The "K" tears
THE ASSAULT ON “FAMILY VALUES”
HYPOCRISY PERSONIFIED
A lot is said in the media about the Saas bahu serials and a lot is left to be said …….. the propaganda from it being family serials and those profound family values it is supposed to present as also the so called political mileage some parties have taken by using the “ family oriented” characters to support their campaigns is a laugh.
The bottom line is that all that these serials propogate is adultery ( a purrrrfect justification for a marriage to another in the presence of an existing spouse ) all in the name of a kid, though one would wonder about the legal justifications of the same, and what a house full of women could not have brought her up with the motherly love which could only be given after “the marriage” to a man who in the name of love stood up against the entire family… the ease with which illegitimate children are enfolded in the FAMILY ….
The horror is not in their telecast of these serials but in the TRP ratings and the “award” functions for the tv serials which most of us are convinced are “bought for the asking”. Common one look at sites such as
www.indiatelevision.com and a look at their punching bag entries ( the term is self explanatory) surely shows the popularity of these serials by the frequency / repetition of these names ooooops terms “saas” “bahu” . Don’t think that five years back anyone in India could have spoken about these two terms in one breath.
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2004-01-31 02:54:50
Rashmi Dixit
WHAT SHALL HAPPEN IF FOLLOWING DEEDS ARE RESTRICTED IN K....... SERIALS 1) Overhearing behind walls. 2) Listening from parallel phone. 3) Doors with transperent glasses. 4) Office kept open when there is no person inside. 5)Important papers and files kept readily available
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2001-12-01 06:33:26
Parbati Rana
the serials on tv especially of ekta kapoor are awful. they are only creating misunderstanding between different kinds of realtionship . An individual must have not thought of the ideas what she is showing. and now they are all rubbish and stupid searials , nust be taken off air or changed
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2001-11-15 01:50:54
Hemant Sarin
Gosh.... the whole balaji hype is really getting too much now. In such a fast paced world where people are becoming practical, as it has taken years for a woman to break 'those created myths' by the so called soceity. Now she has decided to get them back and make the life of the women is semi-urban and rural miserable since media is a very powerful medium to influence people and their thoughts and beliefs. Somebody stop this women and tell her to make some meaningful serials and show which are progressive in nature. enough of all the meaningless timefilling gaps by showing 'flashbacks' (kskbt) and those sad tunes whenever tulsi comes of screens. Just because a particular hit the highest trp that does not mean that people will take the same shit again and again which has the same look and feel and sometimes the same characters.... there are time you get totally confused, as to see what serial we are watching
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2001-10-25 02:10:54
Dolly Rajan
hey u guys i think ekta kapoor should revisit her serial kkusum's concept or storyline. all her characters in the serial have a same problem extra marital. looks like she is against the inadian values and customs. plzzzzzzzz can someone give her some brains and tell her all marriages dont have same problem lots of arranged married couples are very happy with there married life
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2001-09-29 01:42:32
Natarajan
We, a group of 4 TV aficianados, are fed up with the kitch and cliches, with unrealistic twists dished out now in the two most hyped serials on Star Plus 'Kyonki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' and 'Ghar ghar Ki Kahani' .Thanks, to other channels,they they have given good alternatives for us during these slots, one of them is at least tolerable on Zee as 'Aap Jo bolen Haan to Haan... Naa to Naa'.If Balaji Telefilms, like their share value on the bourses, have lost shin in the creative field, then better they wind up this and start something fresh on these two slots. Till somtime back, we were also the admirers of Sony's matinee serial 'Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya', when it was going on the right track with consistency. Once a strong character like Somnath Arya is built up, it is indeed pity, that the writers and director have now reduced that icon character to a mere pitiable caricature, which does not even invoke our sympthy as he is demeaning himself and his wife accepting helplessness. If the strong character like S Arya surrenders so meekly to the absurds, then what role model they are putting before the audience? Have they not seen even earlier blockbuster films like 'Avtaar', to derive the required inspiration ? If possible, you may please convey these viewer feedback to the producers or the channels. Thanks
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2001-09-28 02:56:03
Mohan Siroya
whats gone wrong with ekta kapooor ..why do all her serials lose track n get boring be it kggk till a while back ,ksbkbt ythat one doesnt feel like watching it any longer wich is a pity coz it was a good serial ....koshish ek asha or then evebn kusu m ..in kusum why does she always have to show sorrows n pauin n more pain n more sorrows after marriage !! first her husband doesnt love her then we find out he is having an extra marital affair then her sister gets married oin the same house as she n then she starets having problems with her sister ...then as things start gettng ok with her husband ...what will happen now ..!!??? frankly speaking i dont want to know n dont care!!! all these serial make one NOT believe in the very instution of marriage !cmon ekta give us a break ....we r not foools!!!!!!
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2001-08-02 11:04:00
Kaustubh
Will anyone please put some ideas into Ekta Kapoor's fast exhausting mind. Let there be some creativity and uniqueness in serials. We are bugged of the saas-bahu tales... To add fire to that is mandira's confession in kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi - that shes pregnant and the father is mihir. now this is getting too much what does ekta kapoor think the audience is - a dumb bunch or what...to whom she can dish out any crap in the name of a story. will anyone please find some good scripts for the entertainment of the audience
Kahaani Ghar Ghar kii of late has become one of the most illogical shows of recent times after time transition.First we are giving to believe that Ajay's daughter who is at leat ten years younger than Shruti is in the same college. But inspite of some meek jusitfication, it is a hard pill to swallow. Then Krishna has passed out of college while Shruti is still in college. Either she is the female version of Pter Pan... or just too dumb. They(makers) profess that it is a 18 year transition... by that calculation, Shruti should be 30 years. But no, she is still in college(though she looks near Parvati's age is, of course a different matter altogether!!!). We swallow all this. But for the last one month, this serial has become unpalatable. There are too many rain scenes, too many near sex scenes which are not adding to the story in any case. Have the Agarwals shifted to Cherrapunji???? Except for the girl playing Monalika, the entire new generation is a collection of very bad actors.Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii has one plus point - that its actors could carry off the most inane scene with aplomb. But now, the best scenes are ruined on performance. That girl who is playing Shruti, reminds one of a fish... with her lips always parted. At first, at least she looked decent in suits, but now in her western look, her backside could even put Asha Parekh's at shame!!! The less said about the Aryan character, the better!!! To call him even a bad actor, is insulting the word 'ACTOR'. We used to be interseted in watching this serial to see the trials and tribulations of Parvati. But she is the least seen nowadays. The actress holds the screen mesmeringly, carrying off scenes just on her performance. IT it was a pleasure watching her. But now, alas, she is just in a scene or two. No wonder, the serial has tripped big time. Last, but not least, so called 'romantic scenes' between miss fish and mr. wood block, border on obscenity, that one would rather watch alternative serials than this crap. Kudos to ekta kapoor, for having guts not only to cast Mr. Wood Block as her new gen. hero, but also repeat her flop heroine of the eminently magnum opus KAHANI TERRI MERRI as Shruti. Ekta has guts and it shows in her new casting of her this seeped-in-values serial. KEEP IT UP EKTA!!!! PS : Copying Kyonki in doing the time transtion is one thing, but try to match its quality, Ekta. YOuth is not the answer... good content backed with godd actors are. Remember the forte of this serial is its old performers not htis new pack of jokers that you have cast!
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2004-01-06 09:54:31
shilpa
One is forced to think, is this all that the entertainment industry can come up with… are there such dearth of ideas and talents, where story and screenplay is concerned and why are the so called “educated” masses encouraging such a sad portrayal of women in these serials. What’s the difference between these and the “Bold and the Beautiful” which was once so widely discussed politically as propaganda of incest and taboo… if that is so I beg to ask Ms. Kapoor what is the moral behind these serials… are we headed towards liberalization or a moral hara-kiri.
Soaps that cast a spell
With a plethora of soaps to tune in to, the small screen is a major source of entertainment and relaxation, and attracts viewers across the country.
"Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki" on STAR Plus
AN AUNT of mine recently returned after a six-week tour abroad. The only thing, she said, that had remained static during the period she was away was the progress of the mega Hindi serials on television. "I could just pick up from where I left off and follow the story," she quipped, with a glint in her eyes. This seems to be the general accusation against Hindi serials that they move only at a snail's pace and have too many breaks for commercials.
I got to watching these serials only a year ago and now it has become a matter of habit with me," said Dr. Mrs. Rao of Ayanavaram. Her objection was to most serials revolving round the `other woman'. "What about women's liberation? Thrown to the winds?" She bitterly asks. The heroine, the epitome of patience, is shown waiting for her husband to return. Dr. Mrs. Rao feels that such situations are obsolete. The modern woman armed with sound education would walk out on her husband in no time. She cites "Hum Pardesi Ho Gaye" and "Kusum" on Sony TV as being `other woman' syndrome serials.
For the rest, 90 per cent of the serials are produced by Balajee Telefilms and hence, centre only round the family, focussing on mother-in-law - daughter-in-law relationships (Monopoly by one banner affords no incentive for innovation and variety) as is the case with "Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki", "Kahin Kissi Roz" and "Kyonki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi". In contrast, the South can boast of big banners like Min Bimbangal, AVM, Madras Talkies, Radaan etc., which produce regularly for the small screen. Consequently, the themes seem to be as varied as those dealing with police excesses (`Kaveri'), labour problems (`Indra'), journalists' world (`Aarti'), and the like.
The emphasis on story content is more pronounced here. Women like Bharathiyar's `Pudumai Penn' have crossed the threshold and moved away from the hearth and homes to redress wrongs and fight injustice.
The scripts are heroine-oriented and the silver screen heroines who play these lead roles provide the star value. A major drawback in both the North and South is that the artistes fail to stay committed till the end and hence change of faces for the roles is becoming increasingly common. To the dismay of viewers there was a change of hero overnight in the serial "Kalash".
Another observation is that there has been the growth of a new clan of music directors all for the Tamil small screen - Dhina, Rehan and Imam and the like. A lot of importance is attached to the title song, resulting in catchy tunes rendered by big names on the playback scene such as Kavitha Krishnamurthy, Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, Sadhana Sargam, Nityashree, S.P.B. and K. J. Yesudas. Dr.Rao confesses to enjoying watching "Kahin Kissi Roz" starring Sudha Chandran as the villainous mother-in-law.
Though styled in the mould of yesteryear film "Khoon Bhari Maang" she adds that it has enough intrigue to sustain her interest.
Businessman H. Vasudev Jumani of Egmore is very much for the commercials in between the serials. They are needed to support the programmes he claims in true business-like fashion.
From "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" on STAR Plus.
Committed to watching serials for relaxation from the DD days of soaps like "Hum Log" to the latest "Shagun" he feels the storylines are interesting. He is a faithful "STAR" gazer too and views all serials on the Star Channel from the light "Tu Tu Main Main" to "Desh Me Nikala Hoga Chand" "Kasauti Zindagi Ki" and, of course, "Kaun Banega Crorepathi." He affirms that Amitabh is Amitabh with none to equal him.
He also enjoys "Ganesh Puran" for the story and "Vishnu Puran" for the appealing manner in which they are filmed and the religious fervour they inspire.
And finally for a word with English-cum-Hindi teacher, Sudha Vyas. She says she watches Hindi serials because they eschew violence.
They revolve round the family and true-to-life problems. As they avoid obscenity they are ideal for family viewing. An additional point in their favour is that they are telecast again the next afternoon for the benefit of viewers. Her favourites are "Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki" and "Kyonki Saas Bhiu Kabhi Bahu Thi."
But what seems most evident after talking to the viewers is that families, both in the North and South, continue to avidly watch television during their spare time.
THARA MOHAN RAO
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E-MailMetro PlusThis is an article in the Hindu as far back as 2002.
This is an article from The Tribune, Chandigarh April 7, 2002.Glorifying retrogressive patternsNeelu Kang
Man for the field and woman for the hearth;
Man for the sword and for the needle she;
Man with the head and woman with the heart;
Man to command and woman to obey;
All else confusion.
— Alfred Tennyson
This is what most of the, even so-called "women-oriented", soap operas on TV project, be it Kyon Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKB), Koi Apna Sa (KAS), Saans, Kkusum, Desh Mein Nikla Ho Ga Chand (DMNC), Sanskriti, Shagun, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki (KGGK), Kasauti, Kabhi Soutein Kabhi Saheli (KSKS), Mehndi Tere Naam Ki (MTNK), Kutumb, Hum Pardesi, Ho Gaye (HPGC), Kangan, Wajood and the list goes on.
The analysis of these serials would raise many feminist issues. These serials massively disseminate the discourse on domesticity stemming from Manu’s composition of the man-woman relationship. She is helping men to achieve their goals and adjusting to man’s needs. Her life revolves around men of the family. In Sanskriti, the dead husband is the supreme mentor and life is devoted to fulfill his dreams.
The argument is that these representations glorify patriarchal values and women’s victimisation. They reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes and gender roles. Instances are unlimited e.g. neglected and deserted Tulsi’s return to her in-laws family in KSBKB or wife’s worship of the husband who rejects her and has a relationship outside marriage in Kkusum. Women are shown caught up in domesticity where they do everything for others but for themselves. In Shagun a young widow is committed to her husband and refuses to remarry because her dharma prescribes so. To top it all, to save her family honour, she becomes ready to mother the illegitimate child of her sister-in-law and declares herself as the biological mother of the child.
All serials wrapped in tradition of male chauvinism encourage women to aim for nothing more than a loving husband, happy children and a modern home. She is shown as passive and subservient portrayed as a glamour doll whose physical beauty is her only asset.
The sacrificing role of a woman in every serial is highlighted, as it poses no threat to the patriarchal structure. Women are all the time compromising and negotiating rather than refusing. The sacrificing wife of a mentally retarded husband, who goes to another woman when he becomes normal, is applauded in Koshish.
The dominant structure of patriarchy in the form of a joint family indulges in early domestication of bride. She submits not only to her husband but to her in-laws and grand-in-laws’ and this trend is found in all serials. In Des Mein Nikla...Pammi can’t dare to marry her beloved against her parents’ wishes since she is obliged to them for giving birth to her and bringing her up. Even if she rebels, she does that only to forget and forgive the man soon and hopes to have a supposedly happy relationship thereafter. She redefines her role and function only when she forcibly becomes single, e.g. in Saans, Kkusum, Kasauti..., the women only attempt to become economically independent when their men leave them. On the extreme end, the woman is shown as a bitchy character who plays politics and breaks families. This is very demeaning. A woman is projected either as a devi or a devil, a static personality. She is either docile, dependent or holy or she is a vamp who creates problems and indulges in extramarital affairs. She is arrogant, hostile, jealous and loses her anger on all other women of the family. A woman is not shown as a human being, a dynamic character, with combination of all emotions, whose temperament and attitude can change according to circumstances.
The mother-in-law and sister-in-law is always depicted in a negative manner (Kyonki Saas Bhi... Kasauti) except the grand-mother-in-law, who has mellowed down with age and is relatively empowered to control others.
The present serials can also be criticised for glorifying the concept of motherhood. A woman is pinned down through a justification of womanhood that narrowly focuses on procreation. In KSBK, KSKS, KAS and Shagun, women find themselves incomplete and useless if they are unable bear a child. On the other hand a man with seven daughters in Amanat is projected as a bechara, almost as if he has committed a crime.
Serials like Kundali, Shagun KSBKB Kkusum are emphasising superstitions and fatalism in Kkusum, Abhey gets married to Kusum only to avoid his death predicted by pandits whereas he never accepts her as his wife. In KSBKB, women are shown as superstitious and emotional and men as rational.
These soap operas affect women more simply because the latter are watching them more then men. Men spend maximum time outside whereas women are confined to home. Moreover, men like to watch horror shows like Aahat, crime shows like Bhanwar or India’s Most Wanted etc. Another reason for their immense popularity among women, particularly housewives, is that they provide already established and identifiable images appealing to their emotions and sentiments (in an over-exaggerated way). Women easily identify themselves with the character and feel their pain and rejoice in their pleasure.
However, professional women are not getting adequate representation in these serials. Rather most of them are quite sick of serial produced by Balaji Films. "Most of the serials are family-oriented, focusing only on the saas-bahu conflict. These are day-to-day problems, which every one is facing and handling in their own way. These problems will persist. Thus media should focus on some thing different", says Gurmeet, a college lecturer. "These serials cater to the emotional and psychological needs of women who are free and have nothing constructive or productive to do", says Aarti, a volunteer in an NGO. Many of these women found Saans and Kora Kagaz sensible at least in the beginning and Heena the most idiotic where a woman is shown absolutely dumb without any self-identity and self-respect. "I watch them in the beginning with the hope of some unconventional ideas to be unfolded in the up coming episodes. But gradually they all become the same", says Geeta, a lawyer. Anu, a computer engineer, finds only Ji Mantri ji on Zee TV and Buniyaad on DD worth watching.
Many women are of the opinion that these serials reflect experiences of a majority of the women. This is not true because women either as construction or domestic or as agricultural workers are not shown at all. Uneducated rural women, struggling in their day-to-day life, but at the same time economically productive, are not touched upon. Countless educated women working independently and striding ahead towards their goals are hardly shown on TV.
Even if woman’s representation in these serials is relevant and applicable to the conditions of women in general as Geeta, a housewife feels, why can’t media smash them off rather than reinforcing it? Don’t we need transformative and critical media to check it? Hasn’t the time arrived to present women in the spirit of equality with men, women redefining themselves with their own identity, self-awareness and self confidence and women recovering their loss identities. Earlier, construction of knowledge and control on production of knowledge was in male hands and the tradition was to observe women as passive objects and project then in the same way. As a result both artists and spectators got caught in the same image. Feminists advocated involvement of more women in media production because women often perceive the world differently. Asha Parekh, Aruna Irani, and Neena Gupta are producing serials as is Ekta Kapoor. But they also face fierce criticism from the educated class. They can’t be blamed as their idea of women is shaped and controlled by male discourse and they have internalised male ideology. The need of the hour is to conscentise media people and steps should be taken by women at the helm.”
And what is sad and hurts most are that women enjoy watching this serial most, what does that go to prove? Guess it just proves the old adage right that women are their own enemies and one woman can actually derive “entertainment” and “relaxation” from the plight of another as portrayed in these serials.
