There is something addictive about watching ‘The Moment of Truth’, the American TV show where contestants have to tell the truth to win cash.
Contestants go through a polygraph test to determine if they are lying while answering a set of questions based on their lives.
I must admit to feeling a certain thrill when contestants are exposed as adulterers, cheats and liars as family members and viewers look on.
When the show’s Indian version ‘Sach Ka Saamna’ premiered on television this month, I wondered if the questions would be as personal.
And they were.
A woman was asked if she wanted physical relations with someone other than her husband.
She answered in the negative but the polygraph test proved she was lying.
The episode ruffled feathers even in parliament.
“What will be the position of this woman before her children, her husband and the society?” a Rajya Sabha MP asked in parliament, urging the government to take action against the show.
“Such indecent reality shows and serials which destroy Indian culture should be stopped.”
On Wednesday, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry issued a show cause notice to Star Plus channel, asking it to explain why the show shouldn’t be taken off air.
Initial ratings suggest “Sach Ka Saamna” is already among the most watched programmes on Indian television.
But while some find it amusing to watch people squirm with embarrassment in front of friends and family, there are others who are put off by the concept.
“To each his own, I personally would not want to see this with my family around,” says Stuti Kohli, a student from Delhi University.
“Questions like do you have a child out of wedlock are just too embarrassing.”
Love it or hate it, “Sach Ka Saamna” is definitely being noticed. But will Indian audiences accept it? Will the reality TV show wean audiences off soap operas?
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I am a fan of not the show but of the concept n theme. the greatest aspect of the theme is to pose the inside out. its not ’sach ka saamna’ rather facing oneself. and when one has to face oneself ‘nothing could be more scary”..cheers!! to the show as well…
- Posted by Deepak SinghalPersonally I feel that there was no need for us to copy another American show. Now that we have our very own version of ‘The Moment of Truth’, we must try and understand the concept of the show. I would not deny the fact that the questions asked hold more importance here than in America, given our culture, but I would not support the claim that its destroying our culture. Everyone has secrets! If you want them to be secrets, don’t participate. No one will force you to do so! The questions and answers affect your family relations, agreed! If you don’t want that to happen, don’t put your relationships on stake to go and make money! The contestants make a choice, why blame the show for it? After all they’re simply businessmen. I am not in support of the show either but we must not raise issues just for the sake of raising them.
- Posted by RSSach ka samna - A show that is in a pronounced way breaking the confines of indian television! The question is not are the Indian audiences ready? the question is rathar - why shouldnt the indian audiences be ready? Enough of hippocracy in the Indian society… tell me something - Why cant a woman fantacise sleeping with someone else (may be Hrithik Roshan) out of her wedlock! She is only fantacising! what if she sleeps? How many men dont? The indian audiences have to graduate… Sach ka samna is a step towards the actual liberalisation of the society… I am a fan!
- Posted by Neeha SaxenaaIn my opinion there should be an audience poll in which the audience decide wether they want this show off air or not. If majority of the viewers want to see this thats fine. Let them decide.
- Posted by LinedbasitRam yadav ji itna hi hai to tum jake dikha do jeet ke dikha do 50 lakh…………. bolna bahut assan hota hai or karna bahut muskil…..
- Posted by Yogeshkaun kahta h ki yeh show sirf pese k lye khela jata h . agar aisa h to kyu ab tak ek b participant 25 lakh tak b nai pauch paya.es serial se hume y pata chalta h k aj k zamane b ek b bapu nai h jo sach bol sake…..sabne apne jiwan m bhut raj chipha rakhe h jise sab batane m sharm mehsus karte h . sach ka samna hume y batata h ki aj koi b sacha r saaf nai h phir chahe vo teacher ho leader ho pir ya koi celebrity..A great idea of star plus for bringing sach a daring serial…….. h koi jo jeet kar dikhaye 1 crore………
- Posted by ram yadavWhen I first saw ‘The Moment of Truth’ I never thought such a show could work in India. It was way too bold and honest for the Indian audiences. Plus, I never thought anyone would volunteer to participate because this was one country where hypocricy is priceless or so I thought and I’m glad I’m wrong. All the rave about this show is not out of place, it’s reality TV at its best, and if the scribes have such problems with this show, I can’t help but wonder what kind of skeletons they are hiding in their closets. I mean if honesty can get me rich today, then I better start living a clean life.
- Posted by Bini Philipsit is really risk playing this game ,but for handsome of money how do people play it?and the producer is mahan the great really he will make money by breaking people house n off course if u so this kind of show definitely people will come to be popular n to earn some money
- Posted by pushpait is good
- Posted by Tapas P. BeheraIt’s all about money honey!!!! It is very simple to understand the “real” show. The producer wants to earn millions by making this show more controversial, more attractive and more popular. The participants know what they are going to face; an informed consent must be part of the participation procedure, so please do not blame the producers and the organizers. The participants are dying to go there to earn money and to be popular even at the cost of any worst embarrassment or problems they may face in their actual life-due to possible revelations they may make in the show. And last but not the least, for audience- it is a fresh entertainment, so be it. Those who are concerned about the after effects of this show on the “Indian culture”, are either naïve or hypocrite. They may be the first who may be eagerly waiting for such an entertaining show. Everyone has choice to watch this program or not.
- Posted by Pawan Khatawane