Sach Ka Saamna, Duniya Ke Saamne

A couple of months ago I was watching an episode of 'The Moment Of Truth', a game show in which you are rewarded for telling the truth to all those embarassing questions pertaining to your life. And I was like 'Hell!!, this is one show that cannot be Indianized' and two months later I am in front of the TV watching 'Sach Ka Saamna', its Indian version and I must admit that I was wrong as the Indian version is as much rocking as the American version was.

The first contestant on the show, a lady in her 40s tore apart to smithereens the so called sabhyata, parampara, izzat etc. Is this the beginning of Indian modernization???, I thought. The way, the woman handled the questions with tact was awesome. Though there were questions that put her on a sticky wicket, but then she was as truthful as she could be or was it the lure of those millions she would be getting.

Have you ever thought of killing your husband??

This was the question that put her in a catch 22 situation and she honestly told that she would, but again who wouldn't???? Hehehehehe...

She stood her ground saying that alcoholism of her husband was the root cause of all the sufferings her married life had endured.

Then came the final question,

'Would you sleep with another man if your husband never found out?'

This was a question which she HAD to tell NO despite the fact that maybe she herself knew that the answer could be a YES. This is when I realized that we are still in India. Had she said yes, despite her millions, her married life would never had been the same with the seeds of suspicion already planted in their relationship.

She tried to lie, but the polygraphic test caught her bluff and she was booted out without a penny and now she will have to spend the rest of her life explaining that polygraphic test results are wrong.'

The second contestant was a 60+ year old buddha. After watching his episodes, I am reminded of a couplet which I had heard some years ago.

'Kaun kehta hai buddhon ko ishq nahin hota,
Ishq hota hai par kisi ko shak nahin hota'

It seemed that this guy had practically slept with everything that has a life. Be it his wives (he had three), girlfriend, girls younger than his daughter and even the prostitutes.....PHEW!!!

He too lost out trying to save his relationship with his daughter but the lure of money is bigger than anything else.

Well, this show has caught on the fancy of the Indian junta with everyone who I know getting hooked to this show and the TRPs of Star Plus exploding. But I feel it would not be long before the so called moral policing again comes up in arms against this serial and rob us of all the fun we get while watching it.

And finally a word or two on its host - Rajeev Khandelwal. I feel he is doing a decent job provided the main pull which the show generates is from the questions being asked and Rajeev is mainly the facilitator.

Overall a bold show, considering Indian standards.