With the medium of learning and instructing changing fast, it seems that daily soaps have come in to the scenario to educate and instruct the masses through their shows on social issues.
The list has some big shows in the industry like 'Saath Nibhana Saathiya' where Gopi's in-laws Modi's spread out the message of education for all by enrolling an illiterate student in school. In a track that happened a couple of months ago Gopi was shown going to school and studying with young kids. 'Balika Vadhu' stressed on adult education by making 'dadi' Sumitra learn to read at an age of 60 plus. New show Me Aji aur Saheb, has Vishwaas encouraging toddler Megha to study. He pays her school fees and gifts her a bag, books and her uniform on her first day of school as she comes from a poor family.
'Sajda' has extensively drug devouring the society and the future episodes of the show will show how Rishi the victim is sent to a rehab and suffers withdrawals and alienation.
Sandhya in 'Diya Aur Baati Hum' urges her family to vote and also voices her views about road safety too. She gifts her husband a helmet and explains the benefits of using one. Not only this, she was also found speaking about garbage disposal issue. In another instance, she was also shown telling her family how they should not use products that have crossed the exiry date.
The Producers of the show Shashi and Summit Mittal admit that it was a conscious decision to include those tracks in the show as they feel that the effort would be worthy even if one single person learns from the show. They certainly don't want to diverge from the main story but it would be their aim to maintain a balance between the two.
According to DABH's leading actor Anas Rashid the "stars can influence public opinion and the viewers are so well connected with the show that they will emulate whatever they do on the screen".
Ekta Kapoor's 'Bade Achhe Laggte Hain' recently emphasized on the issue of breast cancer. Ek Hazaro Main Meri Behna's main protganist Maanvi has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and the makers are subtly sending across messages of what the smyptoms to watch out for are and also how one needs to handle situations like that. Recently when Jeevika was suspecting pregnancy, , she was also shown stating how the symptoms shown on shows and movies are not fool proof ways of concluding and one needs to test the pregnancy with the test kit to make sure the result is positive.
During Diwali, Khushi in Is Pyar ko Kya Naam Doon, encouraged people to light diyas instead of buying expensive crackers that could cause pollution.
Today with an increasing number of shows across channels and fans taking to actors and their characters with all their hearts, one can only be hopeful that this passing of information will have a positive impact on the minds of the viewers. After all, shows today are not made just for entertainment!
Niharika Vidya Sagar
source::
rangmunch
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