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Out of the box

SaharaOne takes TV audiences back to those golden days with the re-launch of Ramesh Sippy's "Buniyaad". SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY tunes in

BACK TO THE ROOTS Stills from "Buniyaad"

Like any significant historical event, the Partition of India too has given umpteen yarns to the creative arts. And here, if you have to name a name, particularly on Indian television, that has beautifully brought out the emotions of Partition, the tele-serial of the pre-cable days, Buniyaad, is doubtless the first to come to mind. The characters, Lajo ji, Veerawalli, Brij Bhan, Professor Saheb and company are still remembered with more than a dash of nostalgia by many. That it rolled out from the same pen that scripted the path-breaking film Sholay of Ramesh Sippy is still a pleasant surprise when someone mentions it even now. For alone, this Manohar Shyam Joshi script serialised into 105 parts on Doordarshan in the 1980's had the might to become a classic.

For the youth

"But sadly, it is remembered only by the older generation now. As little as 15 per cent of today's youth has seen Buniyaad and some others have just heard of it," says SaharaOne Chief Operating Officer Purnendu Bose. And, this exactly became the starting point that finally led the channel to air this Ramesh Sippy soap from this past week, shares Bose.

Deepti Bhatnagar, former actress-turned-television serial-producer, has bought the rights from Sippy, dusted it off a bit and started beaming it on SaharaOne, Monday to Thursday at 8 p.m.

Says Deepti, "We have made a few cosmetic changes to the serial to air this two-decade-old work for today's audience. Say for instance, touching up the colouring part, replacing Anoop Jalota with Sonu Nigam to croon the theme song, etc. We didn't want to touch the dialogue part because we realised that every word has something to do with the final development of the story towards its logical end."

As to why she chose only Buniyaad to buy the rights, Deepti says, "It was easy. As in films, you wouldn't think twice before buying the rights of Sholay, and on TV, it is clearly Buniyaad."

Also how the serial had not only laid out the norms of a good TV serial during those early days of the box in India but also brought to light quite a few talented actors like Anita Kanwar, Alok Nath, Krutika Desai, Neena Gupta, Vijayendra and Kanwaljeet, etc. Even Sippy found his future wife Kiran Joneja, who played the role of Veerawalli, on the sets of Buniyaad.

Backing Deepti's point on good content, Bose talks about "the lack of it" on television these days despite the increase in the number of serials.

"In this melee, one doesn't take much time to realise however, that the soul of TV is missing," he says.

To "offer something different", Bose counts yet another programme which has began airing this past Saturday on the channel at 7.30 p.m. - NG Take. It is also from Deepti's production house.

"It is an interesting format. Almost all films have reels and reels of takes, which get cut in the final editing. We have procured these tapes to show them to the viewers and so the name of the show, NG (Not Good) Take," says Deepti.

She has named films like Sholay, Parineeta, Ajnabee, Beta, Dil, Vaah!Yeh Meri Life Hai, Baghban and Raja, the unused takes of which will be shown on the show.

"I am sure people will like it. Take for instance, Sholay. Ramesh Sippy had shot two endings for the film. The one which was edited out will form part of NG Take," she explains.

Let's hope this proves to be as different as Deepti promises.

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