I guess Door Darshan should have a new slogan. In Indian English - Take no tension, watch Door Darshan.
No screaming anchors, no disturbing visuals... news read in the same monotone. In the 55th year of its existence, I have begun watching the channel again. You can let it go on in the background and read a book peacefully. Off and on, glancing up to take in the news. It indeed is tranquil. And there is no sarcasm here. Years ago, I was criticising it for just the very reasons !
They do not even give you the schedule of programmes. And one is sometimes pleasantly surprised when there is a telecast of a good debate, good music, a good film. Which, believe me is quite often. Door Darshan has the best archives of music, film, new reels and features. And just as you get immersed in it, there is an abrupt halt and time for the next show. Perhaps, if they really had a well thought of schedule, they would let the public know !
Door Darshan brings back memories of the family getting together in the TV room. It was bonding time. From my old grandmother to the family help, and the dog. Children on the mat. The swirling logo and music that Hritik Roshan made fun of in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - which my daughter would call the Dumtaka music - would bring all other activities in the house to a standstill. Right from the agriculture programmes that began at 6 pm to the end with the news at night. After which everyone dispersed to bed. Nothing was 24/7 those days. The term did not exist.
Which brings me to the present. The ongoing 2014 Asian Games at South Korea. Door Darshan is indeed telecasting the Asian Games. The 2011 edition.
What is the medal tally ? Ignorance is bliss.
Nice slogan btw! And yeah, those were the days, with just Doordarshan - no 24/7, no swapping channels, a house full of people including the neighbours, and their acquaintances, whether it was chitrahaar or a vague Oriya movie! I don't think I will be able to get myself to watch Doordarshan, this time and era, nor put up with the loud and frantic channels these days!!
ReplyDeleteWatching DD is more for bringing back the good old times. I guess a lot of their programmes are irrelevant. And definitely not for the younger crowd.
DeleteIn my Kolkata days I had to buy a BW EC TV in 1970s to prevent my two daughters go daily to the only flat in my complex that had a TV..There were only two films on Saturdays a Bengali movie mostly of Uttamkumar and on Sundays a Hindi one. These were never missed.The children were glued even to krushi programmes.Meenu,Salma Sultan,Aditi Lahiri for news reading,Siddharth Basu for quiz ,Ashok Kumar telling stories were the other delights.I remember
ReplyDeleteBut I wish someone with imagination make DD more attractive with lesser noise as in other channels.
I am sick of seeing the same faces of anchors and the panelists. and the repulsive much repeated ads with same aging celebs promoting..DD of the past brings nostalgia but is inadequate for the current times.Some big face lift is warranted.
Yes, a makeover is much needed. Those were the days of EC TV and Dyanora ! Both the brands have disappeared. The channel remains, but without moving on with the times.
DeleteUnless someone comes along without any vested interests and promotes the channel, there cannot be much hope.
sometimes they telecast good serials too, but they are lost because of shoddy production and over all programming..
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I had done a series of posts on our good old DD. We didn't know the difference between DD and other channels...we didn't have 'other' channels. DD was 'sooper' then. Our whole family enjoyed watching all the programmes. Limited telecast time was good than the current 24/7 telecast and 100s of channels. All of us just browse them and don't concentrate on any programme. The channels compete with each other with 'breaking news'. Sometimes I wonder how much is true in the 'news' they give us. But I too watch DD sometimes for their music programmes, esp. Hindustani music.
ReplyDeleteso very true it brings memories .. i must say it was very very good when compared to the modern day channels , no channel comes close to what door darshan gave us ..
ReplyDeletethe sad point is being govt operated it has lost all the charm ..
and Asian games oh yes .. My brother is representing india :)
Bikram
We had over the air channels until 2000. Later switched to cable channels. Your post brings back good old memories of the programs we used to watch. After reading your post, I will definitely try and watch DD when I go to India.
ReplyDeleteawesome pics!! i loved this post!
ReplyDelete