TV's top new shows--Viraasat no 2

Smriti Irani's attempt at shedding her 'aged' image has not been as successful as she'd have liked it to be. Her look, dialogue delivery and acting still has a lot of Kyun Ki... hangover. While one understands how difficult it can be to get rid of a character that overshadowed her real persona, Irani will need to put in a more sincere effort if she wants to break out of Tulsi. With a plot featuring Mumbai's mills being taken over by land sharks, TSZTSA also has its female lead (Irani, of course) married to a mentally challenged person.

5)Left Right Left
Channel: SAB
Time: Monday-Thursday, 9:30 PM

Touted as Rajeev Khandelwal's comeback vehicle after his not-so-pleasant exit from Kahin To Hoga, the serial has not fared too well. Built on a sure-shot successful plot set in a Military Academy, Left Right Left lacks authenticity. The sets are too artificial for a primetime serial, and the script leaves much to be desired. Still, Left Right Left makes it to the top ten simply because of Rajeev Khandelwal and Shveta Salve.

6)Shabaash India
Channel: ZEE TV
Time: Monday-Tuesday, 10:30 PM

reality show with a difference, this is an attempt at creating a Guinness Book-like show. To give the producers their credit, they have been successful to a large extent. The show deals with unique feats like passing an iron rod through your tongue, letting a car overrun you and yet remain hale and hearty and so on. It's fun to watch as long as you don't try to imitate and attempt those feats. At least not the dangerous ones! It's a pleasant change from Fear Factor, which can often get too creepy.

7)Thodi Khushi Thode Gham
Channel: Sony
Time: Monday-Thursday, 9:30 PM

Set in a joint family headed by Mansukhlal (played by Arvind Rathod), this serial is about how even today Indian housewives are dominated by the males in the family. Beyond a point the women can't take the injustice anymore, and the bahus of the family decide to strike back. A simple storyline and impressive performances get this serial a slot in the Top Ten New Serials list.

8)Naya Office Office
Channel: Star One
Time: Friday, 8:30 PM

Good comedy is rarely seen on Indian television. In fact, after the fantastic Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai, not a single comedy serial has really struck the right note. Not even Johny Lever with his Johny Ala Re could revive the times of good comedy on television. Naya Office Office seems to have taken up the cause and is all set to rock. Based on the same common-man-trapped plotline as Office Office, this is an out and out Pankaj Kapoor show, ably supported by a great set of actors.

9)Akela
Channel: Sony
Time: Tuesday, 10:00 PM

Starring Sudhanshu Pandey, Akela is the story of an ex-cop. After he comes out of a coma, he finds that he can see dead people and it becomes his life's mission to help them, including finding out who killed them. In turn, the dead people help Ranvir by providing him with information on various crimes going on around the city. Quite a bizarre plot one must say! (And reminiscent of Star World's Ghost Whisperer) But that is what has gets Akela into the top ten list.

10)Vaidehi: Ek Aur Agni Pariksha
Channel: Sony
Time: Monday, 10:00 PM

Adding an extra O to her name, Aroona Irani makes another attempt at capturing viewers' hearts and attention. Starring Pallavi Kulkarni, Sachin Sharma and Irani herself, this is the story of a spirited 21-year-old girl from a middleclass family. She gets married to one of the richest families in the country, and discovers the lethal secrets behind the glitter. An interesting plot, with Irani's expertise as a producer, makes sure viewers stay hooked.