Students steal the show
SHILPA NAIR
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CAMPUS Interactive sessions involving college-goers has become the latest trend on Malayalam television. The reach is astounding that they run for more than 100 episodes.
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DEEP IN DISCUSSION: The youth get an opportunity to chat with the actors.
Campus-based television programmes are an emerging genre, which are immensely popular and can boast of a dedicated viewership.
Leading the pack is Kairali TV's `Students Only,' that is billed as the most popular campus-based programme on Malayalam television. It completed 100 episodes in February. Aired on Saturday at 6.30 p.m., it was conceived by Govindankutty Adoor who also doubles as the anchor. `Students Only' was initially supposed to be a campus-based interactive programme that dealt with issues that students could relate to. "Although the initial plan was a programme that revolved round the campus and students, it soon grew into a film-based programme that was set in a college campus - any college campus. `Students Only' thus evolved into a combination of both," says the director of the programme, Sreekumar Konny.
Making of a film
Episodes featuring different films are set in different colleges in Kerala. The director, actors, music director and singers of a particular film participate in an interactive discussion-cum-question answer session on the film. The USP of the programme is that students get an opportunity to interact with the stars. The guests discuss the making of the film and the guests share their experiences with the students. Songs from the film are sung by the singers. The questions that the students throw at their favourite stars and directors are not just limited to films. The show has featured films such as "Black," "Chathikkath Chanthu," "Chronic Bachelor," and "Pattalam." It celebrated its 100th episode with "Udyanannu Tharam."
All the major actors in the Malayalam film industry have at one time or the other featured on the show, most of them more than once. Prithviraj and Kunjchacko Boban are among the regulars, they have appeared three or four times.
Comfortable with the audience
"Mammooty prefers to sit with the students during the show but the format of the show requires him to be seated on the dais," says Sreekumar. According to him, actors such as Kalabhavan Mani, Kunjchacko Boban, Saleem Kumar and Mukesh are very comfortable interacting with a live audience. The popularity of the show is such that filmmakers and colleges approach the producers of the show. The USP of the programme is the easy camaraderie that the guests share with the students, no question is too mischievous to ask or to answer.
"The whole idea of doing a show that involves students in a college is the lack of uneasy formality. The atmosphere peps up the guests, who do not or rather cannot be serious.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan is supposed to be a very serious person, but on our show he actually laughed and bantered with the students," says Sreekumar.
It is not just the stars that are targeted by the students, the anchor Govindankutty is not spared either.
Be it the guests or the students, they have a go at the anchor who takes the jibes in his stride.
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