From nine in the evening to midnight (from Monday to Friday) the remote of my television remains in possession of my wife. Those of you who are in similar plight must know what I am talking about. Yes it is the time when Star Plus, the prominent Indian television channel which telecasts the Hindi TV serials. For many, especially the women watching these serials have become some sort of an addiction. I used to think of wife's fascination with these soap operas as something of a passing fancy. But no more.
Once I reached home to find her crying. Literally, tears were flowing down her lovely cheeks. The reason? Something awful had happened to Tulsi, a central character of the serial Kyunki Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu Th. In time I have accepted the fact that fictional characters like Tulsi, Parvati, Prerna Kashish, Kumkum, will remain part of our existence. At least, until, these seemingly never-ending megaserials continue to be on air. At present in my locality, the Star Plus channel is not being telecast for a few days. My wife's life is miserable and as you can imagine my life too is. After all how can one be happy when one's wife has a sad-face all day long?
Some of you may well think that I am exaggerating. But then you must be living in a different planet. The other day I overheard (don't worry, it is a journalist's prerogative) a senior lady lambasting the cable operator of her area for not being able to watch her favourite serials as the connection went kaput. For your information, the leading I am speaking about does not speak a word of Hindi. Millions of Bangladeshis sit glued to the telly, keenly following the ups and downs of the Virani parivaar or the gasp-what-next-machinations of the good looking, if slimy character, Mr Bajaj. And though they may not always understand all the dialogues, these determined viewers nevertheless shudder each time the svelte Komolika deigns to smile.
Fatima Khan is young executive in her early twenties, she can't speak Hindi in straight sentences. But she rues her late working hours everyday, for she misses serials like Kasauti Zindagi Kay.
But it is Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi that still rules the roost. The long-suffering Tulsi especially needn't fear for her fan following. Mention 'that Tulsi serial' and approval lights up my wife's eyes.
"Oh yes, it (Kyunki Saas Bhi...) is very nice. I watch it all the time. Tulsi... she is something else.
Some of the males are avid fans too. One day a friend of mine was telling me ''Even my dad gets so angry and involved with it. When a character he liked, like Bajaj, turns out to be a scoundrel, he talked as if the television wasn't worth watching anymore!"
Western media scholars say that the rapid growth of global music and movies with universal appeal for the young has led to a new generation and culture gap. The young population of the world today, the scholars say, have more in common with each other than with their older parents, teachers and relatives.
But these megaserials do promote strong family bondage.
However the modern television critics do not like the mileage these serials are getting. A comment by Nikhat Kazmi in the 7 September edition of the Sunday Times of India is telling: "The noble Indian woman, as defined by the mandarins in the soap department, is a joyless, sexless being that spends most of its time whining, lecturing and playing a 100 per cent wimp."
Shweta Tiwari, who was launched as an actress in Ekta's Kasautii Zindagi Kay, says, "Ekta wants perfection." But Tiwari's description leaves a lot unsaid. To describe Ekta precisely is to say she is a bundle of nerves each time a new show of hers goes on air. Competition, even in the slightest form, is said to set her teeth on edge.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Indian Mythology
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
Shiv Shakti
Anupamaa
