Long back, way before
even DD metro came, there was a serial....PACHPAN KHAMBEIN LAAL
DEEWAREIN...starring Mita Vashishth and Aman Verma...It revolved around the
emotions of a young man for an older woman....Mita Vashishth made a huge
impression in my mind, playing a powerful role...
I happened to have a
quick look at an absurd diabolical serial about a dead lover coming back to
seek revenge...Just wondered, that inspite of being technologically backward,
non-digital, simple days almost more than 25 years back, even the content
on TV was far more futuristic and meaningful. That was the time Indian
television was warming up to some really good content. Rich in stories, an
amazing collection of actors and some truly engaging storytelling meant that
the television was the place to be.
It's such a nuisance
(strictly my personal opinion)...the sanskari bahu with her angelic traits ,
the sasuma with streaks of white hair and evil plans, the vamp with her gaudy
fashion sense, lavish sets, close ups of the cast (well, way too close) and of
course an overdose of melodrama. Put in a ghost and lo! You have a soap with
top TRPs...Almost all of them are strikingly similar and predominantly clichéd.
Each episode begins with a five minute introductory recap, followed by ten
minutes of commercial break and around ten minutes of the actual serial. And as
though this wasn’t enough, these ten minutes actually lack any progress in
story!
There aren’t any shades
of grey in the characters. The adarsh bahu wins over everyone’s heart, performs
all good deeds. Then there's the stream of dadis, nanis, buas, maasis and the
endless supply of relatives who are ready to celebrate, dance, rejoice and
cause enough problems to the demure bahu. Throw in the designer saris, the
trademark mangalsutra and the glob of sindoor and you have a TOP serial ..The naagins,
tantrics, witches, ghosts and signs of good and bad omens add more spice to the
already flavoured plots..
Maybe life is too easy
now because of the availability of domestic helps and of processed food that
are ready to eat, and people have enough time .. These soaps are the best way
to keep people occupied (you can count me out if this list). For some, like who
have a busy life in joint families, these soaps are an avenue to be part of
another world...Especially for a home-maker, caught in the duties of a wife,
daughter in law and mother, who isn’t an office-goer and has limited
interaction with the broader society, these soaps not only entertain her, but
have also become an integral part of her life...
All explained, I
wonder, isn’t it time the regressive nonsense metamorphose into something more
meaningful and realistic?
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