Spoofing their way to success

EXAMPLES OF spoofs doing better than the original are many.

Celebrated Hollywood stars, Leslie Nielson and Mel Brookes, in fact, made a flourishing career out of spoof movies with big hits such as Naked Gun 33-1/2 and Dracula. The spoof versions in most cases have done well compared to their `serious' original.

Staging a coup of sorts in television programming locally is Jaya TV with its ``Pitchathipati''. Hitting the small screen at a time when established channels are struggling to clone the success of Crorepati, the low-budget programme is eating into the fortunes of Koteeswaran.

Conceived as a take-off on the Big B's Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Pitchathipati every Sunday at 9 p.m. is a big hit, perhaps surpassing the expectations that Jaya TV had for its production that has fun at the expense of the `moneyed' programmes.

In the process, the channel is also popularising its concept of `Kadi TV' with programmes of similar genre, says Mr. V. Murali Raaman, Manager-Programming at Jaya TV.

`Replacing' Sarath Kumar and Amitabh is Pitcha Bachchan (Baduva Gopi) and the contestant is J. Santhanam, who shifts role from Kulbir Singh (pronounced as Cool Beer Singh) to Tirunelveli Annatchi Kottai Payam.

Putting his well-known mimicry skills to best use, Pitcha modulates his voice to sound like Big B, and Sarath Kumar to a pettai dada. The gesticulations, especially the clasping of the hands are calculated and the contest is interactive. Naturally, considering the take-home of 90 paise in first round, 30 paise in the next to the visual third round leading to thrPitchathipati title that comes with a beggar card and a symbol of impoverished excellence - a mangled aluminium bowl.

The in-house production has all the ingredients of the rivals like the lifeline of pitchai plate to a pot, but the difference lies in the anchor telling the viewers during the break ``we may go any where, but you don't''. A little imitation and a lot of biting humour, a recipe for laughter and high ratings.

By N. Ravi Kumar

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Section  : Entertainment
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