileaks alleged she had sent airplanes to Mumbai for sandals. He’s mad,get him to an asylum,she replied — with a stamp of her foot,no doubt.

By the way,what’s up with this constant TV tag inviting us to complain about entertainment programmes to the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council of the Indian Broadcasting Federation? Are entertainment channels actually interested in viewer feedback,or is there more to this than meets the eye?

shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com