'Mothers make great friends'
In most of Ekta Kapoor's television shows, a leap in time would typically age a mother by adding a few streaks of white to her hair, a pair of spectacles and a dash of conservative dressing. But Ekta has broken her own mould by giving actress Mona Singh a more contemporary and cool look in Kya Huaa Tera Vaada, which has recently gone ahead by 10 years. Before the leap, Mona was seen in traditional suits and saris.
Now, however, she is seen in kurtis and pants. It was a conscious decision taken by Ekta, says the actress, who plays a single, independent mother of three in the show.
"I asked Ekta about it — whether she would want me to wear saris in sober colours or what changes would be made to the look. But she said, 'I want you to look like today's mothers. They are much cooler'. So, she wanted to bring in the change we are all seeing in our mothers and wanted to portray me as a cool mom," Mona explains.
"Of course, she said we could add in the spectacles while my character reads or something, but in the overall get up, there isn't much dramatic change," she adds. Kya Huaa Tera Vaada, which airs on Sony, started as a simple family show, narrating the ups and downs of a middle-class family in Mumbai. It took a crucial turn when the man of the house falls back upon a former flame and trouble ensues for the family.
The story was pushed ahead by a decade after Mona's on-screen husband Pradeep, played by Pawan Shankar, was shown dead. Now, her character is shown as a strong lady, who is happy running a restaurant and bringing up her three children — albeit not as a strict mother. "I think mothers make great friends. Personally, my mother is my best friend and I share all my secrets with her. Moms are so amazing. I see a lot of children have started treating their moms like their friends. That is what we have tried to reflect through our show and I hope lots of mothers imbibe this attitude too," Mona says.
She also hopes the show and its twists manage to inspire women in more than one way. "Such serials are inspiring. It gives a message that no matter what happens, it is important to get a grip on life and get going," she shares. The show has worked wonders for Mona, who for years was caught in the image trap of the geeky Jassi of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin. Though she took up reality shows, both as a contestant and anchor, it is with Kya Huaa Tera Vaada that she has been able to set a new image.
Rebellion of the apes
'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' stars Andy Serkis, James Franco, Freida Pinto, Karin Konoval, Terry Notary and Richard Ridings. Will Rodman, a scientist working in a state-of-the-art laboratory, is desperate to find a cure for Alzheimers, since his father is fast succumbing to it. He develops a wonder drug, ALZ 112 and tries it on
chimpanzees.
Everything seems to be going right — until one of the chimps goes wild and needs to be put to rest. But before she dies, she gives birth to a baby which is smuggled home by Rodman for temporary care. Rodman soon discovers that Caesar, the little chimp, has all the super intelligence of its mother and soon becomes an important member of the family, even as Rodman experiments with the wonder drug on his father and sees a miraculous improvement in him.
Things however go terribly wrong when he tries a superior version of the drug which sends Caesar to a prison-like institution, where he leads a rebellion against the humans who betrayed his love and trust. Catch the flick on Star Movies at 6.46 pm on December 20.
No plans to party
Tune in to Yeh Rishta Kya Kahlata Hai on December 20 at 9.30 pm on Star Plus.
In tonight's episode of the show, it is finally Naksh's fifth birthday.
However, the happy mood takes a turn when, at the last moment, Naksh refuses to celebrate the occasion. Will Akshara succeed in convincing Naksh? Tune in to the show to find out.
Power politics at play
Tune in to Sarkar Raj on Filmy at 3 pm on December 20. Anita (played by
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) is the CEO of Sheppard Power Plant, based in London. She approaches the Nagres for support in setting up a power plant in rural Maharashtra.
Shankar Nagre (essayed by Abhishek Bachchan), being the visionary that he is, convinces his father, Shubash Nagre (Amitabh Bachchan) to go ahead with the scheme.
Shankar goes along with Anita to the villages of Maharashtra to convince the locals of their plan. But by and by, Shankar's dream project becomes a political minefield as all politicians want a piece of the pie. Watch the film to see how these evil forces get together to bring down the Sarkar Raj.
(tv show timings are subject to change)
With enemies on his tail
Torque' airs on HBO at 7.25 pm on December 20. Biker Cary Ford has the odds stacked against him.
He's trying to clear his name of a wrongful drug charge and the FBI is hot on his heels. Things take a 180-degree turn for the worse when he is accused of killing the brother of rival biker gang leader, Trey.
Trey heads the Reapers, the most feared biker gang in the country. Ford goes on the run and he and his girlfriend, Shane, race against time to clear his name before Trey and his gang close in on him. Tune in to the movie for a dose of action and drama.