SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Two of the most hilarious 'interviews' that I have ever seen on TV/heard on radio are both involving the former Indian Captain late Lala Amarnath.
Here is one. It is better in Hindi but I have put the translation alongside.
Lalaji was the expert and the commentator was an idiot (one of many hoisted on a helpless public by the state owned monopoly , Doordarshan) called Joga Rao. Like others who gave commentary (Jasjit Singh being another) in Hindi Joga Rao's main claim to the position was his erudition in the national language and his stupid conversion of the most common terms to Hindi which was much acclaimed by the politicians who thought this was another nationalistic/patriotic stick to beat the public with
So. On the day, Ajit Wadekar, the Indian captain and elegant left handed batsman drove a ball to covers for a boundary. Here is what followed
Joga Rao : Lalaji. Abhi jo Wadekar ne backfoot pe coverdrive lagaya uske baare main aapka kya vichar hai ?
(Lala ji, What are your views about the backfoot cover drive played by Wadekar just now ?)
Lala : Joga Rao ji, Yeh backfoot drive nahin tha, front foot drive tha, wristy shot tha.
(Joga Rao, this was not a backfoot drive, it was a front foot drive anda wristy one at that)
Joga Rao (not having heard what the Lala said over the din of the crowd and not being one to be ever embarassed by his many faux paus) : Haan haan Lalaji, aap ek dum theek kehte hain. Bahut risky shot tha. Wadekar ko nahin khelna chahiye tha.
(Yes yes Lalaji. You are absolutely correct. It was a very risky shot. Wadekar should not have played it.)
Lala : Joga Raoji. Risky nahin (showing what he meant with a few flicks of his right wrist) wristy, wristy. Kalaai se khela hua. Samjhe ?
(Not risky Joga Rao, wristy, wristy. Played with the wrist, understood ?)
Here is one. It is better in Hindi but I have put the translation alongside.
Lalaji was the expert and the commentator was an idiot (one of many hoisted on a helpless public by the state owned monopoly , Doordarshan) called Joga Rao. Like others who gave commentary (Jasjit Singh being another) in Hindi Joga Rao's main claim to the position was his erudition in the national language and his stupid conversion of the most common terms to Hindi which was much acclaimed by the politicians who thought this was another nationalistic/patriotic stick to beat the public with
So. On the day, Ajit Wadekar, the Indian captain and elegant left handed batsman drove a ball to covers for a boundary. Here is what followed
Joga Rao : Lalaji. Abhi jo Wadekar ne backfoot pe coverdrive lagaya uske baare main aapka kya vichar hai ?
(Lala ji, What are your views about the backfoot cover drive played by Wadekar just now ?)
Lala : Joga Rao ji, Yeh backfoot drive nahin tha, front foot drive tha, wristy shot tha.
(Joga Rao, this was not a backfoot drive, it was a front foot drive anda wristy one at that)
Joga Rao (not having heard what the Lala said over the din of the crowd and not being one to be ever embarassed by his many faux paus) : Haan haan Lalaji, aap ek dum theek kehte hain. Bahut risky shot tha. Wadekar ko nahin khelna chahiye tha.
(Yes yes Lalaji. You are absolutely correct. It was a very risky shot. Wadekar should not have played it.)
Lala : Joga Raoji. Risky nahin (showing what he meant with a few flicks of his right wrist) wristy, wristy. Kalaai se khela hua. Samjhe ?
(Not risky Joga Rao, wristy, wristy. Played with the wrist, understood ?)
