Monday, September 19, 2005

Are we really entertained on Television? Part-I

When it comes to television programming related to entertainment I feel that we r steadily going downhill. Before saying something about present situation let’s have a look when it all started.

Unit the early eighties it was Radio in form of Vividh Bharti which ruled the roost for any sort of entertainment. At that point of time all we have in the name of entertainment on TV was a regular dose of Hindi Movies & our fav biweekly Chitrahaar.

In 1982 when Asiad happened for the first time we saw programming in colour. Few years later the era of television soaps started with the success of Hum Log a serial, which shared the joys & sorrow of Indian middle class. It was followed by another hugely successful serial Buniyaad based on the story woven around partition era. Then came serials based on epics like Ramayna & Mahabharta which captivated Indian audience for few years.
The success of these serial started an era of soaps which is continuing till date. In the late nineties our national broadcaster DD was joined by new cable channels like DD Metro Star Plus, Sony & Zee.

So what these channels have really offered us in past few years?
A host of serials enacting the same saas bahu saga, family intrigues in so called joint business family with full of 3rd, 4th & 5th angles !. Such was the regular dose of these multi vitamin capsules in the lives of section of our population consisting mostly of housewives that they became addicted to it. Indians always love melodrama so there was enough twists & turns put in by the likes of Ekta Kapoor’s to keep them interested weeks after weeks soaring the TRP ratings of their umpteenth K….. products.

But my question to these money monger production houses is straight & simple.
What is their creativity quotient?
Why all the serials have same plot, same type of characters & a same feel!
It ‘s a shame on the successful soap directors that even with so much success they failed to do something new, something more challenging. I agree that creativity is not always accompanied by the success but then there was no effort at all from their side. Their brethren from other section of media have fared much better!
Look at the advertising industry!
Our advertisements are just world class! Not only they have come up with innovative ideas every now & then but at the same time they have thoroughly entertained us. Bollywood is still formula prone but still there is new breed of directors who have avoided the clichés & given us something fresh to ponder upon…

But why I have been forced to write my post on this subject. Not because of these serials! I hardly see any of them. My main anger is directed on another breed of television programming which is the IN THING today.
More about it in my next part !!

To be continued…

9 comments:

Urvashi said...

I just hate all the serials that are churned out by Ekta Kapoor and others of her ilk. When I was in Hyderabad, I had no choice but to "hear" the TV blaring the stupid dialogues and teh over teh top music, as my father watches all these silly soap operas. But now in Bombay, thank God there's no one watching these bekaar serials!
I agree with you about Indian ads. They are way ahead of their Western counterparts. In fact Western ads have nothing to do with the product they are supposed to advertise!
Waiting for the next part now. :)

saurav said...

I agree with what 'PR' said....I dont watch soaps ....

PuNeEt said...

hey dear I had posted a comment on Saturday...wondering how it didnt appeared ...

neways here I go

Hey nice one dude…
I agree and disagree…
Hehehehhee

Vivid Bharti and Chitrahaar ruled coz there was no competition…
Audience were left with no option…
I know how crazy I used to be to watch Chitrahaar…
I don’t know about the radio (FM) quality there but in Mumbai it rocks…
It’s awesome…
We have 4-5 radio channels and believe me they are just too good…

But I agree with you on the serials front…
I can’t stand those saas bahu’s hopeless dramas…
Good we have banned all such serials at our home…

Why all the serials have same plot, same type of characters & a same feel
I agree… all are the same…

But still they sell… thanks to the Indian women crowd…

It ‘s a shame on the successful soap directors that even with so much success they failed to do something new, something more challenging
How do u define successful…
They are successful coz they are making big money by selling scrap…
That is what they can offer… its people who have made them successful…

They have not failed to do something new… they have never tried… coz they don’t have to… their old formulae are yet running… y would they experiment with something new… Its business dude…

Coming to advertising industry…
Ye they are too pathetic… except for a few advertisements… most of them are utterly hopeless and no match to the international ads and creativity

Manish Kumar said...

Nice to know PR that we have similar views on the issue!:)

Manish Kumar said...

I agree with what 'PR' said....I dont watch soaps ....

U r intelligent dude :)

Manish Kumar said...

hey dear I had posted a comment on Saturday...wondering how it didnt appeared ...

May be that u did not pass word verification test :)

Vivid Bharti and Chitrahaar ruled coz there was no competition…
Audience were left with no option…


I completely agree Puneet! Thats why i have written that At that point of time all we have in the name of entertainment on TV was a regular dose of Hindi Movies & our fav biweekly Chitrahaar.

As for Metro FM channels I was a regular listener of Times FM when it started with fanfare in Delhi! The programming was too good!

Serial fronts u feel the same so we r agreeing 90 % he he he

As for advertising I have seen some of the euoropean & rusian channels ! and comparing their advt to ours I still believe that we r more innovative & creative than them.anyway 10% diff chalega :) :)

Dawn said...

I have no difference of opinion with u manish....I totally agree and feel sorry for those who stick like glue to the Idiot Box.

Am amazed someone came up with this..:)
glad it was U

cheers!

Manish Kumar said...

thx DON! waise ye batao tumhare naye ghar mein Indian TV channels aate hain kya?

Anonymous said...

Even i don't like these saas bahu serials. I like the serials which are based on reality like indion idol.