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Cinemala is a Malayalam comedy programme produced by Diana Silvester and broadcast on Asianet every Sunday at 1:30 pm (IST). The show started out as a film-based satire and later began to delve into contemporary political and social issues. Its topics are current events. The characters are popular mimicry artists on Malayalam television.On 7 April 2013 Cinemala completed 1000+ episodes and is still going. Each programme lasts thirty minutes. An episode criticized the government of Kerala for not handling healthcare issues properly. The programme does not take a political side, but merely raises public awareness.
Diana Silvester rewrote the role traditionally assigned to women as far as Malayalam television was concerned. She began her career at a time when there were more women onscreen than behind the scenes, let alone producing television shows.And even today what she does is unique in that there are hardly, if at all any, women producers of comedy shows on television. The popular show `Cinemala' is her creation. Diana has been producing `Cinemala,' which is one of the oldest Malayalam television series, for the last 11 years in the 12-year history of the show. Although she produces other shows such as `Suprabatham,' and `Manaporutham,' `Cinemala' is her baby, as she has been working on the show ever since its inception. The show, which started out as a film-based satire show, has evolved into a programme that delves into contemporary political and social issues.
"When Asianet was set up, Shashi Kumar, who was then the president of Asianet, wanted a film-based show that was different from `Chitrahaar,' which at the time was being aired on Doordarshan. The search for something different culminated in the birth of `Cinemala.' The show has evolved over the years to become what it is now," says Diana of the show. Initially the show comprised scenes from films pertaining to specific themes. After a series of trials and experimentations, the show acquired its present form. Such has been the popularity of `Cinemala,' which draws inspiration from current political and social issues, that it has spawned a number of similar shows.
Comedy is her speciality, Diana says. "It is so easy to make a show that is serious, after all it is easy to make people cry. On the other hand it is very difficult to make people laugh, a lot of things come into it, for instance the timing... things can either go right or awry," says Diana. A graduate of St Theresa's College in Kochi, she did a course in visual media from the Governor's State University, Chicago, United States.
As a student, both in school and college, she preferred to act in plays that had a comic element. She says she inherited her love for comedy from her father C.R. Silvester, of the Kochi-based drama troupe Tip Top. "All I saw as a child growing up was rehearsals of comic plays. My father used to be a comedian. And it was natural that I developed a taste for humour. " says Diana. She explains that one has to be careful while doing comic shows.
Comedy requires caution. "One has to toe the thin line between comedy and vulgarity very carefully. Rather than my being a woman hindering my work, it is an added advantage. I use my discretion as far as the content of the show is concerned," she says.
It is to the show's credit that it does not resort to or depend on double entendres for humour. `Clean humour' has been the show's USP. Working with a cast that is predominantly male has not been difficult for her, "So far, I have not had any problems. My cast has always cooperated with me. There are no ego hassles at all." Actors who have made a name for themselves in the Malayalam film industry such as Dileep, Salim Kumar and Praseetha had anchored the show during its initial days.
Diana is very matter-of-fact about the success of her show and that it has lasted so long. "Initially when we started the show there were sceptics or rather critics, who were sceptical of the entire concept. But today those very critics are avid viewers of the show," she says. The best feedback that she has got is from women who have been at the receiving end during the course of her show.
"People expect women to be very sensitive when they have been poked fun at, but that is not the case. I have always inevitably got positive feedback from women," says Diana. Usha Uthup, Jomol and Padmaja Venugopal are some of the women who have congratulated her on her work.
Although she has received offers to direct films, she is not interested for the time being . "I am very busy with what I am doing right now, so I haven't thought about the future. Films? Maybe," she laughs.
SOURCES:
Asianet Interview: Diana Silvester
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