An outrageous Swayamvar!

If you get a chance to watch 'Raaki ka *Swayamvar' on NDTV Imagine, during the week, don't miss it. It is definitely a roll-over-the-floor-and-die-laughing-tv show. A bunch of so-called eligible boys (and they do seem like boys and hardly husband material), lovingly referred to as 'heroes' all wooing Rakhi Sawant for her mighty hand in marriage. I'm so grateful for reality TV's ability of sinking to even lower depths because it ensures a daily hour of non stop giggles. On one of the episodes a contestant proudly states that he skipped his sister's wedding to take part in the show. One wonders if his sister would ever take kindly to RS if she does elect the brother as her prized suitor! Perhaps the sister might give the wedding a...'skip' as well. Another 'hero' is a police officer who has kept his first wedding and three kids a secret till now! What excitement! In keeping with the times, of course, the show has a dedicated page on Facebook as well as a special Youtube page for those eager to keep up with the programme. Breaking news reveals that the show is now on Twitter too! Thanks to a bit of research for this piece I realised one can even poll and interact with the outstanding cast on a daily basis. Joy! But you have to hand it to the producers, who did one heck of a casting job. Who better than Rakhi when it comes to drama, chutzpah and tadka in equal measure? She is Indian television's dream come true and even humbly attributes all her success to TV, saying, "Mujhe TV se sab kuch mila, toh husband kyon nahi?" One of the chaps on the show was on the verge of being thrown out from Rakhi's mehel but is willing to get 'maydum's' name tatooed permanently on his hand to prove his love for RS. She throws him out regardless. Of course the item girl is all coy and demure and the 'perfect wannabe bahu' of the show, though there are bankable moments of her trademark fiery traits from time to time making their obvious appearances. She even says, in defence of all of us, 'Mera liye WOMEN'S ke liye ladna bahut important hai.' How's that for original? If nothing else I'm sure Ms. Sawant is enjoying the never ending buckets of affection, (however obviously rehearsed), showered on her during and through every carefully scripted espisode of the series. Which girl wouldn't? And you thought marraiges were made in heaven? Meaning of Swayamvar, courtesy Wikipedia: Swayamvara (स्‍वयं‍वर): Meaning - Own-choice, Swayamvara, in ancient India, was a practice of choosing a life partner, among a list of suitors by a girl of marriageable age