Siddhanth

A rap artist, a guitar, two telly wannabes, a jazzy stage…does not maketh a concert! No? Read on. Sony's show, <em>Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai</em>, seems to be trying out everything to get its house in order, before the blitzkrieg called <em>KBC II</em> hits on 5 August. The latest gimmick is an hour long concert to promote its in-house rock stars, Angad and his girl, Kripa.

You knew him as Dr Manas in Zee's <em>Astitva - Ek Prem Kahani</em>. Harsh Chhaya was eased out of the script when the Ajai Sinha creation leapt 18 years, but now makes a comeback as an aggrieved father taking on the authorities in Star One's <em>Siddhanth</em>.

Anjan Srivastava, who has in the past, been part of such path-breaking serials like <em>Tamas, Nukkad, Alpviram</em>, and <em>Wagle Ki Duniya</em> will now be seen in BAG's <em>Siddhanth</em>. "I am playing a negative character and it is a very realistic role and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it," says this actor, who symbolized RK Laxman's common man over a decade ago on the telly .

Television content seems to have finally matured! Swetta Keswani plays a 'different person' in Star One's <em>Siddhanth</em> --- a woman trapped in a man's body and is fighting for her right to inherit her father's property. This is a story that is oft repeated in real life, but unfortunately the media has shied away from themes like these. Perhaps, not anymore.

Investigation is at an all time high on Star One. After the <em>Mumbai Unsafe Series</em> on <em>Special Squad</em>, Star One's surprise bag introduces a variation in its show <em>Siddhanth</em>, the weekly show on how the advocate fights crime. Siddanth will be a one episode story starting 5 April. "We wanted to change the format of the show. The viewers cannot wait for seven days to see the case solved. So, we intend solving the case in one episode. Also we will bring Siddanth out of the court room into the real world to solve problem.," say producers BAG Films.

They created ripples of interest in 2004, but are poised to make waves in 2005. We present here the best of the small screen lot who are sure to make headlines in the new year.... <strong>Ejaz Khan</strong>