Posted:
Here are my viewpoint and suggestions in case Satyamev Jayate ever has a second season. I hope other members put in their comments too.
- Aamir Khan has improved a lot with each episode as an anchor. I hope in the second season, whenever he considers making it, he is more restrained, balanced and avoids crying too much or even laughing too much and some unnecessary things like wiping tears with the cuff of his shirt. I know it's a nitty-gritty. But I'd appreciate if he improves on it and doesn't give opportunity to anyone to bash him or get distracted.
- They must choose a more prime time or feasible time slot for the show. Morning slot is not working. Now whole India has seen Satyamev Jayate and people from other countries also watch it, but mostly they watch it online or on repeat telecast. I myself admit I only saw first episode at time of original telecast. All other episodes I have either seen at night at 10 PM or online or some repeat telecast on other weekdays. People don't wake up on Sundays or are either travelling or out of town or just don't want to watch such serious stuff the first thing in morning. So SJ team must lock some other slot for original time of telecast - be it afternoon or even 9:30 PM at Sunday night.
- The show's duration is decidedly lengthy. After an hour the attention seems to taper off. And ironically the show's best part comes in last half hour where they discuss positive examples of change and suggest ways to take action! No matter what, team SJ must ensure the show is not longer than 1 hour.
- The issues should be covered in a better and more wholesome manner, examine root causes of problems and show all sides. For eg. not all women are forced to give dowry or abort female child. Many do it all of their own free will. And the general breakdown of healthcare in India due to politicians - not just medical malpractices of doctors.
- The program called ''Asar'' should be shown on Star Plus itself so that it reaches as many people as possible. And people become aware of Satyamev Jayate's impact. Not many watch it on Star News. And thus not many are aware of real life impact of this show or donations raised by this show or public response in support of it.
- Aamir must highlight donations raised through Satyamev Jayate - on the show itself preceding each episode, and also ensure that donations are highlighted on SJ Twitter, Facebook and official website. Several bashers do not know at all, that Satyamev Jayate raises donations every week!!😲
- If possible, Aamir and STAR can ensure Satyamev Jayate comes twice a week - with one episode on each week's new issue and another episode on previous week's episode's response in which they highlight letters, videos and stuff sent in support by viewers of the show. And make it a debate of sorts.
- Audience participation needs to be more. Studio audience in SJ is static. There needs to be a little more dynamism, more interaction and debate. Not a jungle like WTP or Big Fight, but still not all silence either with people speaking only when Aamir chooses them to speak up!
- Camera should stop deliberately focusing on crying or laughing faces. And please stop recording the crying and sniffling noises!! This thing has improved in episodes from June onwards. But was distracting in May episodes. They can still improve it.
- Aamir should avoid looking judgemental. I admit I enjoyed the pesticide company's owner being grilled! 😃 But still, reflecting on it again, I think it was unfair to laugh at him or Aamir openly tell him ''mujhe aap ki baaton par hasi aa rahi hai''. Aamir can laugh or smile a bit, but he should try and be fair. A little more stoic and restrained in such matters. Not completely insipid either, still slightly more held back.
- Aamir and team of Satyamev Jayate need to be VERY CAREFUL about the CHOICE OF WORDS. The words like ''Iss desh ke doctoron ko kya ho gaya hai'' or ''Doctors khud bimaar ho gaye hain'' etc. should have been avoided. Half the bashing Satyamev Jayate receives is due to stray words nitpicked by haters and whole hullaboo made about about them! And seriously Aamir MUST avoid teaming with Star News because Hindi news channels tend to use worse language and sensationalise things more. In Asar, it was uncomfortable to hear anchor calling doctors ''maut ke saudagar'' or labelling well known medicines as ''faltu''. Or those things about ''darinde sasural wale'' during episodes on DV and dowry! That attracts negativity!
Avoid dialoguebaazi and absolutely avoid tie-ups with Hindi news channels! Even if you do tie-up then please monitor the kind of language they use!
- Aamir should either avoid writing a column or get some professional to write a column. His post-Satyamev Jayate columns are good but sometimes tend to be simplistic and even sound confused when he mixes 2-3 different things and gives altogether different conclusion. Column on dowry was more about having expensive weddings or not and less about dowry. Column on alcohol abuse became one on drunk driving towards its end. Drunk driving is not the only issue of alcohol abuse! So Aamir's idea of column is nice, but they definitely need to be better written.
- It's wonderful that he has attempted to cover all states, including the much neglected North east. But he should cover all of them. Only focusing on Rajasthan in case of female foeticide and leaving the hub of this menace Haryana and Punjab is not right. He also did not show Gujarat government's efforts in controlling female foeticide and alcoholism. This just gives opportunity to people to bash the show or link it to political agenda. He need not show video of each state. But should strive to give cursory look at least - at most states.
- If you're covering all aspects then actually cover all of them. For example, illegal sale and consumption of alcohol despite ban was not taken up by Aamir in his episode. Honour killings happen not just in Haryana but also Punjab and other states. Aamir should have also clarified that honour killings happen anywhere and in other religions also. Talking only about Khaps is not done. Problems of disabilities and lack of facilities for the disabled in rural areas was not discussed. My point is that cover things in wholesome manner. Don't ignore some things and give people a chance to say you focus only on a particular religious community/state or urban areas.
- If calling a celeb, Aamir should invite ones like Javed Akhtar who have something sensible to say. Not like he invited heroine Sridevi just to please Harish! I also think Aamir MUST AVOID giving examples of celebs or even mentioning them or their films in humour. I did not like his comments on Salman or teenon Khan living in Bandra. There is nothing wrong in those comments. It's just that such celeb talk can be avoided. It is distracting, takes away seriousness and even gives people an opportunity to say he's using X star's name for publicity or promoting film industry in a show on social issues!
- If he makes a second season, Aamir Khan and his team must research out and highlight NEW/UNHEARD stories, cases, incidents and invite guests and panelists who have not been featured on TV earlier. I don't want journos or any other basher stupidly say that he showed a guy from their show or showed an old story! Not just to avoid bashing, even as a viewer I expect to learn about more things I had not heard of earlier, instead of repeat debate on old stories such as Rizwan case or Mitu Khurana or Harish Iyer. Honestly speaking old stories also tend to make less impact on viewer, since he's heard it already. New ones would elicit more response.
- I hope in future his or STAR's team avoid talking about money they are spending, losing or earning. And to make the effort more credible and philanthropic, I wish they announce they would bring out Satyamev Jayate merchandise or release CDs of its songs and donate proceeds from their sale to NGOs IN ADDITION to donations already raised by the show (as they are doing now). I know it's unfair to expect them to raise more donations even as other shows like WTP or Zindagi Live have never raised a penny in donation. But still, I think it would help the show's image and credibility if they donated from their products also apart from money contributed by viewers and Reliance.
- Aamir should connect with people himself also online post each episode. I'd like to see him carrying forward the debate than just SMJ handle with Aamir appearing to talk only on Asar and some radio shows.
- Aamir must also have definite strategy. Either don't meet politicians or NGOs at all. And if you do meet them for one episode then try to do the same for other episodes too. Aamir was part of rallies and meetings with politicians on female foeticide and medicines issue. But no such thing on dowry, DV, pesticides or CSA. That's odd to see selective and varying intensity of action on issues.
- Last but not the least, I really do not like to see ads and logos pasted everywhere through the episode. The Paani ka doctor logo of Aquaguard being flashed when they were interviewing a doctor was distracting! Satyamev Jayate is much better to watch on DD or online. The logos of products kill its essence. Please cut down on the branding and advertising!
This is all I can think of. Otherwise Satyamev Jayate is a great effort, great outreach, impact, raising awareness, donations and inciting public debate and positive action. I'd really love to see a second season of the show some time in future - with even better content, presentation and overall effort and impact than first season - which is phenomenal itself!
What other ideas and suggestions do you guys have if suppose, Satyamev Jayate is to have a second season?
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
