Indian TV,comes of age !!
Indian TV,has come a long way,over the last nearly four decades,since when it started in early seventies( cover Story-India Today, Aug 10,2009 )
Initially there was nothing besides Krishi Darshan,Phool Khilen Hein Gulshan Gulsan and the weekly Sunday movie and then came the mother of all soups,Hum Log & Buniyyad, followed by the great epic serials Mahabharat & Ramayan.In between we had few other memorable ones like Ek Kahani, Mungari Lal ,Bharat Ek Khooj & Malgudi days.
The real boom,however,on the small screen came with Ekta Kapoor’s K series of soaps,with juicy stories,full of split personality characters which could put Jackel and Hyde to shame.I am extremely grateful to Ekta ,for sparing Baa,of innumerable affairs,countless marriages,multiple divorces ,illegitimate children and never ending skeletons in the backyard
Following soon were the reality shows,few of which like Sa Re Ga Ma and Indian Idol,gave us few great singers.Others like Boogie Boogie, Laughter Challenge,brought dancing ,comedy and other hidden stars of India,to the forefront,and provided a platform to the common people,to show their talent at a national and international level.Few others,like Big Boss, Roadies, Splitz Villa etc,were introduced and focused on the younger generation,depicting the bitchy life and the rivalry amongst the competitors,spiced with most unwarranted foul language on screen.This phase also saw some good satirical comedies like Sarabhai verses Sarabhai ,Tu Tu Mai Mai & Office Office .
While the K series of family melodrama,were ordered to be put off the ventilator,a new series of soaps emerged,on regional culture,specially of Gujarat,Rajasthan and Bihar.Majority of the serials today are of a good standard and have great entertainment value .Many of these ,running presently ,like Balika Vadhu, Agaley janam ,Na Aana Is Desh Laado & Mitwa are focusing on social evils and issues likes female infanticide,child marriage,premarital sex, empowerment of woman & widow remarriage.Other good ones,on air at present are Bandini, Ladies Special, Jyoti , Eh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Utran & India Got Talent .Besides this,we cannot forget someother good programmes on news channels,like We The People & The Big Fight.Two channels that have shown commendable popularity in a very short time are Colors and NDTV Imagine .
But the two serials that need special mention are Rakhee Ka Swamwar & Sach Ka Saamna.Both of these have received the maximum attention ,since while the first was a really unique idea,the other is the most daring,and has in fact crossed the limits of social norms,compelling one to think of a regular censor Board for the idiot box !
The TV industry of India is as big as Bollywood,if not more,and with so many good serials,soups and programmes on various channels,the channels do have a tough time,keeping the TRP high.We keep blaming the channels,for the verbal,conceptual and visual contents of the episodes,but continue to watch them.So they give,what sells,and are encashing on the viewers taste well.The only thing that I cant understand,is that why do all channels,show their best programme at the same time,It may be compitition,or marketing logic,but am sure that if the channels plan,and spread their programmes,in a manner,that the timings of the best programme of at least three-four channels don’t clash,then the TRP of many more will go up significantly.
Dr Sanjay Kapoor