Rakhi Sawant cracks the whip

Big Splash

You have seen her choose her groom, albeit only to dump him within a few months, on television. You have also seen her slap her boyfriend in full public glare and in front of television cameras. And now she dons an unprecedented avatar in her much talked about show Rakhi Ka Insaaf.

In a country obsessed with celebrities of all types, Rakhi has carved a niche as a tough-talking, hyper-emotional drama queen who always entertains. Her pervious appearances on television vouch for that. Love her or hate her, you cannot switch channels when she is on air. Not surprisingly, after making a public display of her own private problems, she is now ready to solve problems faced by others. Imagine has joined hands with UTV and others. The show makes for compulsive viewing for Rakhi fans and her baitors.

The uncrowned queen of reality shows (and perhaps drama) on Indian television is  judging, advising and playing agony aunt to scores of people in trouble. We have seen Rajat Sharma (Aap Ki Adalat) and Kiran Bedi (Aap Ki Kachehri) don similar roles in shows that were very popular. Undoubtedly, both of them were very good in what they did. Now it is Ms Sawant’s turn to prove what she can deliver such a show single handedly.

Though, one would not associate analytical ability or problem-solving skills to be her strengths (at least from what we know of her), it would still be interesting to watch what she does to resolve different issues. And if the makers of the show are to be believed, the queen of reality shows is expected to advise and solve problems like — what should a woman do if her husband (and father of her children), is having an affair with another woman, what to do if your children have thrown you out of your home in old age, where to go, if your husband abuses you, whom to turn to during such trying situations and so on.

The makers of the show have their own logic. Explains Harsh Rohatgi, Head Content and Communications, Imagine, “Rakhi herself has faced many hardships over the years and is very empathetic of people and their problems. This coupled with her innate sense of right and wrong, will make her the perfect adjudicator.”

Rakhi adds, “I have faced many hardships and difficult situations in life and at all points, I wished for someone who would help and guide me in the right direction. My experiences in life have made me capable to provide guidance to others. I am looking forward to this new opportunity and hope to give insaaf dil se.”

She does have a point when she talks about the hardships she has faced in life. That definitely helps her get a practical perspective to the problem. But does that really invoke in her the sense that is required to judge what is right and wrong? Something that Kiran Bedi or even, Rajat Sharma to an extent possessed? Santosh Nair of UTV says, “Sometimes, to solve disputes and deliver justice, one doesn’t need a court of law but an objective, a third party perspective; the perspective of someone who has been through the trials of life herself, someone known to speak her mind. Rakhi has those qualities. This show has amazing stories and a unique style of justice. “

Think again and you feel that Rakhi does seem like a good choice. She can talk to people from different stratas of society, is bold and likes to take the bull by its horn. She will definitely be able to make people comfortable and open up. But whether she will be able to solve their problems or not, is a different question altogether. One just hopes that the participants will benefit more from the show than Rakhi or the channel honchos. After all, trust is too precious to break.