Micro serials, mega entertainment

PUFFED-UP plots, indulgent characterisation, weary melodrama, a slow, irritating pace... these precisely are the bane of all those unreasonably stretched mega serials.

In a medium like television in which the viewer enjoys total freedom of choice, it is a challenge for serial makers to sustain audience interest. So what if the quintessential story is good? If the narrative drags, today's fickle viewer is sure to surf channels for a better fare.

It is against this backdrop that ace film director-turned- serial maker K. Balachander has repackaged his ``Chinnathirai'' in a ``micro serial'' format (one story will be told in five parts of half an hour duration each, on weekdays). This, Balachander feels, is the surefire recipe to bait all those disenchanted mega serial viewers.

At a brisk pace that matches his ceaseless energy to create, the patriarch of Tamil serials made his appearance at the Taj Coromandel Hotel recently, to give details about this second innings of ``Chinnathirai''. The first had a dream run for five years.

And once he made his entry, silence descended on the packed hall of chattering scribes, stars and television personalities.

Such is the respect the veteran commands. And like his power- packed ``micro serials'', Balachander lucidly traced his 12-year romance with the small screen in just about 12 minutes.

In tune with the tenor of the times, the recently re-launched ``Chinnathirai'' will feature appealing stories with pruned scripts and sharply etched characters.

``Given the rigid and limited time frame, the serials will be crisp and emphatic. Unlike the mega serials, there is no room for exaggeration here. It will be like a point-to-point bus,'' Balachander added jocularly.

The themes will be varied, but the treatment will have the typical Balachander touch.

``Stories of different writers have been taken up for serialisation. Regarding artistes, it will be a refreshing mix of old and new faces.''

A simple and shrewd articulator, Balachander's narrative style is informal and intimate.

This was evident even in the sneak preview of the new package (which is already on air). Technical gimmicks, not for him. It's the earthy stories, human predicaments and labyrinth of feelings that give his creations a timeless quality.

``Yes...my love affair with the story (``kadhai kaadhal'') continues and my addiction to the screen (``thirai bodhai'') is insatiable. And even after four decades in tinseldom, the urge to create is intact''.

A trendsetter of sorts in the realm of the small screen, Balachander's Min Bimbangal has come a long way since its inception in 1988.

The first to break away from the conventional TV drama format with its serial ``Rail Sneham'', the firm went on to produce many an engrossing fare - ``Chinnathirai'', ``Raghuvamsam'', ``Marma Desam'' and ``Nayyandi Durbar'' (a chat show) to name a few.

Min Bimbangal was also a pioneer in setting up overseas markets in Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius and South Africa for Tamil serials.

T. KRITHIKA REDDY

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