CHANGE IN PLOT-TV SERIALS

 

Change in Plot

The women factor

The birth of a vibrant feminist movement in the late 70s –a host of non-governmental organizations focusing on women’s issues had come up in the decade (1975-85) following the declaration of the International Women’s year- also aided the process of emancipation.

Many of these feminist groups consisted of urban middle class women who successfully pushed for a range of pro-women laws, established institutions to provide legal and material support to destitute women and watchdog committees for monitoring phenomena such as the representation of women in the media and so on. One of the consequences of the movement was also a deluge of “women oriented serials” on Doordarshan between 1982 and 1987.

The serials encompassed a variety of genres: soaps, sitcom, docu-drama, self help and so on. Adhikaar for instance, dealt with the legal rights of Indian women; Kashmakash was based on short stories by women writers. Stri drew portraits of extraordinary women, while Airhostess explored the lives of single working women. The intention- to present a positive image of women- was clearly a laudable one. Filmmaker Deepa Dhanraj^[1] noted that, “ given that scarcity of nonfiction programmes  centered around women, practically any images are to be celebrated.”

In implementation, however Doordarshan did not quite live up to the time, Dhanraj concluded that the attempt had misfired on several counts which included oversimplification of the causes of women’s oppression; structuring serials with a view to male gratification and suggest solutions that often ended by reinforcing rather than changing the status quo.

According to Amrita Shah^[2],” The medium also put together contradictory messages. Programmes such as Adhikaar, on women’s legal rights and Aur Bhi Hain raahein, on career options for women were telecast along with jowl ads in which glamorous models played out the traditional roles of wife, mother and sex object. In Ramayana, the highest rated serial at a time when Doordarshan was trying to encourage liberal attitudes towards women’s emancipation, the main female character Sita – a woman who unquestionly joined her husband Rama, in exile, was kidnapped by Ravana provoking a war between the two kings, and was eventually dumped by her husband when his citizens cast aspersions on her chastity.

The social change did make its way into the daily soaps of the time. Woman started holding more serious positions particularly in companies owned by deceased fathers or husbands. “And letters received by Humraahi –a serial propagating woman equality-indicated a growing support for independent women who could speak out against male tyranny and some impatience with the doormat type. ^[3]

          The world of TV soaps was inducing a widespread coverage in middle class attitudes, much to the relief of the younger generation of women who suddenly found age old shackles disappearing overnight.

Twenty something garment fabricator in Bombay for instance held television entirely responsible for the fact that her conservative Muslim mother no longer pressurized her to leave her job and get married. Teenagers in small towns like Indore found themselves found in a position to flaunt the latest bold fashions without running against parental disapproval. Sexologists, psychiatrists and marriage counselors also testified to a sharp rise in awareness and acknowledgement of sensual desire among women. Clearly the urban middle class woman had come a long way. But so much change in so little time could not but provoke reaction.

Not to mention serials like, Shanti, Radha ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhayegi, Kkusum, all propagated the empowerment of women and have established social issues along with dramatic narratives that made the audience live through the ups and downs of the character’s life.

The Evolution

          The first television serials brought in the middle class homes and social issues clubbed today. Thus Hum Log and Buniyaad were about the plight of the common man. Yeh Jo Zindegi Hai, Nukkad, Flop Show nurtured the same theme and became small screen classics.

          The cultural bend of minds produced religious epic serials such as Ramayana  and Mahabhrata and TV sets in all the houses across the country all of a sudden become idols to worship with incense sticks, street got deserted on every Sunday and the whole family comprising of members from 4 years to 90 years watched the gods battle against evil. The country was heaped with so much of religiosity that a political party got into prominence in the coming years, strong enough to bring about one of the deadly riots in the history of the country.

          The stream of serials that was to follow in the coming years was by the dint of the series of satellite channels launched were launched one after the other. The producers were continuously studying the audience and soon realized that perhaps one section needed more attention than the other genres. What came as a result were several sitcoms that flooded all the channels, making it difficult for the viewers to decide which one to watch and which one to neglect. Dekh Bhai dekh, Kareena Kareena, Hum Paanch,Line of Control, Sarabhai, Khichadi stole the show away. But neither of them could stand as tall as their comic predecessors. Massod Akhtar lamented,” Comedy though to some extent popular is not up to the mark.”

So, when the audience was too tired of the comic bone, the never ending family saga serials took the stage. With a population close to 400 million individual viewers, and a bouquet of channels offering an exhausting, unlimited and formula-tested soaps of ‘holier-than-thou women with huge red bindis, streams of vermilion and imitation mangalsutras, as opposed to the vamps with  over the top pan-caked makeup and a perpetual evil look in eyes, Indian soaps started  playing with the psychological emotions of the common Indian women who are the primary target for high drama and suspense and who tend to favour the positive or the negative vibes given out by these women characters. With the advent of producers like Balaji Telefilms, women started swearing by the characters of ‘Tulsi’ of Kunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi … or ‘Parvati’ of ‘ Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’ . Such is the craze for these women characters that advertisements for marriages have insert like, ‘the girl should be like Tulsi’! The message is strong and clear, today’s mother-in-law wants a girl who would be completely traditional, protect the family values of her in- laws (does not matter if she is abused and berated by one and all – misunderstandings are always cleared after six episodes of glycerine tears and high family drama) and respect her in-laws no matter how scheming they are. Almost all serials are women-dominated, and if one leaves the saas-bahu (family drama) and moves to the more modern soaps, one would find instances of some bold and uncommon theme. Soaps like ‘Astitva- Ek Prem Kahani’, dealing with a young man falling in love with a much older woman, or ‘Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin’, where a common ordinary looking girl makes it to the top on basis of her merit, have been some milestones in influencing the youth. ‘Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin’, has inspired common looking girls, with no glamour to back them, to stand for themselves and create their own niche in society. Yet, some could not stop complaining about the agony that the serials induced in them. Almost everyone would responded to the survey listed a numerous reasons that went against the popular serials, especially the k-serials. Presence of huge family with untraceable source of wealth; Presence of an immortal person; Mother and daughter must look like sisters of same age and grandmothers must look like older sister but age difference to be minimized as much as possible; All festivals in calendar must be celebrated; Presence of one or more negative characters is must; Plastic surgeries, death and reappearance, loss of memory etc. should appear repeatedly until audience develop sixth sense; Each episode must end with suspense; There must be regular addition of new character in serial; Long form of co-incidence in the language of serials is taken as commonly occurring incidents; and lastly the obvious attempt at copying the popular and box office hit Bollywood movies or unfortunate daily incidents that got flashed across national dailies for days together.^[4]

          Even though the new serials in the recently launched channels like NDTV Imagine and COLORS TV, and in also those one pre existing ones, have elbowed out the kitchen politics and have taken up social issues much more serious, as in the case of Jyoti, Mein Teri Parchaayi hoon, Balika Badhu, Na Ana Is Desi-Laado, Sabki Laadli Bebo, Mere Ghar Aayi Ek Nanhi Pari, Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo.^[ What is joyful about these new serials is that they are more compact and finish off without boring off the viewers.^[5][6]

Mythology appeals no more

          The charm created by Ramayana, Mahabhrata, and on the other hand Tipu Sultan, Chanakya is no more found in the new serials like Jai Sri Krishna, Rani Padmini Kak Johar. Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan rouse to popularity for it showed a much talked about costly sets and too much emphasis on the king and his beloved’s dragged on romance.

Inadequate children’s show
          “As compared to their needs or their population, there is very little television telecast for the children”, a 22 years old, Chitrak Mitra commented.

Thus children hardly find anything appeasing to their taste in the main stream channels. Few feel like tunning into channels like Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Jetix, POGO, HUNGAMA TV. All they watch are serials much above their age.

“Hindi TV serials for that matter all TV serials do affect the children, they get matured quite fast, they get to know things beyond their age and thus there is a loss of the actual childhood. Complications in families do result from this unwanted development. It seems children no more act like children; they all are adolescents from the age of 5 or 6,”said Mr. Subhasis Chakraborty.

Mr. Masood Akhtar opined,” Surely, children are very much affected by the Hindi TV serials. Whatever is shown in these serials less than 10% is beneficial for children. Children believe in whatever is shown, and they jump off the roof, die, and commit crimes. They do not understand the black and white characterization in the serials; neither must we expect it from their age group. Yet, they watch it and their aims and ambitions are taking shapes accordingly, which is unfortunate. They are bumping into things which they should not.

The TV serials meant for children are certainly not meeting my expectations. Good programmes meant for children should be shown in all the channels, during the afternoon before the children sit down to study. Good fiction stories should be made for them…I think Cartoon network is doing a job.”

According to Dr. Puson Gupta,” I think advertisement affect children most. Basically children are not bothered about boring serials; they are choosier than adults.”

Mr. Manoj Swami said,” In an era of dual income, nuclear family, where both the parents go to work, TV and internet is becoming a child’s best friend and obviously they leave a great impression on a child's mindset.... sometimes indelible impressions.

"Malguri" and "Indra Dhanush" are by far the best serials for children that I have seen in Hindi. Recently some attempts have been made mostly in animation (Krishna and Chhota Bhim) but as far as my understanding goes children today mostly watch cartoons made outside the country but dubbed in Hindi.”

Thus needless to say the serial makers have not done much to cater to the children viewers.

Reference

1)    Dhanraj, Deepa: The Media and Women’s Issues: 1994, ‘Whose News’ (saga publications).

2)    Shah, Amrita: Hype, Hypocrisy And Television In Urban India: 1997 ‘Middle Class Strike Back’, pp:-180-181, (Vikas Publishing House Pvt Ltd)

3)    Ibid.Pg- 182

4)    The Times of India,” Shhh! Psst-psst! Unfolding some of the best conspiracies”, Friday, July 21, 2006. And also added by some of the people who responded to the survey.

5)    The Times of India,” Ba, Bahu & now the Beti, by Nikhila Pant, 5 May ,2009.

6)    India Today, Stereotypical TV girl gets a reality check by Priyanka Srivastava June 6, 2009.