Froth over the soap ladies

TV serials have been portraying women as querulous and vicious. And some viewers are protesting.

They bicker, they scheme, they pick up paramours at random. This is the way most Indian TV serials portray women. And so, it could be a Urvashi Dholakia spouting venom, a Shweta Kawatra plotting mischief, a Vinitha Vasu playing the role of a dominating shrew — whatever the role, the woman is often shown as someone who has made it her business in life to create trouble.

The State Women Commission in MP has recently issued notices to Ekta Kapoor, following hundreds of complaints from women all over the state voicing their concern about the corrupting influence of her serials.

Their contention — 'The women in her soaps are either conspiring against each other or busy conducting extra-marital affairs'. Portraying women in this manner has a damaging influence on those who watch such serials. Bangaloreans are furious about the way TV soaps are handled.

Vanitha Vasu, TV and film actress who has played negative roles in serials, which includes an Ekta Kapoor TV serial says, "For us, it is just a role, and I think that viewers are much above imitating stars these days. But yes, I used to get upset portraying a role of something that I'm not.

However, when you start doing a role, you get into the part. But if people are upset about women being shown in a negative light, maybe producers should tone this down."

Says Saranya Hegde, president, Mahila Dakshata Samithi, Karnataka branch. "I get very agitated when I see the way the women are portrayed in Indian TV serials.

In fact, we wanted to start a signature campaign against this kind of portrayal of women some time ago, but we didn't do it at that time. It would be good if TV serials would aim at educating people."...

...