The affinity to reality shows was overshadowing the mundane daily soaps. This pandemic as I put it started from the prime time hit Kaun Banega Crorepathi an adaptation of the famous American shows Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. India found a new reason to be glued to the television Monday through Thursday, watching people being asked questions for thousands of dollars (lakhs of rupees) by none other than Amitab Bachchan. This initiated a deluge of game shows based on similar format.
Over the years, Indian television was flooded with channels and reality shows. Shows like MTV Roadies, Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao (I am a celebrity.. get me out) where people and celebrities are asked to perform outrageous tasks for money and were challenged mentally and physically for monetary rewards catapulted the ratings. Shows like Indian Idol, Sa re ga ma, India’s Got Talent etc opened new doors for people like you and me to show our talent. Shows like Big Brother (originally also called Big Brother) and Khatharo Ke Khiladi ( Fear Factor) have given forgotten cinema and television personalities to come back on the small screen and stake a claim for revival.
Recently one more adaptation of a famous American reality shows called The Moment of Truth was introduced to the ever eager Indian audience called Sacch Ka Samana, where celebrities and the aam admi ( common people) come on the show and face a lie detector test. A scary thought for many but to my surprise this show has already spurred so many controversies. The most interesting one which provoked me to write this blog was a cry from the house of the parliament, which is being assembled for the Budget session and debate.... yes budget, but somewhere somehow our dear politicians wanted to debate on the acceptability of such a show on Indian television. Their allegations stand as mentioned: Anti-Indian, instigate infidelity and foul behavior, has sexual content, against Indian culture and unethical!!! Now, beat this, the government has accepted to debate on this topic and has slapped a show cause notice on the television channel broadcasting the show.
Are our politicians going to decide what we are and we are not supposed to watch? Where were these representatives when they aired shows like Big Brother and Khatharo Ke Khiladi where people are asked to eat insects and kill animals as part of their task, where contestants men and women were made to live under the same roof for months while the nations watches their every move. Where were the sentiments of ethics and culture when celebrities in Big Brother were physically bonding (if you know what I mean) and physically abusing others participants. What about the foul languages and derogatory statements made in such shows? Aren’t such acts against our culture and instigating foul behavior among the viewers? No one in the parliament said anything when one of their own, a popular Mahasrashtrian politician participated in one of these shows? They do not cry foul when a married man takes part in a televised swayamwara of t a controversial item girl? Isn’t that promoting infidelity? Why such hypocrisy when it comes to this new show?
Where did these politicians go when various english and regional channels were screening feature films containing sexual content, infidelity etc. Where did they go when fashion networks were broadcasting provocative shows with skinny pale skin models walking the ramp with minimal clothes? Where did these politicians go when American soap operas, which are based on deceit, infidelity and sex, were telecasted in the afternoon for the entertainment of home makers? Wasn’t that exposing the Indian nari (women) to anti-Indian culture? They speak about having regulated viewing and time table for certain shows based on their censor rating. I wasn’t aware that our notion of anti-culture and anti-Indian changes based on the hour of the day. Why now that our representatives want to bite into our pie?
I believe in this day and age you, me and all the parents are responsible enough to be aware of the contents in a television show. We are well prepared to face the realities of life and own responsibilities to our actions. I would rather have my parents tell me what to watch and what not to rather than the Babu’s in Delhi. What is wrong in people coming on television to tell the truth? What is wrong if they want to make some money in the bargain of may be being publicly humiliated? It was their personal choice to stand up in front of billions of people and wash their dirty linen.
Are we so scared to tell the truth, when one of the founding pillars of our nations is Sathya Mai Vijay. A nation which boosts of following Gandhi's principles is governed by politicians who are afraid to face the truth. I wonder if any politician will dare to sit on the hot seat and be under the lie detector and prove that we are not a nation of cowards and liars. We are not a nation with skeletons in the closest. We are not a nation who are afraid of facing the reality and own responsibilities for our mistakes.
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