How a 'LEAP' is used as an EXCUSE to stereotype Indian TV shows!

Just when things don't seem to be working fine, a 'leap' is introduced.

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Kunal Nirmal Kothari

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The battle between content and stereotypical presentation on television continues to intensify with ages passing by. Shows come, shows go, but the war is always on.

The makeshift is surely happening, but the pace is slower than that of a snail. Courtesy, the urge to be competitive and successful, several content-driven presentations have succumbed to run-of-the-mill viewing when it comes to Indian television.

Today, I would like to highlight how several shows were launched with a lot of promises, but turned out to be everything we never wanted them to be.

Time and again, a LEAP has been introduced as an excuse to cope up with the number game, however, what follows is most often than not, quintessential drama.

The Beginning is the Best Part


Before talking about anything, the least thankful we can be is to the fact that we've seen the phase where TV was dominated by shows like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii to present age, where we have shows like P.O.W - Bandi Yuddh Ke and Beyhadh among others.

Apart from them, there have been several shows in recent times which were launched with a lot of promises and expectations - Uttaran, Udaan and more recently,Naamkarannto name a few. These shows not only caught the attention immediately had everyone applauding the sheer guts that it takes to take up unconventional concepts for celluloid presentation.

The Initial Days Could Have Been Better


Be it Uttaran or Udaan, the idea of both the shows were undeniably a winner in the first place. From a show being about a maidservant's daughter who is deprived of materialistic things and is friends with a rich girl to a show about a little girl going against the autocratic and unjust ruling in her village; the sheer truth was brought before the masses and child actors, Sparsh Khanchandani and Spandan Chaturvedi couldn't have done it better.

Then comes the 'Need' to PLEASE everyone


However, things begin to degrade herein and the makers along with the channel decide that 'Ok, we have decent viewership; but how do we get decent to become immense.' This desire is fulfilled by doing what everyone does and there goes 'Run-Of-The-Mill.'

A LEAP, marketed as the 'Leap of Faith'


Almost every other TV show has adapted the format of presenting a leap in order to spice up things or increase drama. From a 15 days leap to 24-years leap, we have seen it all. However, when a show is unable to sustain viewership for being 'real' and 'straight', a leap comes to the rescue.

For example, once the leap was introduced in Udaan or Uttaran, it was all about how X person was plotting against Y person and how there was betrayal, drama, tears, and of course, some gobsmackingly illogical sequences. I mean, from being a show about the 'udaan' of Chakor (Spandan Chaturvedi/Meera Deosthale), the show now focuses on the complicated love stories of the four leads. And that's not it, there have been more such shows - Balika Vadhu, Kaala Teeka and Veera to name a few.

Naamkarann justified it all overwhelmingly


While some makers may vehemently deny the above 'allegations', things couldn't have been more obvious when it comes to Star Plus' drama Naamkarann. We still remember how pleasantly surprised all of us were with the initial episodes of the show, which showcased a little girl's struggle to have an identity along with her mother who also doesn't have a real identity due to her husband's secret life. The next thing we know is little Avni (Arsheen Naamdar) was shown scheming, hating, disrespecting and even being cruel towards Dayawanti (Reema Lagoo). And when all that did not seem enough, the ingenious trend was ready to be adopted by this show too. At one point, the actors from the show even confessed that they were forced to spice up the show in order to sustain and even increase viewership.

Soon, a leap was introduced where Avni (Aditi Rathore) is vengeful with the assistance of Neela (Sayantani Ghosh) and has multiple possible love angles with Neil (Zain Imam) and Ali (Gautam Vig). The unconventional drama became bluntly conventional and how!

The Sad Truth

Taking all this into account and cribbing about it doesn't deny that one sad and disheartening truth. The truth that this change actually works for the show and the makers. When a show gets stereotypical and over-dramatic, that's when viewers, somehow, get intrigued. The ratings of all the above shows were fair till they showed unconventional content, but increased visibly after going conventional and mainstream..

We were fortunate to witness a show like P.O.W - Bandi Yuddh Ke on television, but did we make the most of it? Absolutely not! The ratings were negligible and we switched over to cringe-worthy sagas otherwise.

It's about Time that the Change happens

The transition period in media has begun and the digital boom is the best example for it, where genuinely good content is finally getting appreciated. However, it's about time that the same happens for the masses and the idiot box doesn't stay idiot anymore.

What do you feel about the same? Leave in your comments below..

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Jennifer Winget

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Barkha Bisht Sengupta

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Sakshi Tanwar

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Purab Kohli

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Sparsh Khanchandani

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Kushal Tandon

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Spandan Chaturvedi

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Zain Imam

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Meera Deosthale

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Arsheen Naamdar

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Aditi Rathore

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Gautam Vig

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi poster

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi

Uttaran poster

Uttaran

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Veera

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Balika Vadhu

P.O.W. - Bandi Yuddh Ke poster

P.O.W. - Bandi Yuddh Ke

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Beyhadh

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Naamkarann

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Udaan

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Comments (53)

Looking forward to the makar sankrati sequence in Udaan. Vijayendra Kumeria and Meera Deosthale are doing a great job

6 years ago

agreeed compltly.. but then there are sum shows which being conventional,, scripts out most unconventional plots. for say Naamkarann, evn after the leap, the show lives up to the nayi soch of the society.. t exceptional story line & ofcrz the actors DITI, ZAIN, SAYANTANI & evry1 are doing a grttt job. & i'm jus more addicted to the show than was bfr leap

6 years ago

Love watching Udaan, Vijayendra Kumeria, Meera Deosthale, Sai Ballal, Vikas Bhalla and the rest of the cast are doing a great job.

6 years ago

Naamkarann after leap has definitely been worth it fr sure

6 years ago

The leap in Naamkarann was inevitable there is only so much that can be shown with child actors. Avni by the way had every reason to hate Dayawanti. the woman made her life miserable and tried to kill her repeatedly. Daya was no saint. I'm glad the leap worked for this show, Zain Imam, Aditi Rathore, Gautam Vig and Sayantani Ghosh have been a treat to watch!!!

6 years ago

IF...great article. Spoke the truth. This has been the case of Indian tv for more than a decade. If you see the shows, you will understand how the different shows give the same stale material year after year. There is nothing called connecting with viewers. The Indian tv has stereotyped women . Made her tyaag ki murat. Males are shown either mute or aggressive. Same old traditions ka chakkar jo banaye sabko ghanchakkar. If a new or different concept is introduced either they shut down due to low trps or the entire concept is changed and same old stuff is introduced . In the quest for TRP any non sense can be introduced. Be it blavk magic chudial or lots of crying ...or fashion fest... The disclaimer should also contain one more point esp for Indian tv shows.
Pls shut your brain while watching the show.

Those who are saying that people are commenting in support due to low trps of their fav show.Let me make it clear, Truth is truth whether you accept it or not. The Indian tv needs a revamp. Insead of shuttting shows. Shut the channels...revamp it fully . Introduce shows which brains can grasp. Entertainment means something positove not negative.

6 years ago

Naamkaran, zain imam and aditi rathore are the best in everything

6 years ago

aditi Rathore Zain imam naamkaran love you

6 years ago

Pow bandi yudh ke was indeed a finest presentation on Indian television in years . It deserved more but sadly it looks like our tv viewing audience just don't wanna adapt to new & different story lines .

6 years ago

Sure, leaps in most shows seem overrated and bring back everything that we've already seen in Indian TV. I think Naamkaraan is breaking the mould and talking issues that needs to be brought to light in an Indian society. Life is not about a wedding that lasts 3 months. Spare us the drama and the nautanki of watching this crap. Please allow shows that are bringing a Nayi Soch to breathe and break through the stereotypes.

6 years ago

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