Varied ways of marriages in ITV serials. Do you agree with those? - Page 8

"Contract marriage" is one of those terms in Indian English that I've always found jarring. Every marriage is a contract! The correct term is temporary marriage, similar to mutá/sigheh in Islam. However, as far as I'm aware, Indian law does not recognize any marriage contract's specification that the marriage will automatically end after a fixed period. Every divorce must have a legal process. So, no matter what the spouses agree verbally or sign on paper, that's not an enforceable contract obligating them to end the marriage!

Newlyweds who agree to separate are legally free to change their minds (as they invariably will on any daily drama). And death-do-us-part couples are legally free to divorce by mutual consent. So, whenever the terrible truth comes out that "They have a contract marriage!" my reaction is, "Doesn't everyone?"

These days, everyone has also sent or received MMS content. No, not the Indian English usage of "MMS" as a neologism for "sex video." I mean, every time you forward a photo, GIF, or video with your mobile phone's text messaging app, that's actual Multimedia Messaging Service content. So, whenever characters on daily dramas say that "There's an MMS!" it takes me a moment to figure out why that's a scandal.

ITV as a whole is just plain absurd, and the types of marriages and relationships that are portrayed in these shows are, in my opinion, the biggest part of that absurdity.

I also do think the audiences share part of the blame for where it’s gotten today. I’ve seen comments here and elsewhere, where as long as the leads are together then anything goes 😆 I personally cannot ship a couple, ITV or not, just because they have chemistry or look good together on screen. That just seems hollow to me. Oftentimes I feel the makers just try to bank on that and never give a couple a healthy and proper development (with a good plot line to back it), and fast track two three eye locks straight to marriage, because clearly no romance can happen without shaadi 🤔 that would be scandalous or something *rolls eyes* 😆

Keeping in mind that India Forums does not permit posts in the tone of "I can't believe what so many members are posting," it is not my intention to offend anyone by saying:

No matter how loudly fans campaign for the lead couple to ditch all of the supporting cast and have scenes only with each other, and only romantic scenes without any conflict, it is the creatives' responsibility to know what is good drama. I think Agnes Nixon phrased it well: "Make them laugh, make them cry, make them wait!"

A story with just two characters, kept apart by some unspecified misunderstanding, who just now figure out that their love is mutual ... this is the formula for easy fan fiction on India Forums, but it can't fill 200 episodes on TV.

"Make them laugh" doesn't mean one-liners; it means families spending time together, villains' plots backfiring, adventures ...

"Make them cry" doesn't mean jumping in front of a bullet; it means wanting what you can't have, forgiveness, difficult conversations ...

"Make them wait" means, be creative! Establish characters' personalities and interests, and keep them going. Don't rush to marriage and then bring on an interloper with no personality and ever-changing motivation. Allocate time for supporting characters so that the audience can appreciate their functions in the story and their relationships with each other and the leads. Marriage should be the payoff for months of slowly built trust and partnership. It should be the foundation for the characters to face further adventures with faith.

Shaadi is a major plot point in Indian soaps. And let's face it, we as Indians are besotted with shaadis. We are so nosy about our family members/ relatives/neighbours/friends and their marital prospects. And it is no wonder that the TRP's always rise when a shaadi track is introduced! The producers and channels also know this so it is a one-trick pony to save a sinking show or to create additional buzz around it.

And yes, about there are just two broad kinds of shaadis on Indian soaps:

1. Proper arranged/love marriage which happens smoothly (i.e. without drama😛), with the consent of both families: This is a very rare type of shaadi that is seldom seen in soaps because it has no drama element. It is perhaps to be found in .001% of all Itv soaps till date...so much so that I can't even remember an example, lol.

2. Forced marriage/blackmail marriage: This is the fav trope of ITV writers because it has the potential to create angst and drama and conflict between the protagonists and their families which is just what that makers want. In other words...ITV gold which makes the ratings skyrocket. Now, this can take several forms: forced/accidental application of sindoor, threatening a family member (usually the heroine's brother/sister), a mob finding the protagonists in a compromising position and forcing them to marry at gunpoint, contract marriage, defaming the heroine's reputation to get her to marry etc,. I am a ITV veteran and have seen it all, LOL.

Originally posted by: BrhannadaArmour

Keeping in mind that India Forums does not permit posts in the tone of "I can't believe what so many members are posting," it is not my intention to offend anyone by saying:

No matter how loudly fans campaign for the lead couple to ditch all of the supporting cast and have scenes only with each other, and only romantic scenes without any conflict, it is the creatives' responsibility to know what is good drama. I think Agnes Nixon phrased it well: "Make them laugh, make them cry, make them wait!"

A story with just two characters, kept apart by some unspecified misunderstanding, who just now figure out that their love is mutual ... this is the formula for easy fan fiction on India Forums, but it can't fill 200 episodes on TV.

"Make them laugh" doesn't mean one-liners; it means families spending time together, villains' plots backfiring, adventures ...

"Make them cry" doesn't mean jumping in front of a bullet; it means wanting what you can't have, forgiveness, difficult conversations ...

"Make them wait" means, be creative! Establish characters' personalities and interests, and keep them going. Don't rush to marriage and then bring on an interloper with no personality and ever-changing motivation. Allocate time for supporting characters so that the audience can appreciate their functions in the story and their relationships with each other and the leads. Marriage should be the payoff for months of slowly built trust and partnership. It should be the foundation for the characters to face further adventures with faith.

Yup, I agree with you absolutely! I have seen posts where members talk about fanfictions that they have read and wonder why these plot lines can't be used in canon. But these stories are full of sugary romance and implausible plot lines mainly centred on the protagonists. For the actual show to work, you need to set up sub-plots with the ensemble cast and weave them with the main story so that the conflicts become believable and the drama unfolds in an organic manner...and then finally on to the deux ex machina.

Amazing topic 👍🏼

I will just if people are really taking inspiration from ITV then they future are in danger bcoz

1. Soon they husband gonna marriage 2nd time with different bcoz 2 wife's are no big deal in itv

Opps after marriage v husband can keep her girlfriend in house like EK show and wife had to fight for her husband 🤣

2. Your MIL can do sajish if taking inspiration from itv so bach kar rehna re baba bach ke 🤣

3 your sister can become your janni dusman and your husband wife you never know 🤣 if they truly taking inspiration from itv

ITV and basic logic doesn't go hand by hand

And marriage ko itna drawana dikhate hai ki unhe dekh kar koi sadi naa kare bcoz after 100 marriage phir v Ml and FL main trust nahi hota hai

Originally posted by: Nichuss

new category entered on regional south shows...

only bread winner daughter in house.... except her... all siblings to get

married and settle down....

elder one to work hard n earn for family

I have read several instances of this happening in real life. I have also heard about incidents when parents deliberately reject potential spouse on fake reasons to keep their child unmarried. 🤡

Originally posted by: Nichuss

really 😲

Yeah. One more plot line I have heard in real life. Two of my mom's colleagues were in relationship. Then boy has an arranged marriage with another girl. Inspite of being married, keeps hanging out with his girlfriend. After around six months, divorces his wife and marries his office girlfriend.

Originally posted by: Shri_12

I have read several instances of this happening in real life. I have also heard about incidents when parents deliberately reject potential spouse on fake reasons to keep their child unmarried. 🤡

Originally posted by: Shri_12

Yeah. One more plot line I have heard in real life. Two of my mom's colleagues were in relationship. Then boy has an arranged marriage with another girl. Inspite of being married, keeps hanging out with his girlfriend. After around six months, divorces his wife and marries his office girlfriend.

now we cant blame ITV