Not exactly related to the show!

I don't know, if I'm even allowed to make a topic on something which isn't completely and directly related to the show, but, I think, this is the best platform to ask this question.

Indian shows - usually if I like a couple ,I try to watch the show .It never really happens .The couple rarely clicks for me .With THR, I am invested with the story line and execution and the fast pace and that I like many characters apart from The leads..

TRP audience like drama in general ,I believe .They watch it on TV and is intrigued what happens next day .After some time it becomes a habit just to tune in ,I guess.Tuning to another language for drama is not an option for me . Thrillers ,mysteries ,comedy and crime in English. Is a big yes !

Other shows I have watched /still watch is Sarabhai V/S Sarabhai ..It is the best .

I watched another show in 2016 . take the negativity .It was too much .

There are some relevance of your question to the show, I suppose. Since we can answer all your questions using THR as an example.

As crazy it may sound, I have a habit of watching ITV shows because for like a good 20 minutes I forget my own life. I know this sounds a little crazy. However, it is true. I get so invested in the characters that it is only when I turn off the tv or stop watching the show I remember who I am, what I need to do etc. Sometimes life can be problematic, but you get so engrossed in watching TV that you forget about all of those for a while. It's a nice temporary escape. At least, for me.

Another reason I watch them is that they often aim to glorify values of our Asian culture. Though this is not always done well, they all try. For instance, concepts like love, family, culture, religion, faith and so on are often grounded in many plots. You won't find this sort of representation of this concepts/values in western shows.

There is also a lot of women empowerment. A lot of stories are of women who are marginalised in societies. In Indian television, you will often someone trying to emphasise a story about a woman's struggle. You don't see on western television about a woman's struggle to become a CEO of a big company - you know the struggle feminists often write about in western philosophies.

Finally, I have always considered all words, dialogues as a way of perceiving the world. I found quite easy to use Indian television characters and their circumstances as a examples for arguments in my philosophy essay. I have explored concepts like gender, law and morality from a different perspective by considering the representations on Indian television. For instance, when a character says "a woman is who... became quite an example for my theorising gender essay.

Kind Regards,
Ibby

Originally posted by: couchyC

I don't know, if I'm even allowed to make a topic on something which isn't completely and directly related to the show, but, I think, this is the best platform to ask this question.

So, the question is, why do you all watch Indian TV shows? It's not a surprising fact that, Indian shows lack immensely in terms of quality. They're highly illogical and over the top dramatic. Usually aimed at housewives who can watch these shows while doing household chores. But, on India forums, there are many working people and students too. So, why do you all watch these shows, when there are many other great shows with quality content and based on reality are available online? Like, Foreign shows on netflix, Indian web series, etc.

Is it due to 'romance'? I have watched some 1 or 2 Indian TV shows and I watched them solely for the romance. Both were where the leads fall in love after the marriage and I like that kind of romance; 'unexpected'. One was with a significant age gap between the leads, which again, I have a thing for. And, I can hardly find such romance, i.e, 'unexpected' anywhere else. Yes, there are also some korean, turkish, etc shows and they aren't great too but, much better than the Indian shows. So, I do watch them sometimes to satiate my romantic fantasies. But there were hardly days when I did not cringe while watching Indian shows. One was 'Bade acche lagte hain' and the other one is currently on air, ' Guddan tumse na ho payega'. So, I watched BALH because, it started off well and appeared like a fresh mature story and my parents used to watch it initially. Also, I was 13 or 14, and hopelessly romantic at that time and balh wasn't that bad and illogical. As in, it was still bearable. So, that was the reason, I watched it. And, I came across GTNHP accidentally and liked the concept of people from two different generations forced in a marriage. So, thought of giving it a chance. Though, I think, I'll soon discontinue it.

So, I'm genuinely curious as to why people watch Indian shows when there are so many great shows available online? If it's only to satiate the romantic fantasies, there are again many better shows in the romance genre, available online. So, why do people still continue to watch such shows? Because, the audience watch such shows and give the makers great TRPs, they make such shows. That is why, good quality content with a mature storyline and real, relatable characters are not produced on Indian TV as people are happy watching those kind of shows and giving them TRPs. So, even when Indian makers try to come up with a good show, audience fails them. We had good shows in 90s but since then, Indian TV is only deteriorating and if this continues, the Indian TV scenario will never change.

So, a genuine question, why do you watch these shows? (Again, I asked this question here, as I think, this is the best platform to ask it.)

To me, ITV shows are like train wrecks. They are horrible but you can't look away!!!

Originally posted by: Namzie1226

To me, ITV shows are like train wrecks. They are horrible but you can't look away!!!

But, isn't our life like a train wreck anyway? So, on that note are they not realistic in the sense that they portray existence as this on-going problematic situation?

Originally posted by: ThePhilosopher

But, isn't our life like a train wreck anyway? So, on that note are they not realistic in the sense that they portray existence as this on-going problematic situation?

What I find mostly is that some shows start off with good concept and trying to convey a social message but then TRP causes the content to change and be really crappy.

I don't know about life being a train wreck. As everyone's situation is different. We all have problems but if we went ITV route, nothing will ever get solved. FL's hide the truth, everyone is sacrificing or conniving!!!

Patiala Babes on Sony and Tujhse Hai Raabta so far have proven to the best. Let's hope it continues to shine.