Munshi is an Indian Malayalam-language political and social satire television programme on the Malayalam-language news channel Asianet News.^[1] The show is directed by Anil Banerjee; it has aired continuously since September 2000.^[2] Earlier it was aired on Asianet.^[3]

Although the original idea during the show's inception was "giving a visualised treatment to pocket cartoons", after about 300 episodes, it "deviate[d] to the path of politics".^[4]

Characters

Characters are sketched such that they come from a widely different backgrounds, with different political and religious outlooks. It sets a secular atmosphere in the show.^[4]

• Munshi - the khadi-clad central character
• School student - seen with a Pazhampori in his hand
• Kariyachan - seen with neck brace
• Panicker - always wearing formals
• Motta - carrying a rooster in his hands
• Hajiyar - carries an umbrella
• Thirumeni - a Hindu priest
• Sakhavu - a comrade who addresses everyone else as 'Sakhavu'
• President

Format

Each episode takes up a social or political topic that is part of the current affairs. The characters, who belong to different socio-political backgrounds, narrates their opinion on the issue. The three-to-five minute strip ends with Munshi stating his view on the topic, often with a quirky proverb or pithy quote. The Munshi never takes part in others' discussion, his sole role is in delivering the final comment. The show begins and ends with a rooster's cock-a-doodle-do sound.

Cast and crew

• Munshi was initially played by KP Sivasankara Kurup for the first 10 years of the show. He was replaced by Achuthath Vasudevan Krishnan Moosad.^[5][6]
• School student - Shreeju Nedumangad
• Kariyachan - Ayyappan
• Panicker - Sreekumar
• Hajiyar - Rajendran
• Sakhavu - Madhu Elavattom
• Motta - Hari
• Cameraman - Ajai Kumar G R

References