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I am writing this as a venture not to desecrate any one but to decry the present scenario of trp hunt. I was in a search for articles regarding this theme in many leading magazines but failure to find any resulted in this write up. My issue is broadcast material during prime time in many leading channel corporations. We, as an audience in India are presumably either gullible or we don’t ever get bored by stereotypes. There is no other logical conclusion to explain the current trend or trends in the content that is being aired on television.
We have had phases where the doordarshan reigned supreme. The quality of broadcast was technically at fault but the soaps and the sitcoms that we were fed with were an audience’s treat. The stalwarts of today were minnows then beginning with The King Khan and the Queen of theatrics Azmi, they were willing to don grease for roles that were meaty albeit less lucrative. And more importantly, the actresses of yesteryears did not venture into television and drama except in gossip magazines or news reels. The boom of satellite television is not singularly responsible for the increase in stereotypical sitcoms. The culprit is the audience that feeds directly from Ekta Kapoor’s hand. She offers household stories and throws in a pinch of voodoo spirits and black magic and as if to ice the cake she names it with a weirdly spelt “K”
The essence of this dissertation is not about the soaps that are being broadcast but the reality shows and the talent hunts that are being organized. I was either knocked out or it is a time warp I have been in, since when did item numbers gain a respectable place in the eyes of the viewer so much that Zee is unhesitatingly offering to reach out to new “talent” that can gyrate better and (un) dress well. It is not the concept in itself that is shocking but the fact that it has a great reception and tremendous response is very enlightening towards the priorities that women today have. Gone are the days when women’s lib activists raised slogans to ban the unnecessary exploitation of women in commercials. It all seems a distant past when Deepa Mehta’s venture was canned and never shown the light of day. We are stepping into a more civilized India where its women will not think twice before they striptease on television. Surprisingly, the striptease is not for money, but to get selected to the next round. Any human being of a judge can’t but give in to banal instincts that he(or she ) has for some fun filled moments with the participants in exchange for a few favors.
The casting couch always existed in Indian cinema but to publicize it in the name of a talent search is the best ever form of advertising that it can get. Well Indian women are sure confusing. I guess it is with the age. If you are young and have a figure to kill for, then you can go to the Item Number search show, if you are on the wrong side of age then you can watch or make a big fuss about exploitation of women in the Parliament. It would be prudent if many activists like Swaraj, Uma and Mankad tuned on to the talent show before yelling “censor”. Exactly what do we need to censor, the programme or the participation , the concept or the reception to it , and finally whom are they trying to uplift, the bpl families- they do not need any upliftment, they need food. The affluent are the ones ready to striptease. That leaves us the bourgeoisie, well if not for us who can explain the high trp ratings!!
By
Oruganty
We have had phases where the doordarshan reigned supreme. The quality of broadcast was technically at fault but the soaps and the sitcoms that we were fed with were an audience’s treat. The stalwarts of today were minnows then beginning with The King Khan and the Queen of theatrics Azmi, they were willing to don grease for roles that were meaty albeit less lucrative. And more importantly, the actresses of yesteryears did not venture into television and drama except in gossip magazines or news reels. The boom of satellite television is not singularly responsible for the increase in stereotypical sitcoms. The culprit is the audience that feeds directly from Ekta Kapoor’s hand. She offers household stories and throws in a pinch of voodoo spirits and black magic and as if to ice the cake she names it with a weirdly spelt “K”
The essence of this dissertation is not about the soaps that are being broadcast but the reality shows and the talent hunts that are being organized. I was either knocked out or it is a time warp I have been in, since when did item numbers gain a respectable place in the eyes of the viewer so much that Zee is unhesitatingly offering to reach out to new “talent” that can gyrate better and (un) dress well. It is not the concept in itself that is shocking but the fact that it has a great reception and tremendous response is very enlightening towards the priorities that women today have. Gone are the days when women’s lib activists raised slogans to ban the unnecessary exploitation of women in commercials. It all seems a distant past when Deepa Mehta’s venture was canned and never shown the light of day. We are stepping into a more civilized India where its women will not think twice before they striptease on television. Surprisingly, the striptease is not for money, but to get selected to the next round. Any human being of a judge can’t but give in to banal instincts that he(or she ) has for some fun filled moments with the participants in exchange for a few favors.
The casting couch always existed in Indian cinema but to publicize it in the name of a talent search is the best ever form of advertising that it can get. Well Indian women are sure confusing. I guess it is with the age. If you are young and have a figure to kill for, then you can go to the Item Number search show, if you are on the wrong side of age then you can watch or make a big fuss about exploitation of women in the Parliament. It would be prudent if many activists like Swaraj, Uma and Mankad tuned on to the talent show before yelling “censor”. Exactly what do we need to censor, the programme or the participation , the concept or the reception to it , and finally whom are they trying to uplift, the bpl families- they do not need any upliftment, they need food. The affluent are the ones ready to striptease. That leaves us the bourgeoisie, well if not for us who can explain the high trp ratings!!
By
Oruganty
Funeral service by Ganty> at 3:25 PM
