Prime-time television in India is not really known for sensible content. Especially the soap operas. I have never been a fan but one tedious evening, I switched on the telly and sat through one “saas-bahu” serial after another.
What was it about family dramas that kept millions of Indian women glued to their TV sets each evening? I intended to find out.
In one such episode, a mother-in-law laments the loss of an unborn grandchild.
“We have lost our grandson and our daughter-in-law cannot bear a child after this. Now we will never have a grandson to take the family name forward.”
I wondered how the mother-in-law could be so sure the unborn child was male. Did she get a sex-determination test done? Or was it some divine revelation.
As the story of one serial after the other unfolded on screen, I realized that to be the “perfect” woman on Indian television, one needed to be a docile housewife and sacrifice everything for the family’s happiness.
Even if that meant putting up with philandering husbands.
Women who wear western clothes or work for a living invariably have loose morals, or so these soap operas would have you believe.
I am all for escapist TV and can forgive the sight of glamorous women going to bed in flashy saris and make-up.
But I find it hard to accept that millions of eyeballs are being exposed to such regressive programmes day after day.
Can the television industry shrug off its responsibility so easily in a country where killing of female foetuses is common and preference for sons runs deep?
In a report last year, the United Nations estimated that 2,000 unborn girls are illegally aborted every day in India.
Experts warn that fewer women will spark a demographic crisis in India which could lead to more crimes against women — as there would be fewer left to marry.
I am not asking television producers, many of whom are women and lead very different lives than that of their characters on the telly, to broadcast sermons on female foeticide.
But it will take them just a few changes in their scripts to conjure up a healthy dose of daily entertainment — without sending their audiences the wrong message.
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Yep, all the soaps suck, they constantly show all the negatives…http://cashcrate.com/816599
- Posted by MarthaIndian Serials suck like nothing else. Can’t say more.
- Posted by TheGreatKaneI do not turn the z tv on in weekdays due to these nonsence dramas,even we dont want to adop the nagetive acts in our life but still they leave some effects on you,may be thats why no one marring Ekta kappor……..?
- Posted by P.SinghI’ve always hated soap operas…I like to see stories which end and are not stretched beyond eternity!! Indiansoap operas these days, are all about saree-sindur-mangalsutra-clad decent bahus and their equally over-dressed mother-in-laws! Can someone give “K” serials a pause??
- Posted by AmiPathetic is the only word you can use for the indian soaps and news channels. Balaji soaps should be banned for they instil wrong values and corrupt the nation. Ban these greedy pdoducers for they are the cause of Indian ills. Indians,as a whole,are truely blind they need to face up to realities of life and live as opposed to dwelling in a fantassy world. Enmass switch off is the answer. Get Balaji rubbish of the airwaves and we are all better off.
- Posted by PravinI completely agree with the author. These soap operas are no use in helping our nation grow. The broadcasters must forget money making from such soap operas and start focusing on supporting women development.
- Posted by Nanda KumarI agree with your statement that Indian soap are boring. But let me ask, is nt the same case with Western shows. What about reality shows like ‘Big….’ a weird thing of showing live of group of people living in house…. but its a big hit n ppl watch. How about anchoring of American Idol, I surprised at time when judges comment participants so rudely. All these shows do business based on viewers emotions. So it is same with Indian soap shows, they are projected to touch Indian house wife’s heart. do you think they will survive if they cast a story of a modern NY girl who can live without any marriage and repeatedly change partners and drug-parties. It will be a flop. Well, do try to make a logical reasoning in Bollywood-stylish things, you are not a reviewer, just enjoy it for the evening and forget. I agree with you that they should carry some social responsibilty. Hope they do. But i a country of a billion polpulation, with hundereds of languages and thousands of castes n multiple cultures, feminism comes somewhere at the bottom of priorities. As long as house wives are enjoying them, let them prevail. None of our biy, lets watch EPL, F1, IPL etc.
- Posted by Anil Kumar BommareddyIt is unfair to criticize the TV producers and companies for the content of these shows. Before we do this we must take in mind that they only produce shows that will be watch. They’re not producing these shows because they feel like it, but because we want to watch them.
As an occasional viewer of soaps, I can say that they are not of the highest standard and look amateur in comparison to Hollywood productions. However they are what people choose to watch in India.
These shows are popular because they portray the real life of Indian women (especially in rural communities)and these women can subsequently relate to these.
The TV producers have no moral obligations in the production of these soaps. Their aim is to make money and the way they make money is by us watching these soaps.
If you don’t like the content of these shows vote with your remote and change the channel. Or better yet watch something that you believe expression ‘proper’ social values and improve its ratings.
- Posted by DeepakThe Indian nation must start seeking more meaning to their lives.
I suggest they search and inquire from the God of creation how they can draw closer to Him. Their perspectives of life will definitely change for the better.
This applies to all human beings as well.
- Posted by dineshIts really very well written.We must not forget that now a days also where we say that girls are much more career oriented than boys ,there are so many girls who want to go very high but the impact of society put major and major obstacles for them.
Let us take the case of getting married.A boy asks directly from a girl that can she leave her job or not? I m still not able to understand that why it is the only girl who is responsible to leave the job.
These types of differences can still be seen in various cases.These are the reasons which are forcing the existing girls to come back from the height.
and by seeing this feeling people now a days think that only man can take their family as forward.
- Posted by NidhiThe I&B department should keep new conditions on the content on these soaps.
- Posted by Sasi KCthere is something seriously wrong with mental health state of all involved in making these soaps- from the script writers right through the special effects technicians to the producers and directors- what a bunch of sickos
- Posted by anemonePlease watch IPL thats the only remidy
- Posted by Sumantawow - there seems to be some controversy over this article but it does catch my eye as someone who also has seen snippets of soaps here and there and been hooked on series like the 1st season of the OC!
I would be curious to read a follow up article should you decide to contrast soap operas of different Asian cultures - esp Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.
my mom is clearly hooked on the latter!
- Posted by udance4ever