PANJIM: Bollywood flicks have featured Goa’s drug scene in their plots, now it is the turn of the small screen to do the same. The longest running television serial on Sab TV – ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ – a light comedy show, in a recent episode projected Goa as a destination for narcotics.
The serial, produced by Neela Tele Films Private Limited and based on the column Duniya Ne Oondha Chashma written by columnist and Journalist Taarak Mehta from Gujarat, was recently pronounced as the ‘longest running comedy show’ on television by Limca Book of Records. In 2014 the cast was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in his ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’.
The show highlights problems faced by the common man, issues affecting society and has now focused on youth falling prey to drugs. As it dwelt on drugs, Goa was the only place identified as where narcotics are available openly (which is hinted at indirectly). The plot is on par with the movie ‘Udta Punjab’ which has portrayed that State as drug destination.
In the episode, one of the characters, Patrakar Popatlal, is asked by his editor to work on a story on how young boys and girls are dragged into the drug trade and fall prey to its consumption. For information on the issue, Popatlal approaches the local police station in charge Chalu Pande. As the police inspector begins to narrate details he is heard mentioning Goa.
“Vo un dino ke bat hai, jab main or mere wife – Basundi – Goa main gaye the. Goa ke samundar kinare bête hum mungfalia kha rahe te….drugs ….,” he said, as further dialogues were run in mute. (It was when I along with my wife Basundi had gone to Goa for holiday, we were seated on the shore eating peanuts… drugs…).
In the conversation, Goa was the only place named by the characters. The serial is one of the most watched television shows in India and abroad. Herald tried to contact the show’s producer Asit Kummar Modi but he was unavailable.
Recently, the Bombay High Court, while clearing the release of ‘Udta Punjab’, had observed that ‘Goa was also a maligned State and they too had drug problems. But still CBFC did clear the film ‘Go, Goa Gone’ which made it appear Goa was all about wine and women’.
The ‘Go Goa Gone’ 2013 movie starring Saif Ali Khan is a zombie comedy that shows three friends at a rave party in Goa, where the Russian mafia is selling a new drug called D2RF.
Two year before this, the controversial movie ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ was released in 2011. Set in Goa, this film dwelt on the drug mafia. A drug lord, a cop, a college student looking for a quick buck and a DJ are at the centre of the story. Activists had objected at that time as it portrayed Goa in a bad light.
