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TV refuses to forget memory loss
Inki yaaddasht kho chuki hai..." While this was a common plot in movies from the 70s and 80s, where the protagonist would lose his/her memory courtesy a car/plane crash, it is now frequently used on the small screen. The formula of memory loss, currently seen in " Sasuraal Genda Phool", "Sanjog Se Bani Sangini", " Chhoti Bahu", " Pyar Ki Ek Kahani", and a little while ago, in "Pavitra Rishta", confirms that the hit-on-the-head hasn't lost significance. Arrey, actor ko nai life mil jaati hai na!
Laments Priya Kaur, a DU student, "It is a done-to-death concept. Agar koi show nahin dekh raha toh kuch aisa kar do jo logon ne expect nahin kiya hoga. Why can't they dare to think out of the box? Is it that tough? Ishaan's partial memory loss in "Sasural Genda Phool" which makes him forget only his wife is too weird. But people still watch the show and its TRPs remain unaffected."
Irrespective of how the viewers perceive it, for the scriptwriters, the idea of the actor looking clueless for months, and parents going berserk praying hard for their daughter/son's speedy recovery comes across as a reliable formula, what with broadcasters frequently threatening to axe shows. "Every show begins with an original story. Clichs like memory loss, baarish main phasa hua couple or someone meeting an accident are incorporated when the show has nothing gripping to offer. When interesting ideas get exhausted (usually by the 200th episode) is when showmakers resort to such formulas," says S Farhan, scriptwriter, "Sabki Ladli Bebo". As he tells us, he used the same storyline in "Sab Ki Ladli Bebo" and will think of using it again in the ongoing "Beendh Banunga Ghodi Chadhunga", if he feels the need.
While many think of it as something that is forced on the viewers, what comes next is always blissful, at least for the characters. Ishaan's partial memory loss has enabled his wife Suhana to strengthen their bond. Similarly, docile bahu Archana and monster-in-law, ooops, we mean, mother-in-law Savita in "Pavitra Rishta" succeeded in sorting out their differences while the latter struggled with bouts of memory black-outs.
"This concept may have been shown earlier too, but it has never been dealt with in such a light-hearted way, as was done in "Sasuraal Genda Phool". We don't make the viewers cry, even though Ishaan is suffering from amnesia. The key goal is to iron out the differences," says Suhana aka Ragini Khanna.
While Ishaan regaining his memory hasn't been confirmed yet, Rudra aka Iqbal Khan in "Sanjog Se Bani Sangini" tells us that he'll recover his soon. He says, "The phase when I played the character suffering from amnesia was great! I've always been fascinated by films from the 80s when memory loss was common. I think it
is the easiest role for an actor to perform." And also easy for broadcasters to ensure TRPs don't dip, eh?
Laments Priya Kaur, a DU student, "It is a done-to-death concept. Agar koi show nahin dekh raha toh kuch aisa kar do jo logon ne expect nahin kiya hoga. Why can't they dare to think out of the box? Is it that tough? Ishaan's partial memory loss in "Sasural Genda Phool" which makes him forget only his wife is too weird. But people still watch the show and its TRPs remain unaffected."
Irrespective of how the viewers perceive it, for the scriptwriters, the idea of the actor looking clueless for months, and parents going berserk praying hard for their daughter/son's speedy recovery comes across as a reliable formula, what with broadcasters frequently threatening to axe shows. "Every show begins with an original story. Clichs like memory loss, baarish main phasa hua couple or someone meeting an accident are incorporated when the show has nothing gripping to offer. When interesting ideas get exhausted (usually by the 200th episode) is when showmakers resort to such formulas," says S Farhan, scriptwriter, "Sabki Ladli Bebo". As he tells us, he used the same storyline in "Sab Ki Ladli Bebo" and will think of using it again in the ongoing "Beendh Banunga Ghodi Chadhunga", if he feels the need.
While many think of it as something that is forced on the viewers, what comes next is always blissful, at least for the characters. Ishaan's partial memory loss has enabled his wife Suhana to strengthen their bond. Similarly, docile bahu Archana and monster-in-law, ooops, we mean, mother-in-law Savita in "Pavitra Rishta" succeeded in sorting out their differences while the latter struggled with bouts of memory black-outs.
"This concept may have been shown earlier too, but it has never been dealt with in such a light-hearted way, as was done in "Sasuraal Genda Phool". We don't make the viewers cry, even though Ishaan is suffering from amnesia. The key goal is to iron out the differences," says Suhana aka Ragini Khanna.
While Ishaan regaining his memory hasn't been confirmed yet, Rudra aka Iqbal Khan in "Sanjog Se Bani Sangini" tells us that he'll recover his soon. He says, "The phase when I played the character suffering from amnesia was great! I've always been fascinated by films from the 80s when memory loss was common. I think it
is the easiest role for an actor to perform." And also easy for broadcasters to ensure TRPs don't dip, eh?
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