Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea– that’s where the protagonists find themselves, in Sony TV’s seminal new show, Zindagi Ke Crossroads. And there’s no escape from the conundrum either– they must choose one or the other. ‘Not applicable’ isn’t really an option for the double bind they find themselves in. And as the clock ticks away ominously, squeezing the characters into an unrelenting corner, even the studio audiences are drawn into the dilemma unfolding on screen. The show is stopped mid-narrative, and audiences are invited to discuss, dissect and digress on the protagonists’ situation.
Indian TV is set to take a quantum leap in the realm of qualitative and innovative programming, with this singularly unique show.
Veteran Marathi/Hind film and TV actor, Jaywant Wadkar, feels that Sony show, Zindagi Ke Crossroads can be the game-changer for desi TV. “This fusion of fiction and non-fiction, making audiences experience the crossroad of what the characters face, is huge. I play a bus conductor, who finds a bag with lots of money. Should he do the right thing and return the bag, or just keep it as he too needs the dough?”
“The story is stopped several times, allowing the studio audiences to discuss the dilemma. It was really interesting to see how people changed their opinions.”
Have you ever come across such a dilemma in real life? “Yes, I have returned people’s money and jewelry several times. Cab drivers also return bags full of notes, when they could have simply pocketed it. This is the spirit of Mumbai. You might crib that the city is full of bad folks, yet you will end up finding more number of good Samaritans.”
Jaywant is very happy to note that Zindagi Ke Crossroads is getting good appreciation. “Several friends have called up and praised my work. I am sure our show will do very well, and producer Shabina Khan will get to make many more episodes beyond the current stipulated 39. Here, I wish to specially praise the writing team, for the script is so well-presented, that it becomes easier for us actors to raise our game as well.”
“This show is also bringing out old Indian values to the fore, like in the previous episode, where a couple contemplates aborting its unborn child, diagnosed with severe mental conditions. Several women in the audience said that if they were in the couple’s place, they would not kill the child but would take on the burden as God’s wish,” he adds.
“The creative also have rightly taken the moral high ground, e.g, my character is rewarded for his honesty in the end, encouraging others to walk the right path as well,” Jaywant states.
In closing, Jaywant says, “It is good to see the channel pulling all stops to promote the property. Anything off the beaten track does require an additional push.”
“Morals, ethics, values, ideals, conscience– all these are beliefs that go for a toss when faced with perplexing twists of fate. What a person does when faced with a pressure-cooker situation is what makes up the very fibre of his being. His grace under fire and the strength of his convictions are tested-brutally and relentlessly. Zindagi Ke Crossroads showcases all this and more, forcing us to contemplate on the vagaries of life, and hoping against hope, that the protagonists find a way out of the mess….the best way there is. In it lies their triumph, and ours too.”
Way to go, team Crossroads…