Sunday, March 25, 2007

Kayda aur Suvyavastha: Television Detectives of India Part II

UPDATE: Corrected info about Jasoos Vijay.
This was supposed to be one post, containing a small review of all the desi detectives I had read about or seen. Due to that turning into a novel, had to split the post into two, literature and TV. These in turn turned into novels, and had to be split. Finally, this has turned into a whole series.

Presenting part II of the “private” detectives on TV:

Sam D'silva:

His Name: Sam D'Silva
His Watson: Gopi
His Moriarty: -


I guess the word “Tehqiqat” (Tehqueeqat, yeh hai tehqeeqat) will be better recognized. Vijay Anand's Sam was eccentric enough, and his sidekick played by portly Saurabh Shukla (regular Hindi movie-fans would know this comedy actor well) was funny enough. The serial was more humorous than thriller, though my almost only recollection of the serial is of the episode with the ghost of (as far as I can stretch my memory) John Parrera.

Again sorry, but I have only a sketchy memory of the show. Any ideas if it might be re-telecast?


Jasoos Vijay:

His Name: Vijay
His Watson: Gauri, his wife
His Moriarty: HIV(?)

Perhaps the first “interactive” detective serial, which asks people to solve the crime, where each episode is aired in 2 parts. Co-produced by BBC, with Om Puri as anchor, this is a fairly recent addition to DD.

I haven't watched much of this serial, but from what I saw, and from what I read on the website, though the “cases” are fairly easy for hardcore fans of the genre, there seem to be no overt “influences” on the story.

The only point I can say I don't like (but maybe not “unlike”) is that the show is used in typical DD style to send “social and patriotic” messages, the chief being educating people about HIV/AIDS (Vijay is shown to be HIV-positive). Now, what with the interactive format of the show, and Om Puri and BBC, this might be highly effective (indeed the many letters they get indicate that it is), but as a hardcore fan, I like my stories to be just about crime and detection.

I think the serial it still being broadcast on DD, so if anybody watching it? My recommendation: do watch and tell me how it is. Like all good serials, this serial is also off-air now. (Thanks DK)


I guess that about covers up the well-known and worth-mentioning “private eyes” we have seen on Indian TV. Know anybody I have missed?


Coming up: The “Professional” Eyes on TV


The Great Eagle has spoken...

Quote of The Day:

"Results without causes are much more impressive."
- Sherlock Holmes, in "The Stock-Brocker's Clerk"

14 Comments:

Neihal said...

I remember a beauty pageant case that Sam solves...then again my recollection is as sketchy as yours... I so miss these serials.

Dont know anything about Jasoos Vijay.

I am waiting for "The “Professional” Eyes on TV " now. :)

Cuckoo said...

I have seen some serials of Sam but Vijay I've never heard of.

Amey said...

@Neihal: One post on "professionals" coming up soon... Meanwhile, try my other blog.
Beauty pageant? I don't remember that :( But then, at that age ghosts made more permanent impression than beauty, right?
Jasoos Vijay is new, I guess this would be its 3rd yr. At least the episodes I saw were interesting...
Have I missed anybody you know?

@Cuckoo: See comment to Neihal, Vijay is fairly recent one.

Div said...

I used to watch 'Tehqiqat' and enjoyed it.
I've also seen 'Jasoos Vijay', it is true that the messages made the program a bit boring for me, but then it was funded by the BBC World Service Trust by this very reason that people would watch a detective serial with interest and would also get the message at the very same time. The last episode has already been aired long time back, but one can visit their official site at : www.jasoosvijay .com
Then, there was another serial- Byomkesh Bakshi, that very much resembled Sherlock Holmes. I don't remember Bakshi's assistant's name, but he too would write down every case they were involved in just like Watson.
There maybe other serials too, but I haven't seen them; like the one in which Pankaj Kapoor came eating carrots!!!

Amey said...

@DK: Welcome...
I didn't know that about Jasoos Vijay. The news items led me to think that a new season has started :( Will correct that.
I have covered Byomkesh already... check out the entire series. You will find more interesting ones...

SiD said...

So Sam D silva has finally arrived..
ya i also have sketchy memories of John Perriera.. :)
and I had completely forgotten about Gopi...

Vijay - No Idea!!
when did this come?

Amey said...

@Sid: Yes... Vijay Anand was nice in that series.
Jasoos Vijay? not sure, but I think he was there in my engineering days. Need to google it...

Neihal said...

I think you have covered all the good ones....unless you want to write abt those 'ranchi runchoo" ( I seriously cant recollect the Name, it was a Detective and a monkey team) kind ;)

Amey said...

@Neihal: Thought so... Did you mean "Raja and Rancho"? I honestly can't comment on that as I didn't watch it (didn't have cable in those days, you know)
So, any regional ones you want to mention? Maybe we can convert this into a tag...

Neihal said...

yup...Raja and Rancho it was :)
be glad you didnt watch it....nor did I...but I did catch a glimpse of it somewhere....the less we say about it the better. :P

well I dont think I know of any other than those you have already mentioned.

Amey said...

@Neihal: So I am not so sorry to miss it ;)
Didn't like the idea of a tag? Hmm...

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