Let me first make a few things clear.
-I am not a very avid watcher of the show.
-I do happen to watch it occasionally and yes, I am hooked up most of the times.
-I am not a keen observer as far as lighting, camerawork and other technicalities are concerned.
Well, much said before I actually start saying something about the show itself!
To start with, I was surprised to know that Manish Malhotra was into his late 30’s. Thats when Karan Johar remarked on the show that Manish happens to be seven years older than him. Karan was 26 when he made KKHH in 1998. So he must be around 32-33 now. That makes Manish around 39-40 if Karan is speaking the truth!
To accept Hinglish (Roman Hindi) as a standard language on our shows is what makes the show going. Manish Malhotra is far better at English of course and so are most of his guests on the show. Still, they make brave attempts at speaking Hindi. I respect that. And moreover the main aim of a show like this is to bring out the guest’s ideas and feelings in whichever way that makes him / her feel at ease. And if thats in English, so be it. Its not like an ’Aaj tak’ show where invitees are dragged to speak Hindi at the cost of losing information.
Manish has an inside view of the bollywood industry and he is already familiar with most of the guests on his show and vice versa. So that makes the job lot easier for him. He does not have to make references to a ’certain reports that appeared about this or that’ or do a lot of research work before he asks questions. You could see him pick up threads from even the pauses that the invitee makes or a certain quips and banter that goes around which makes a more relaxed watch. Its not a show which is so so intellectual like a Karan Thapar interview or so nonsensical like Shekhar Suman’s( I have nothing against Shekhar although I feel his shows are more a showcase of his own abilities than his guest’s).
Its supposed to highlight fashion in movies of course. The good thing about Manish is he doesn’t have that aura of ’I am Manish Malhotra and I am the encyclopaedia and thou shall hear what I say about Fashion in general and Bollywood in particular’. He is very intelligent, very warm and makes a great host out of himself. To accept the fact that his work does not involve in front of the camera work, rather behind the camera. And he is a cool dude, has got a very well chiselled, photogenic face and a very earthy smile.
The bonus section of the show is where Manish gives his choice of design among the many send in by the viewers. And his ideas about any queries made by one of the selected viewers with regards to fashion.
Coming to the finer nuances of the show like the camerawork, editing and direction..I am not a very keen observer as what is going wrong where as these things are concerned. I go by what makes me grasp the show in its entirety and where camerawork plays an important part. Let me say that not only for this show, but for all shows on ZOOM, the camerawork is good.It does not rest on a blank sofa when someone is making a statement, nor erratically jumps from one person to the other when they happen to speak together at times.
The editing is good, you do not feel that there is loss of continuity.
What else? Hey, congratulate me for having written my first review!