It is the era of game shows and reality television, which allow the viewer to be a part of what he is offered on the screen.
In the race to grab eyeballs, channels are thinking up innovative ways of engaging people on the idiot box, and zeroing in on game shows. The programmes run the entire gamut: talent shows for song, dance, and even film-making, stand-up comedy, daredevilry, quiz shows and even a weight-loss contest.
The latest on offer is Osthi , a show on Sun TV, which has director K. Bhagyaraj and actor Urvasi as judges. Both of these yesteryear film personalities are known for their comedy, and their new roles sit lightly on them.
Only a couple of weeks old, this show provides opportunities for contestants to perform longer comedy plays, besides the usual mimicry and variety shows. The first episode was lacklustre in terms of the teams’ performances and the content itself, but to be fair the show is just beginning, and the contestants do have among the best in the industry to learn from. Hopefully, they will.
