Date:03/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/03/stories/2008110350180200.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Maa brings back folk rhythm Out of the box

It had been a run away hit. And now the sequel is here. ‘Rela re Rela’, the music talent hunt show which blazed a new trail in the Telugu television content with its exclusive focus on folk singers registered unexpected success. Anchored by Udaya Bhanu and aided by aesthetically done backdrops and creatively handled camera, the series won laurels and a good viewership in the non-film genre. Now Maa TV is back with the ‘Rela re Rela season’ 2 which s tarted this Sunday. Udayabhanu is her breeziest best and the rich rural backdrops too are back. Goreti Venkanna and Suddala Ashok Teja continue to be the judges. The one-hour weekly show is on at 7.30 p.m.

For the second season, the hunt has 16 lively folk singers who were picked up during screening across the State and the channel is clearly exuberant about the verve the contestants have displayed. ‘Dummu lepu’ is the tagline for the show and Maa is pinning its hopes on the sequel to kick the dust the way first one did.

T. LALITH SINGH