It's About This.

August 6 had arrived. I had been waiting for this date, not eagerly I would say but yes, for more than one reason, one being because I simply count the days when I have something to look forward to, like college. The second is that the series PAUL MERTON IN INDIA on FOX was about to air. PAUL MERTON IN INDIA: where exception is no rule is a television program about a British comedian who has come to the land which has it all. The tag of being a comedian worried me a little. I had a hunch that more than discovery, this show was going to be about a comedian doing what he does best; making fun.

My hunch was a little off beam. Paul Merton uses humor only to lighten up the mood as this is no regular travel show; it was about showing the twisted and somewhat bizarre realities that dwell in the country. Most of us have already seen the ancient architecture, the different customs people follow, the posh neighborhoods, lifestyles of the rich, and all the luxurious places you can shop, dine and reside. But the idea of this particular show was to go greater depths and expose the secrets that hide in every street, the unusual and rather peculiar. For Paul it’s not about the capital city and all the glamour clipped to it but about the roads that lead to quite odd yet fascinating stories.

Only a couple episodes have been broadcasted till now and it has a vibe attached to it that grips you to watch the show. You may have been to the city or experienced the culture firsthand but the extraordinary practices of everyday life in the simplest locality is what most of us do not yet know. For Paul it’s not about fancy but about the fantastic.

Paul Merton makes no judgment, just remarks on occasional notions and apprehensions he may have. The camera shows what he sees and that does the magic. To avoid making any hasty conclusions or statements, he travels with a guide. What I find most distinctive about the guide is that she makes no statements or appreciative comments about India. All she does is help with the language, the travel and give a gist about the unconventional they are about the to witness.

It’s not that this program depicts all the uncanny practices that lie in India’s streets and corners. These may have been going on for many generations now but even though the people of India are tied to their history while holding the hand of modernity, there still lies a slit between the ancient past and the coming new and this slit is getting wider by the day. This is the reason that the things that Paul shows on camera may come as a shock to some of us, or at least for those of us who have adapted to live only with the imminent future.

I don’t believe that the motive behind this series to kindle the people of India and urge them to embrace the practices being practiced in their country but merely to accept the captivating and the unknown in their own country. Honestly this show is both weird and wonderful, and I expect to see more of the unexpected.



Source: FOX HISTORY AND ENTERTAINMENT