ThE SarI Sindoor AND Glycerine Awards...

FavOurite thing tO dO. True, the jerky camera mOtiOns that gave us migraines have gOne and the Ekta KapOOr kind OF saas-bahu shOw has departed, sO yOu might think we’ve becOme cOnverts. But nO. TV has changed, but nOt enOugh. While we have interesting stOry cOncepts, they’re given the same Old saas-bahu treatment. SO we still hate watching TV. But since everyOne and his gOldFish seems tO be glued tO their screens, we Figured there must be sOmething tO the idiOt bOx that we missed.

SO we decided tO seek the Kamal in the kichad. This meant spending an excruciating 100-plus hOurs channel-surFing, but we were cOurageOus (we are jOurnalists aFter all) and aFter nights OF tOrture, we Finally managed tO cOmpile a LIKE list.

Because it’s true. There actually are a Few characters, played by wOnderFul actOrs, whO are pure delight tO watch. Which is such a miracle that we decided tO present them with Our Own, highly cOveted Brunch Sari, SindOOr & Glycerine Awards! PS: We alsO have a lOathe list. Heh.

Which gO tO 11 characters FrOm Hindi TV serials we actually like

The M-I-L with a heart award

Character/Serial: Badi Maa, Sasural Genda PhOOl (Star Plus)

TO be Fair, Supriya PilgaOnkar, the eldest daughter-in-law OF the sprawling Kashyap Family, has every reasOn tO be like the curmudgeOnly Dadisa in Balika Vadhu: her husband deserted her FOr anOther wOman years agO and then whizzed OFF tO the US OF A.

But since a ‘Badi Maa’ cOuld hardly be shOwn walking Out OF the marriage and hOOking up with sOmeOne else, she lives up tO her title and becOmes the backbOne OF the Family, which is mOre than yOu can say FOr mOst TV Saasu Maas.

The Near-nOrmal bahu award

Character/Serial: Archana Manav Deshmukh, Pavitra

Rishta (Zee TV)

Ankita LOkhande is a pleasant change FrOm the Overdressed, terribly tOrtured, silent, suFFering bahus On televisiOn. Sure, Pavitra Rishta and its attendant melOdrama (the mOther-in-law’s cOnstant manipulatiOns aimed at driving a wedge between the ‘beta aur bahu’) can get a bit much.

But Archana is pleasant (in her brOcade blOuses, cOttOn sarees, nO jewellery), aFFable, stern when required and has a mellOw vOice. She almOst (yes, it is true) seems nOrmal.