Amrutha has just returned from the shoot of a new programme, ‘Jeevitham Sakshi’, that goes on air today. The award-winning producer of Kairali TV is in the midst of giving the finishing touches to the programme that tackles various aspects of marital discord and attempts to reconcile warring couples. A veteran of reality shows and interview-based programmes, Amrutha’s career graph includes both entertainment and infotainment. Over to the producer…
‘Jeevitham Sakshi’
Actress Sheela anchors the episodes that have been designed with the help of Kerala State Legal Services Authority. The management of the channel felt that Sheela with her varied life experience would be the best to host the programme. Instead of featuring all kinds of domestic problems, we are focussing on marital issues only. Each episode involving a couple will be taken up over three days. On the first day, we hear the woman’s version, on the second day, the man gets his chance to narrate his version of the events. On the third day, the couple comes together and members of the jury try to resolve the couple’s differences to reach an amicable settlement. The programme is an eye-opener to the increasing cases of marital discord in Kerala and the many reasons for the friction.
Making her mark
I joined Kairali TV in November 2009. Initially, I did a few special programmes and cookery shows featuring celebrities. Then I was given the opportunity to produce ‘Mambazhakalam’, which turned out to be a huge success. I produced eight seasons of the show, covering more than 500 episodes. The programme was the result of brainstorming by the management which felt that something had to be done to revive poetry. I must acknowledge the help, advice and ideas given by eminent poets such as ONV Kurup sir, Sugathakumari teacher and Prabha Varma sir. It was a team effort that paid rich dividends. I won the State television award for the show in 2010 and 2012.
‘ Mambazhakalam’
It proved that there are many youngsters in Kerala who still enjoy the rhyme and rhythm of verses and words and the infinite possibilities of language that is captured in poetry. We tried to make it visually pleasing by adding instrumental music and some performances. The response it evoked proved that poetry is still alive amongst today’s youth and dispelled many notions. Participants had to do some research on poem, poets and themes. They had to understand the context of a poem and recite it with attention to diction and meaning of the lines. This is a programme that is still close to my heart.
‘Mannasil Oru Mazhavillu’
This show was also conceptualised by honchos of the channel. Dubbing artiste Bhagylakshmi hosted the show that featured couples who had chosen their spouses, sometimes even in the face of opposition from their natal families. However, after several episodes, it evolved into a chat show featuring celebrities and their families. That also ran for many episodes.
‘Mummy and Me’
I have a great relationship with my seven-year-old daughter. Wondering about the kind of relationship I would have when she becomes a teenager led me to this reality show that I conceptualised. The last episode just got over. It featured teenaged girls and their mothers and the kind of bond they share. It explored different facets of the bond and also the psychological cord that binds the two. We had daughters talking about their idea of an ideal mother, various tasks for mother and daughter and so on. Now, when I look back, other than ‘Mambazhakalam’, many of the programmes I produced seem to have delved into relationships of different kind. And even ‘Jeevitham Sakshi’ is another slice of reality that takes a close look at the many shades of marital life.
‘Jeevitham Sakshi’ airs on Kairali at 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
