Let's wash our hands of the soaps....

Let's wash our hands of the soaps?

Our correspondent is fed up — she wants the old serials to get up and go — somewhere, anywhere

Shailaja Bajpai

New Delhi, December 11: Look at the prime time shows on cable and satellite TV channels and what do you see? You see Tulsi growing more maternal (Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thhi) and fretting forever over Karan instead of husband Mihir; you see Parvati, dressed in white (just to remind you that's the colour for widows) taking on her family again (Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki); you see Prerna (again) battling it out with Anurag and Mr.Bajaj (after marriage she could have taken his first name?) and now her son, Prem, too (Kasauti Zindagi Kay); you have a dead Sujal, a reborn Sujal and an impostor Sujal all revolving before a perplexed Kashish's eyes (Kahin To Hoga); you have Jassi throwing herself (yet again) at Arman (Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin); you have Dr.Simran at a complete loss without her eyesight — and that goes for the viewer too...

You may be surprised to know that the most watched shows, despite all the buzz around reality and talent hunt shows, are still the old daily soaps. Sure, you will find that viewership has declined for most of them (and so has our interest) but they are holding on to a loyal public no matter how bizarre and strange they become.

Fact is, you really do not know what is going on. Okay, let's rephrase that — you no longer know why what is happening is happening. It's all completely confusing. The best example of this is Jassi... which has gone from being the most 'fun' show on TV to possibly the most depressing and tearful.

It's like Kyunki Saas... becoming a comedy tomorrow (oh yes, please). And the new look Jassi is no where as good to look at as the bespectacled Jassi. You're unable to understand why the producers changed track on what was a perfectly good and enjoyable show and now has Jassi and Arman acting like wet blankets. As for their chemistry... what chemistry? Similarly, Tulsi's endless love affair with her 'son' Karan has been going on far too long. She's always looking for ways to exonerate him and blame Mihir. This daily is the most popular show on TV but there's been a sharp decline in the storyline and the performances. Just as in Jassi you no longer want to watch the long suffering Arman, you're rain-checking on Ba and Co. Dr.Simran, who was such a positive character model, is now positively blind to the fact that we don't really want to watch her any longer. She's lost that vision thing she had brought to TV dramas. And the vibes between Abhi and her (when they do appear together) was over the moment they remarried. For the life of the show, you cannot comprehend why she had to go blind, in what way this condition has contributed to renewed interest in the show. Incomprehensible. We could take up other serials but let's not belabour the point. Instead, we must ask some questions: isn't it time the old favorites moved over and made space for others? Isn't their time drawing to a close? TV channel executives will point to the ratings and say the shows are still very popular, so why drop a good thing? Well, not drop them but maybe jig a revamp of schedules, so that prime time soaps offer us something alternative?

We have a recent spate of new entrants across channels: India Calling (Star One), Ek Ladki Anjani Si (Sony), Kittu Hai Jo Sab Janti Hai (Sahara). They are young and strive to be different. All look to break the mould — and the strangelhold of the family soap.
So there is hope — yet.