Last week’s most memorable watch was on &TV’s Prime Time newbie Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai. A lone dancer in a darkened theatre is in the throes of a sequence, which is replete with passion, anguish and desolation, frenzied turns and a grief-stricken face give away Rajaram’s defeat at saving Rangsangeet, his theatre. Characteristic of the 1970s when   rural entertainment spaces   battled for survival, while the formidable talkies lured audiences away from traditional dance and theatre with their glitz. In   traditional theatre, men donned navwari saris and danced in women’s roles. So many real life Rajarams must have died of   broken hearts. Bhanu Uday danced the final dance with realistic fervor and, for a moment, as I  watched Rajaram dance his final set, I remembered the ballet classic The Dying Swan which has the dancer emote her anguish in dance with a pronounced flutter and grief.

Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai is marked with a fine ensemble cast which has drawn from both Hindi films and television and Marathi actors. Pallavi Joshi, a talent who couldn’t have fitted into the saas-bahu cast, returns to television after a long absence. The welcome additions and draws are: Deepti Naval, Zarina Wahab and Amrita Rao. This is the latter’s fiction TV debut. The challenge from the Marathi cast is formidable with actors like Sharad Phonkse, Suhita Thatte and Anant Jog.

A visitor, who walked in as I was watching Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai, asked what movie I was watching. He was incredulous when I said it was a serial. “The shot taking is so movie-like. Who takes top shots   and gives subdued lighting in daily serials?”  Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai is exemplary in the fine detailing and recreation of life in rural Maharashtra. 

Carefully reined in dramatic scenes where outbursts replace a firm tone of voice, and emotional scenes are subdued, yet heartbreaking,   Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai is moving away from the over- the- top sentiments of Prime Time serials.

But what’s carrying weight in Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai is the presence of veterans   whose talent for power packed performances will be the stellar attraction. Can’t overlook the glamour, of course. So it’s going to be great music, fine performances and a touch of glamour.

Nivedita Basu has all the experience of producing   eyeball grabbing shows as an erstwhile kingpin at Balaji Telefilms. She is now going to prove her mettle in the finite series arena and she’s probably chalked out her strategy for narrative in the most telling manner. Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai has all the makings to be &TV’s channel driver.

Another missing face from films and TV is Sonali Kulkarni. She’s made a brief appearance in Tamanna, as a legal aide in the violence against women in a police station. There’s more to come on that front as the series is in a flash back mode and has to come to the six year narrative point. Tamanna has women in professional cricket  as its focus, but it is also unraveling a murky side of Dhara’s husband   Mihir. Sonali Kulkarni joins Ketki Dave, Kiran Karmarkar and Harsh Chhaya on the class roster for Tamanna.  

The makers of Tamanna spared no pains to recreate the authentic Gujarati house and ethos in Jamnagar. What was most refreshing was that the pre-nuptial celebrations were devoid of raucous Bollywood music and sangeet. It was a natural rendition of garba and Gujarati folk songs.

Both Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai and Tamanna are out of the box narratives, bringing a fresh look to Prime Time and a bunch of actors who are among the best in the talent roll call.