Small screen’s 'Hatim' is an ‘inspired’ effort
Indian television has been stuck in the folds of heavy silk saris of saas-es and their bahus for so long ki now that it’s finally breaking free, it doesn’t quite know where to go, what to wear. That’s why we are getting hand-me-downs from America. First toh Anil Kapoorji took '24' and turned the thriller into a strange family drama, and then there’s this DC comic idea which has been turned into a full-fledged show — SuperHeroes Verses SuperVillains has become 'SuperCops Vs SuperVillains' (Life OK).
But hai, it’s shocking how this other show is simply lootoing stuff from The Lord of the Rings, without credit or courtesy. For the first few minutes toh I thought I was watching the dubbed Hindi version of Peter Jackson’s epic, 'Angoothiyon ke Raja' — same to same background score and sets, same to same orcs and goblins, and then one Gandalf type dadaji also arrived to make a prophesy about one new-born boy and the shaitan, Zargam.
From the sets to head gear, from dresses to war and hair accessories, the xeroxing is just baffling. Of course, Adventures of Hatim (Life OK) is not a patch on LOTR, it is, however, entertaining in the way we found Vikram Aur Betaal and He-Man entertaining.
Hatim is played by a hulking young lad whose biceps deserve a name and surname. These muscles are important because they are often pressed into service. Hatim, you see, is a fighter cock who goes out looking for fights — mini training sessions before the big fight, when Hatim will crush the ultimate evil, Zargam, a rather lonesome shaitan who sings, Shah Rukh Khan style, on his little evil island. His silky flowing and conditioned hair are very disconcerting.
Hatim looks unkempt and is a little slow. Bhai, when all the blood is busy irrigating those biceps, toh dimag ki batti toh dheere hi jalegi na. In any case, Hatim has not been put amongst us to solve trigonometry ki mysteries. If you are a Lord of The Rings geek, watch this show to be shocked and stunned ki how so much cheating is being allowed on national TV. And if you are not, then watch the show for silly fun — belly dancers, Hatim thrashing Zagram’s flying, horned and often unhygienic death messengers and one Shahzadi, who arrives Mrs Zorro style, to distract Hatim.
