TV serials bind the diaspora - Article

TV serials bind the diaspora

-- Atul Dev

Last week my Canada based son was visiting me. We spent a lot of time together by day and night except for the time slot from 6 pm to 10 pm daily. He was averse to my making any appointments or programmes for him during this time slot. Reason – he was keen to keep up with the serials being shown on various TV channels. Normally a very outdoor type, this change of lifestyle, or call it habit, came as a complete surprise to me. He explained that all – he emphasized all – his friends back home in Canada were all hooked on to the serials, never missing a single episode, being completely involved in the story episode after episode. I observed him watch the serials with great excitement and enthusiasm!

It took me some time to get over this transformation in my own family. I nudged him to explain. He had a very simple explanation. All TV serials were seen by each one of his friends who had migrated from India. Every one of the persons of Indian origin living in his part of the world watched the serials for three reasons, he explained; they kept them up to date on fashion trends in India; they helped people understand the lifestyle and various relationships back home; and, finally, they provided easily understandable entertainment without language, cultural or other barriers. Very well reasoned, I thought.

He explained that despite being in Canada, he had been fortunate enough to be in touch with the motherland through cheap long distance calls, e-mails, Instant Messengers (IM) and the Internet but first and foremost the Indian TV channels which kept him updated about how his home country was doing, how the society was moving and gave an update on recent events. He was most impressed by the standard of the TV serials across the board irrespective of who has produced them or which channel was showing them.

The serials have women and men of all ages hooked on completely -- watching them non-stop, back to back from 11 am to 3 pm or 7 pm to 11 pm. Glued to their seats, people watch the idiot box as though it's a matter of their life and death. He explained that professional appointments are adjusted to avoid disturbing the serial viewing timings.

It is also true that not many years ago our viewing was limited to mythological serials like the Ramayana or Mahabharat or we had the long running serial Hum Log. The stories have evolved from mythical to everyday life -- the same script rehashed into saas-bahu plots, family dramas -- of one father, two wives or illegitimate children! It provides the overseas families common grounds to link their earlier Indian identity with the newly acquired avtaar of their adopted homes. One can almost say that they feel less guilty with their own new lifestyles as it is exhibited by the new lifestyle back home as seen during the serials.

In deference to my son's wishes and newfound interest, I sat and watched some – I really mean some – of the serials with him. What I learnt in one week of serial watching may not give me the licence to write a full tome or submit a thesis for a doctorate but it certainly enlarged my horizon on what our TV channels are showing and to what effect.

I gathered that virtually all the well-known channels of India are now being beamed into the North American homes. While the advertisements are different the serials are the same but shown with a time lag of about 3 or 4 weeks. Also while in India they are repeated four times a day, in North American they are repeated three times a day. I presume the same pattern is followed by other diaspora countries such as in Mauritius.

Can anyone guess the one most commonly discussed topic these days among college students and ladies kitty parties and at social gatherings in North America? Intense discussions take place on Ekta Kapoor and her serials, which are all based on the saas-bahu rivalry within families! I was amazed at the complete dedication of the diaspora to Indian stories via TV channels. I am certain that Ekta Kapoor, who is well known in India, has a far greater fan following in the diaspora.

But then the story doesn't end here. If Star Plus has provided Ms Kapoor the supreme platform to set the trend of the saas-bahu sagas, so have Zee TV, Sony, Sahara and the numerous other such channels which have provided platforms to their respective trends and stories. If one carefully analyses the ongoing trends visible across TV channels, it becomes very evident that there is a common factor binding all serials particularly those telecast on Zee TV, Sony, Sahara and Star Plus. They have now acquired a fan following for their stars as created by the serials. TV stars may not be paid as much as the Bollywood celebrities but as popularity goes I noted with great interest and amazement their fan following. I am told that middle-aged women swoon over regular TV stars as they would over Bollywood stars. I am told that every woman in Canada has the hots for Jai Walia (screen name) of Kasam Se on Zee TV. Or, men simply go crazy over Kaaveri ji of Saat Phere.

Many years ago I had a similar thought about our films and the impact they had made on the diaspora. But the TV serial phenomenon beats this trend. Space in this column prevents me from recording all my observations on the newfound interest, which threatens to engulf me, but I will highlight some very obvious first sight observations.

How can you sit through this nonsense, I ask my many Indian friends who are so addicted? Try to call out your near and dear ones for lunch or dinner, or even a glass of water, or call them away from the TV screen for any reason however important it may seem to you and you will only get an angry response – "Call me later, I am watching so-and-so serial, I will lose the link." This is true of all age groups. Grand parents, parents, grand children are all huddled around the TV screens in the evenings. A piece of advise to all those who may have a tendency to intrude at the 'wrong time'. Do be aware of the situation you might create in a peaceful household with a telephone call at the wrong moment. It could result in a fight, children throwing tantrums or even a family break-up!

While I am a convert to appreciate the role the serials are playing, I still feel that there is need for some retrospection on the part of serial makers. Merely introducing a trend and blindly following it until eternity will definitely not suffice for a channel to keep watchers glued to its shows. Rather moving with the pulse of the audience and adopting newer strategies is the way to retain existing audiences.

The only thing that comes to my mind at this stage is to use this great opportunity to make money – making serials. Want to make a quick TV serial? Just remember the following words/phrases and you should be able to make a complete 13 episode serial – revenge - forgiveness - abortion - miscarriage - unable to conceive - extramarital affair - physical torture - mental torture - illegitimate child – wedding - DNA test - honeymoon - the family raaz (secret); and, hey presto, your new serial is ready!

It is obvious that with the power of this media, serial makers and their channels are modifying and moulding public opinion in favour of changing times, modernisation of society and preservation of culture. That is just what the people of Indian origin in the diaspora are looking for. Their need for links to their roots is thus being satisfied.

http://www.mauritiustimes.com/081206atul.htm