Tellychakkar.com reviews Colors' 24

Many suggested us to wait for the second episode of 24 to air before going on to review it. However, as Shakespeare says, if you have to do something, pop at it right away and get it over. We are not being impulsive but we are excited to the core to report about a show which has hit us like a speeding truck, all for good. By us, we mean the entire television industry, and such a jolt was needed to wake everyone from the creative slumber. At an age of close up shots of painted characters, unnecessary loud background scores, over the top acting and some “why the hell are you even an actor” kind of performances, Anil Kapoor (you are bloody amazing Mr Kapoor) gifts Indian television a show, which is breezy, concise, gripping and superbly pleasing to watch as a viewer. First of all, a pat on the back of Raj Nayak (CEO of Colors), to stay firm on his conviction and support a high profile, high-cost show like 24. They took a risk, put in huge amount of moolah (both in production and marketing) and crossed their fingers hoping all will be well. And all is indeed well. 24 is the Pather Panchali of Indian television. It was Ray’s brilliance that put Indian cinema at the global platform, and it is Anil Kapoor’s 24 which will do the same for Indian television. After the first episode, praises kept pouring in from all quarters on Twitter, and the show deserved all the accolades. Now why did we like 24 so much? First of all, it is not just a show but a hope, a lesson that with focus, hard work and belief, one can create wonders in any business. The first episode of 24 could have easily become confusing given its roller coaster pace and innumerable sub plots flowing genially beneath the main plot. But all kudos to some detailed scripting and editing, which managed to weave the sequences seamlessly. The split screen editing was fresh and lent everyone a movie like experience. Abhinay Deo’s direction and Jay Oza and Tanay Satam's cinematography aptly portray the diverse settings, characters and mood of the story. Anil Kapoor, a man who is torn between personal and professional life, looks brilliant on screen. Even after being in the industry for ages now, with 24, it looks like he has a point to prove. His hunger and passion are visible in his eyes and demeanour. We absolutely loved it. The casting is impeccable and each and every character has been sketched pertinently. Even though Anupam Kher comes on screen for a min or so, his character stays with you. Mandira Bedi, Tisca Chopra, Sapna Pabbi, Neil Bhoopalam and others, everyone churned out superb performances (good to see only acting, not over acting). Here we would like to share some of the fan mails we received: Pooja Thakur, Rajasthan: “The best part was that when the show ended, my dad said, “khatam ho gaya itna jaldi (it got over so fast)”. We are so waiting for the second episode.” Kalyani Mukherjee, Kolkata: “Thank you Anil Kapoor and Colors. This is revolution on Indian television.” Arif Sheikh, UP: “It does justice to the original series. I loved the first episode.” Suzanna Dcosta, Goa: “It was so gripping and the camera work was so refreshing. It was so new from usual shows on television. It’s really going to redefine Indian television.” There are many such comments which we received. All heaped praises on the show. 24 is a must watch. Tellychakkar.com recommends it to every TV lover. Yeh nahin dekha toh kya dekha. Support 24, shower it with TVTs so that more such efforts are seen in the future. One more thing we would like to add. 24 will lend dignity and credibility to Indian television. Yes, there are talks that the small being the new big, but is it really true? The reach might be Aonian but what about respect and stateliness? Big B, SRK, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra have all used the small screen to maximize their reach and fan following but none did much to feed and foster the medium. Anil Kapoor has done that. He has started a new trend, given confidence to the channels and advertisers and we are sure has infused a surge of passion to create something new amongst the existing lot of influential TV producers. It has bridged the gap between 70mm and television. 24 is cinema on TV. With the show doing well, we are certain that soon many film producers will gear up to use the small screen medium to tell their stories. Tellychakkar.com salutes the team of 24 for revolutionizing Indian television.