 |
| The new muppets make an appearance with the old favourites. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee |
The alley is abuzz with new voices. So the muppets needed a new set to live on. Galli Galli Sim Sim, the popular pre-school show with Pogo as its official telecast address, has set up base in Noida for the second season. “It is a 360-degree set,” says the show’s creative director Pria Somiah, who works with Miditech. So there is a park, the houses of Revathy and Colonel Pinto, the far-away façade of Azaad Manzil, the garage of Jugaadu…all built next to each other around the huge hall. The houses derive their looks from various corners of the country — a bit of Bengal stands next to a Portuguese inspiration from Goa overlooking a replica of a made-in-Gujarat cottage. The characters living in the alley — six human beings and 10 muppets — too are equally varied, says Somiah. “Jugaadu, who can fix anything in his garage, is restricted to a wheelchair but is completely integrated in society. Revathy, who has just moved in, is a radio producer. This is meant to show kids that girls too have a career.” All communities are there in the alley — Basha is a Muslim, his wife Dawa Di comes from the Northeast, Albert Pinto is a Christian.... But it is the muppets who receive the guests on the sets. First out of his lair is Sabzimaan, the vegetarian lion. Then follow Aanchoo, the story-teller, Googly, the introvert book-lover, and Chamki, the chatterbox. But it is Akshar Kumar, the Bollywood hero, who gets the biggest solo act. His drums hint that he is after the letter D. “He will help kids learn a letter every day through his antics. We have made the second season much more interactive. Games like Kaun Banega Chatur Champ (based on estimation) and Galli Genius (math-based puzzles) have been woven into the show,” adds Monica Tata, vice-president, advertising sales and network, Turner India. “The muppets teach children lessons of life through happenings in the alley.” While Sesame Street is beamed in 120 countries, India is the 12th country to have adapted the American show into a local format. “After extensive research, we have decided on the thrust area here to be education, especially that of the girl child. This is why Chamki, the five-year-old, is shown in a school uniform,” says Sashwati Banerjee, executive director, Sesame Workshop India. Ghazal Javed, fresh out of college, peeps out of the Chamki outfit and giggles: “The role takes me back to my school days. Sometimes I break into this voice even at home!” To bridge the urban-rural divide, the show is being beamed on Doordarshan at 10.30am every Saturday and on weekdays at 2 pm on Pogo. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment