Anjali-Powerpuff girl Article

The Power-Puff Girls

You know them by: They rule your lives and dominate your living rooms every single evening. They've managed to break the glass ceiling and emerge in different avatars. A liberal touch of the sindoor (bahu), loud make-up with the latest netted sari (vamp) and a twist in the track (creative head) is how you differentiate one from the other. They are the new brand of woman-power that's rocking your TV screen.

Usual suspects: Smriti Z Iraani (Tulsi) who became a cult icon and was declared the face of the Indian bahu. Plus, not to forget the arched eyebrows and negative vibes of Urvashi Dholakia (Komolika) who became the symbol of the small screen vamp.

Most likely to say: As Rakshanda Khan (Roshni in 'Kasamh Se') says, "In television, the hero is actually the woman. Her character has evolved over the years. She has been a part of kitchen politics, managed to crack a deal at the work place and without batting an eyelid, has even put vamps in their place." Shubhaavi K who plays Meera in 'Kyunkii…' adds, "There has to be black for white to stand out. That's the reason why a negative character is required in soaps. I'm glad I've been given an opportunity to portray a negative character."

Tribal future: Producer Shrishti Arya ( 'Twinkle Beauty Parlour') predicts that women will continue to rule the airwaves in the near future. "There has been a change in programming and TV is a lucrative career option. In the days to come, with the introduction of DTH (direct to home), the demographics of viewership will become clearer. This will help to enhance variety in programming and there will be several options to choose from. But family dramas will continue to be popular." -Nuzhat Aziz

KNOW MORE

• Shubhaavi K's first salary was Rs1,500. Today, she earns approximately Rs25,000 per shoot.

SPEAK UP

"I never miss soaps and my favourite character is Bani in 'Kasamh Se'. In fact, our dinner time is post 11 pm." —Kavita Desai, house wife
• "I watch soaps because of my wife. But the saas-bahu sagas are a refreshing change from the mundane life." —Milind Bagwe, businessman
  "I love the fact that the focus in all the serials is on women. Finally, we can see that women can be successful everywhere." —Elisha, student