Ordinary tales

What are the essential ingredients to make a successful television programme? Grand sets, graphics, popular artistes, preferably someone from the film world and a story that can be stretched endlessly? But treading a different path is ``Vellichathin Marupakkam''.

A few months ago, when Doordarshan planned to make a Tamil programme, a few producers were asked to submit proposals. One of them, Ananthanarayanan, was keen to do something different. So, he asked V.K.T. Balan of Madura Travels to give him some ideas.

Madura Travel Service has entered the Limca Book of Records for sending the maximum number of cultural groups abroad and Balan is the recipient of the Tamil Nadu Government's Kalaimamani Award. Besides, bringing out a magazine on tourism, he also has a website and radio service for Tamils all over the world.

Balan suggested that a programme focussing on the life and ambitions of common people will be different and interesting.

Balan himself had a humble beginnings. He slept on the pavement outside the American Centre and got visas for people. ``I felt like sharing the secret of my success with people and to tell them that there is no alternative to hardwork,'' he says.

Luckily, the proposal was approved by DD. Ananthanarayanan got down to work by asking Balan to interview common people. It was quite a challenge for Balan to make Jayaprakash, who is serving a sentence for murdering nine persons, to talk about his life.

After completing 21 episodes, ``Vellichathin Marupakkam'' is still a popular serial. AIDS patients, women auto drivers, black marketeers, cobblers, drug addicts, eunuchs, road-side artists, zoo caretakers, mortuary assistants, sanitary workers, snake charmers and many more have been featured in the show.

For instance, lion caretaker Bhuvaneswari said that she has been working in the zoo and feeding lions for the past 15 years.

One day, while she was placing the food inside a cage, she didn't notice that the gate of the adjoining cage was open. The lion in the other cage entered the one Bhuvaneswari was in, but did nothing and just walked away.

Going by the serial's rating, Doordarshan decided to take over the production of the serial. An excited Balan is now ready to make another 13 episodes.

S. R. ASHOK KUMAR

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Section  : Entertainment
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