Dear folks,
I managed to watch most of y'day's episode, switching between this programme, Extraa Innings and the IPL Final. I offer my update laced with habitual irreverence.
Two vocalists HM and CM, one mridangist and one slide guitarist HM were featured- all highly talented. Vids RKS, TNK, Prabha Atre and Shahid Pervez were the judges, sitting around a laconic figure who seemed the panel director but offered neither comment nor appreciation (he had an interesting capacitor charge curve shape to his mouth). Both Sri RKS and Shahid gave very insightful, warm, communicative tips. RKS engaged the singer in comparing Varali and Shubapantuvarali very well, probing his understanding of the scale, the Varali Ma, the difference between the Gas in the two ragas.
Shahana Azmi, the compere, looked out of place and lacked the sparkle she shows nowadays on TV mouthing trenchant worries about Modi.
The cameras did a good job showing artistes. Good definition, almost as good camera work as DD Chandana. The sound broadcast quality of mridangam was surprisingly lacking both highs and lows. The mridangist was also seated oddly, should have been to the left of the violinist being left-handed (the violinist was rather ordinary like the one in Podhigai and unlike the one in Chandana).
Almost all the audience, judges and Shabana were seated as if on high horses, stiff and a bit funny indeed. The way the programme was aired, the engagement between the performer and the audience looked uneasy and patchy. Definitely the performers could have done better if the programme had been handled with better care and preparation. And why not choose a compere from among the vast list of bright, young, communicative classical musicians who will do much better than an ageing star from alternate cinema?
I have heard the Naad Bhed first edition was rather poorly planned and underfunded. Whereas it shouldn't go the way of the mega star singer reality shows, it should have better choice of judges (DD Chandana did a good job), no slouches but warm and communicative teachers as judges, and getting the artistes to feel the context and environment less like a tough interview but more like a friendly performance environment.
But I am sure DD will improve the next edition. I even made a request and got a confirmation from the Director General that they will air the episodes on DD Bharati later in more convenient time slots!