"Reality" Bite : Part-2

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.

"Reality" Bite : Part-1

Post Ramayan and Hum Log era, Indian television has undergone transformations in leaps and bounces. In the early nineties, having channels DD1 and DD2 were considered a luxury. I remember my childhood days when every Saturday and Sunday I sat in front of the television to watch He-Man, Mahabharat, the afternoon regional movie and the evening Bollywood movie. The shrill sound from the rainbow colored screen on DD1 and the Hindustani music telecasted as a mark of respect for two days after the death of an eminent political leader were considered synonymous with Indian television. As I see it today, television was considered innocent. Limited and watchable programming lured us to the television screen every week slowly becoming a part of our mundane life.

The late nineties experienced the introduction of satellite television, opening the flood gates for more than a dozen channels. From an univision programming of news, soap operas, epic series and movies we moved to specific viewership format, where each category of programming had its own channel. With time the epic series and regional movies on weekends were taken over by daily soaps; the Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and the Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The innocence was being lost by shows depicting family feuds, vendetta, murder, horror, infidelity and excessive emotions. What's surprising is that the TRP's were at their highest during this period. Gone were the days of Nukkad, a simple and joyful tale dealing with the struggles of the youth to make a living in a harsh social and economically challenging environment. We related to characters of Kadar Bhai, Dhukia, Khopadi, Ganpath Hawaldar and many more, who played real life character, who had real life problem and expressed real life emotions.

The dawn of the 21st century again brought about a big transformation to television in India. It bought in the MTV culture, which captivated the youth of the nation and exposed it to the vast pool of music, fashion and celebrities. India as a whole was undergoing a revolutionary transformation in every field, from science, sports, commerce to fashion. People were slowly getting exposed to western culture through television and print media. Television show anchors underwent a lingual switch from Hindi to English. Daily soaps had moved from crowded society locations to villas. Actors and actresses were traveling in Mercedes and BMW’s with their cycles, bus passes and rickshaws stored in some far away abandoned warehouse. The traditional Indian attire was replaced with D&G, Armani and other famous Indian fashion houses. On a whole the colors of Indians television had shifted from black and white to high definition!

This high definition society was flaunting its new avatar (identity) to the world. International programs and news made us more aware of our surrounding. Kids spoke fluent English thanks to cartoon network, a young techi was accustomed to the British and American accent thanks to Friends and Yes Minister and a home maker decorated her shack into a palace thanks to teleshopping networks and home keeping programs. These are just few of the examples how the transformation of television in India changed the face of the country. All these changes were welcomed with open arms with few cries of hypocrisy. Until……………..

"What's In The Name"

62 years after Independence we are still fixated to one parivar, the Gandhi parivar. India's obsession to this family has grown in recent year under the rule of the congress at the center and most states throughout India. The Gandhi parivar after independence has given many famous personalities from Jawaharlal Nehru to Sonia Gandhi. Admissibly these personalities have shaped India's future and are considered iconic figures of the Indian political system. But does this give their political party and family the right to consider themselves as the first family of India or to be even more caustic, the monarch of India's politics?

The obsession to name renowned institutions, roads, airports and structural landmarks on famous personalities has been abused by many political parties. Statues have been erected and roads have been renamed by every new government to symbolize their significance and dominance. A situation has come where such acts of dedications are no more a privilege but a symbol of pride.

Recently in Mumbai, the Bandra-Whorli seal link was inaugurated after being conceptualized in 1962 and tendered in 2000. Under the congress government in the state, the bridge was named .. guess what ? .... Rajiv Gandhi Sethu !! One more dedication to the late Rajiv Gandhi. Just a year back the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh had named the new international airport ... again .... Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. After some research , I found out that there are two airports under that same name. Added to this there are technical institutions, universities, a cancer research center under his name. Such similar examples can be found under the name of Jawahlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi .

We cannot blame only one political party for abusing such a tribute. Recently, the queen of dalith has erected 7 statues of herself including a new 18 ft statue around 100ft pillars. The Marata-Hindu party in Maharashtra have also misused the name game for their benefits by changing development program names which reflect their contributions. Overnight change in roads names to their icons, the mighty Marata ruler Shivaji and the renowned freedom fighter Veer Savarkar shows examples of the importance given to name games to express ones prevalence and significance in the eyes of the citizens.

Today this very caucus cries foul for naming the Bandra-Whorli sea link after the late prime minister. What is their alternative ?.... Veer Savarkar sethu !! Can we ever look at the big picture ? Why cannot we just name it Bandra-Whorli Sea Link, Sea Necklace or Mumbai Bridge (suggested by a friend). We dont see famous monuments like the Golden Gate Bridge or the London Bridge named Clinton bridge or Princess Diana Bridge! If a dedications has to be made for this bridge in Mumbai, why not in the name of someone who relates and is acceptable to the nation.. why not to the mortars of Mumbai terror attack ? Why not the iconic Sachin Tendulkar who himself hails from Mumbai ? Why do we have to politicise everything ?

This structural monument is a dedication to the technological advancement of India in infrastructure development and politicizing such a monument will lose the essence of its purpose and importance. As Shakespeare had once said : " what's in a name?- Where Juliet tell Romeo that a name is an artificial and meaningless convention" This one line encapsulates the struggle and tragedy of the famous play which reflects the similar struggle to overcome India's fixation and political prejudice towards names.