Shiva-Raavi, Sai-Virat to Fateh-Tejo; Forced marriage is the new trend in Indian Television

Indian television is often labelled as cringe and monotonous. While there are many progressive and interesting shows on television, the makers continue to follow the trends to be on a safer side. 

From reincarnation tracks to sequels and cross-over of popular shows, makers often try to take the safer lane to make sure that their shows are loved by the viewers. 

Well, a new trend can be observed among the shows across the channels wherein the makers are playing around the concept of forced marriages. Initially, a couple in love but just when they are about to get married, circumstances occur and a third angle is introduced and the lead actor/actress gets married to the new person. The journey of a couple forced to get married finding love again in each other forms the crux of many shows at the moment on television. Have a look at few of the forced marriages from the current shows:

In Star Plus show Ghum Hai Kisi Ke Pyaar Meiin, just after promising Pakhi that he’ll never fall for anyone, Virat goes on a mission and loses his mentor Kamal. Kamal sacrifices his life and saves Virat from the enemy’s attack. Before dying, Kamal asks Virat to take care of his daughter Sai. Usha requests Virat to get married to Sai so that she’s in safe hands. Virat agress to the same thinking about the promise he made to Kamal.

Colors’ Udaariyaan recently had Jasmine breaking her alliance with Fateh post knowing that he lost his job in Cannada. While Fateh tries to clarify and pacify Jasmine, she doesn’t budge. Both Vrik and Sandhu family get stressed thinking about the family’s honour. They further request Fateh and Tejo to get married to each other to safeguard the family’s respect. The duo unwantedly gets hitched.

In Star Plus’ Imlie, Aditya visits Pagdandiya to cover a story as a journalist. Imlie shows him around the village. One night while the duo walks around the village, they stay in a hut as due to heavy rainfall they couldn’t return to their respective house. In the morning, the entire village gathers outside the hut and drags both Aditya and Imlie out and accuses them of having an affair. The honor of Pagdandiya would go down the drain if people come to know about a female from the village spending the entire night with a stranger. Thus, the villagers get Imlie and Aditya married on the gunpoint.

In Star Plus’ Mehndi Hai Rachne Wali, Raghav wanted to marry Pallavi so that he can welcome his Amma back home. However, Pallavi refused to marry him. Later on, Pallavi’s father gets severely ill and wishes to meet Nikhil. Raghav asks Pallavi to marry him and in return he would get Nikhil out from the police custody and hence to make her father happy, Pallavi agrees to marry Raghav.

In Pandya Store, Dev loves Rishita and not Raavi, this fact was revealed to the Pandya family only after Dev and Raavi’s wedding was fixed. However, on the wedding day, Rishita reaches the Pandya house and announces her love for Dev, Dev too couldn’t stop himself from admitting his love for Rishita and hence the family members decide to get Dev and Rishita married. In the meanwhile, Raavi tries to commit suicide as she gets to know that her wedding with Dev has been broken. Thinking that girls whose wedding gets cancelled doesn’t get good prospect grooms, Dhara decides to get Raavi married to Shiva.

Apart from the above, there are lead couples like Anant-Gehna (Saath Nibhana Saathiya), Veer- Rani (Apna Time Bhi Aayega) and Sidhi- Shiva (Baawra Dil) who have also faced forced marriages.

Well, it can be assumed that audience find it interesting to see how lead characters who are poles apart eventually stand for each other, start liking and caring for each other and lastly falling in love. 

This seems to be the tried and tested formula with older shows in the history of Indian televion faring well with the same concept. Shows like Kutumb starring Hiten Tejwani and Gauri Pradhan to Kumkum: Ek Pyaara Sa Bandhan starring Hussain Kuwajerwala and Juhi Parmar gained extreme popularity with the same central idea.