The blurred margins of real and reel life!

The more and more we look into the mass murder of Dato Susilawati Lawiya and gang, more and more we discover that it has the making of a mini-series that is ever so popular with the public. My liaison with these serials ended long ago with Radaan's production of 'Annamalai' when I discovered that it was one craving that I should give a miss. This series were so popular when it was around that even an academician like Prof Khoo Kay Kim could not resist but gave cold shoulder treatment to his guests when they visited him during its screening time!
If one were to browse the channels on TV (be it terrestrial, cable or satellite), especially during 'non-peak' times when everyone was at work, you would be lost for choices on the number of tele-dramas to choose from. Tele-dramas, tele-novelas, tele-serials, mini-series, soap operas, the names are varied and have evolved over time but they all refer to the same melodramatic stories filled with romance (sometimes illicit, sometimes with ulterior motives), revenge, anger, jealousy, and all the negative traits that our mothers taught us not to have!
The name soap operas came about when soap companies like Proctor & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive first used to sponsor dramatic sequential suspense-filled radio dramas in the US. This name got stuck on the TV dramas of this similar themes. The initial soaps targeted bored housewives who were cooped in their homes. As its popularity soared, it made its way into the prime time slot and these dramas never looked back since. This winning formula was copied in other countries and by producers in other languages.
I think Peyton Place was one of the earliest soaps that we, Malaysian, were exposed to. Teenagers in the mid 70s (mostly girls) used to get all excited over Ryan O'Neal and stayed up late to catch the show and discussed all about it the next day in school in secrecy as if they have had just tasted the forbidden fruit. Of course, it (the series) raised many eyebrows then and was cursed by the puritans for it dwelled on taboo topics like adultery and extramarital affairs! How times have changed since then? The new serials they produce now make Peyton Place look like an episode from Sesame Street!

DALLAS: One of the earlier soaps in M'sia

The 80s saw blockbuster series like Bold & Beautiful, Dallas, Dynasty and Knots' Landing. Malaysian viewers, by then ecstatically drawn into the trap of make believe world could not ask for more when plethora of shows in various languages (Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish) hit our shores in the mid 90s and TV has never been the same. The dangerous overload happened when India liberalized their economy and made it easier for Indians to get a satellite dish than clean drinking water. Being the masala-licking melodramatic society they are, it further dashed open the flood gates of Indian TV serials. Whatever language or part of the world these shows may be produced, the common theme in all them are revenge, lying, fornication, cheating, backstabbing, blackmail, kidnapping, plotting downfall of others and all the satanic virtues deplored by man for generations.

Annamalai: The mother of
all Tamil serials

If one were to observe the general behaviour of human beings over the years, we will find that we are basically copy cats. Fashion buffs copy latest trends set by pencil thin anorexic model; in the pre-telecommunication era, citizens used their leaders as role model to emulate (like how the Germans condoned what Hitler did in WW2 and how a group of Malaysians agree with PERKASA's ideology); in the golden era of Hollywood, Audrey Hepburn and Twiggy were trend setters; Indian fashion sense is derived from their silver screen demi-gods where latest Diwali wear is based on what the Bollywood or Kollywood stars wore in their latest record smashing blockbuster. If this analogy is followed, are people going to follow what their admired actors in the serials and our world will be all filled with negativity? God forbid...

Gory historic details or gore fest?

Razakar: The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad (Telegu, 2024) Director: Yata Satyanarayana In her last major speech before her disposition, Sheikh Hasina accused those who opposed her rule in Bangladesh of being Razakars. The opposition took offence to this term and soon widespread mob throughout the land. Of course, it is not that that single incident brought down an elected government but a culmination of joblessness and unjust reservations for a select population group. In the Bengali psyche, Razakar is a pejorative term meaning traitor or Judas. It was first used during the 1971 Pakistan Civil War. The paramilitary group who were against the then-East Pakistani leader, Majibur Rehman, were pro-West Pakistan. After establishing independence in Bangladesh, Razakars were disbanded, and many ran off to Pakistan. Around the time of Indian independence, turmoil brewed in the princely state of Hyderabad, which had been a province deputed by the Mughals from 1794. The rule of N...

The products of a romantic star of the yesteryear!

Now you see all the children of Gemini Ganesan (of four wives, at least) posing gleefully for the camera after coming from different corners of the world to see the ailing father on his deathbed. They seem to found peace with the contributor of their half of their 46 chromosomes. Sure, growing up must have been hell seeing their respective mothers shedding tears, indulgence in unhealthy activities with one of them falling prey to the curse of the black dog, hating the sight of each step sibling, their respective heartaches all because of the evil done by one man who could not put his raging testesterones under check! Perhaps,the flashing lights and his dizzying heights that his career took clouded his judgement. After all, he was only human... Gems of Gemini Ganesan L-R: Dr Revathi Swaminathan, Narayani Ganesan, Dr Kamala Selvaraj, Rekha, Vijaya Chamundeswari and Dr Jaya Shreedhar. ( Abs: Radha Usman Syed, Sathish Kumaar Ganesan) Seeing six of Ge...

Chicken's Invite? (Ajak-ajak ayam)

In the Malay lingo, the phrase 'ajak-ajak ayam' refers to an insincere invitation. Of course, many of us invite for courtesy's sake, but then the invitee may think that the invitation is for real! How does anyone know? Inviters and invitees must be smart enough to take the cue that one party may have gatecrashed with ulterior motives, or the other may not want him to join in the first place! Easily twenty years ago, my family was invited to a toddler's birthday party. As my children were toddlers, too, we were requested to come early so that my kids could run around and play in their big compound. And that the host said she would arrange a series of games for them to enjoy. So there we were in the early evening at a house that resembled very little of one immersed in joy and celebration. Instead, we were greeted by a house devoid of activities and no guests. The host was still out shopping her last-minute list, and her helper was knee-deep in her preparations to ...

RIFLE RANGE BOY

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