META Discussion -New topics- Page 15 - Page 2

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apolloartemis thumbnail
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Posted: 12 years ago
#11
Diya Aur Bati Hum was supposed to be about a young girl trying to become a police officer- which I, and my mom, thought was a very interesting and refreshing premise. When a year later, the girl was focused on cooking the perfect meal, we accepted the fact that shows that are different don't do well with TRP's. I think they have gotten back on track now though...
what I am trying to say is that Indian soaps seem to thrive on "values" and sell that particular "value" to their audience- the woman who is lower socially/economically than the man, and who when in an office situation is always the guys secretary etc...
One thing- have you guys ever noticed that in these soaps, if a guy comes from some other country (western usually) he is shown as sharp, well-articulated, and wealthy? But when a girl comes she is usually a gold digger, or completely incompatible with the family.
Now that I think about it, in order to figure out the vamp/female antagonist, one only needs to look at their clothes- they are always dressed on "western" or "modern."
Deepali can be an exception- but then again, she did come back from London- and she wears sharper/more modern sari's than Madhu does.
Subtle conditioning huh?
Ananya05 thumbnail
12th Anniversary Thumbnail Rocker Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 12 years ago
#12

Originally posted by: apolloartemis

Diya Aur Bati Hum was supposed to be about a young girl trying to become a police officer- which I, and my mom, thought was a very interesting and refreshing premise. When a year later, the girl was focused on cooking the perfect meal, we accepted the fact that shows that are different don't do well with TRP's. I think they have gotten back on track now though...

what I am trying to say is that Indian soaps seem to thrive on "values" and sell that particular "value" to their audience- the woman who is lower socially/economically than the man, and who when in an office situation is always the guys secretary etc...
One thing- have you guys ever noticed that in these soaps, if a guy comes from some other country (western usually) he is shown as sharp, well-articulated, and wealthy? But when a girl comes she is usually a gold digger, or completely incompatible with the family.
Now that I think about it, in order to figure out the vamp/female antagonist, one only needs to look at their clothes- they are always dressed on "western" or "modern."
Deepali can be an exception- but then again, she did come back from London- and she wears sharper/more modern sari's than Madhu does.
Subtle conditioning huh?



I have never seen DABH. But happen to know of the concept and general proceedings of the show. It happens to be a gold digger at TRP charts I suppose. 😆
Agreed that Indian soaps thrive on values. But that does not mean they can't show their heroine pursuing some career. The show theme need not be entirely focused on her career and aspirations. But, can't they show her doing something else in her life other than being a perfect housewife? Or again, this does not go down well with audiences?
@bold: agreed 😆 😆 esp their eye make up...gud enuf to indicate what role she is going to play..😆
apolloartemis thumbnail
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Posted: 12 years ago
#13

Originally posted by: Ananya05



I have never seen DABH. But happen to know of the concept and general proceedings of the show. It happens to be a gold digger at TRP charts I suppose. 😆
Agreed that Indian soaps thrive on values. But that does not mean they can't show their heroine pursuing some career. The show theme need not be entirely focused on her career and aspirations. But, can't they show her doing something else in her life other than being a perfect housewife? Or again, this does not go down well with audiences?
@bold: agreed 😆 😆 esp their eye make up...gud enuf to indicate what role she is going to play..😆

From what I can tell- audience wants focus on romance, romance, romance. If heroine's work does not feed into romance? Does not go down well. So most of the time, they become secretaries, as it is good way to show "office" environment and have romance at the same time.
Though honestly, there is not a lot of focus on "work" in general in soaps that I have seen.
0-SD-0 thumbnail
14th Anniversary Thumbnail Rocker Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 12 years ago
#14
A similar discussion we had in September. Here take a peep.

  • META chai party: women in soapland
Today's topic is: Are female roles in Indian soaps regressive? Are they promoting dangerous gender stereotyping that adversely affects how generations of female viewers form ideas of their roles and reponsibilities? Could the medium of television be used more effectively in promoting ideas of equality?




***************************************************************************************************
Other Meta discussions in previous times if you are interested.


  • META Pyromaniac Padmini v Roaring Radha!!
Today's topic is MOTHERS. How do the two mothers Padmini and Radha, and their own biographies and life choices, affect those of their children Madhubala and Rishab?



  • META chai party: RK as James Dean
Today's topic is: IS RK the James Dean of the Indian film world? Heart-throb for millions and yet inexperienced in love? Romantic hero, yet bereft of both emotional and physical intimacy?



  • META chai party: Religion in soapland
Today's topic is: Is the dominant religion in India and its customs and traditions shown in a dangerously normative fashion in soapland? Should India's secular credentials feel threatened by this kind of portrayal? How much of religion and religious belief can reasonably be shown as part of an unproblematised moral crusade? Could this be seen as part of a latent saffronisation of the Mumbai film and TV industry?

Ananya05 thumbnail
12th Anniversary Thumbnail Rocker Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 12 years ago
#15
I feel we haven't got enough insight into Madhu's character so far on this aspect. From what has been shown till now, she too seems to be absolutely non-interested in any career and does not have any aspirations of her own. That is why she so readily agreed to run away with RK into their new world. Right now, she is just using her beautician skills as a tool to engage her mind into something else.
And coming to heroines work feeding romance, we know that somehow that is going to be the case even in MEIEJ.
MarathiMulgi thumbnail
15th Anniversary Thumbnail Voyager Thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#16
Great discussion you all.

I personally feel that there is so much scope to explore this. Imagine heroine being from academic world and hero from the film world and what sorts of challenges they will need to face, the usual stereotypes to overcome, each one getting a healthy dose of each other's real world . The difference need not be only of the rich boy poor girl type to overcome.

Anyways, just an idea. One can always hope. 😊
Angeena thumbnail
12th Anniversary Thumbnail Dazzler Thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#17

Originally posted by: MarathiMulgi

Great discussion you all.

I personally feel that there is so much scope to explore this. Imagine heroine being from academic world and hero from the film world and what sorts of challenges they will need to face, the usual stereotypes to overcome, each one getting a healthy dose of each other's real world . The difference need not be only of the rich boy poor girl type to overcome.

Anyways, just an idea. One can always hope. 😊


That would be nice. Here Madhu and her family being from a filmy background they don't have any problems with RK being an actor. But Mukund's family was not and hence their taunts on this.

Just this morning my dad told me that a distant relative quit a really good post in a bank to join the tv industry. I couldn't believe it. Why leave a secure job, which you enjoy, for an industry where you might not even get a job?
Edited by Angeena - 12 years ago
0-SD-0 thumbnail
14th Anniversary Thumbnail Rocker Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 12 years ago
#18
RE: DEWAR - BHAABHI Relationship Abuse

I am not trying to make peace with myself, or the CVs or trying to influence anyone. If you all know, I abhor it so much that I used superlative adjective to make it look disgusting ...as in added the improbable blood relationship to it...and called Incestuous relationship. When I gave my feedback to CVs and Sourabh Tewari and I used the words INCESTUOUS and NAPUNSAK for RK, they might have really laughed at my extreme reaction and quite proud of themselves that they achieved what they did...to invoke disgust within me.

I wanted to tweet ST and want to ask, why he is hell-bent on torturing us with Dips continuation in the story. My friends and me, we are dreading to watch the episode. Some may not even watch and just rely on someone telling them...that it is over, done, not done, was nothing much to panic etc.

But here, I reminded myself of ST's interview posted in Zing Magazine (thanks to Angeena and tabby, I was able to read it. Peeps can go to media thread to read it). ST said, he likes to create NOISE. He needs people to discuss about what is shown. Like he said...he was happy when parliament discussed Baal Vivaah (per BV) and violence and female foeticide (in Na Aana Is Des Laado). Now here in MEIEJ, we make noise over many things. We are caught in the web of emotions and analyse the characters. All of which is true as it applies to lot of people @ real. I have shown many incidents from real life, how I can relate all that character turmoil in those characters.

But here...how come "the Dewar- Bhaabhi relationship" deserves even a platform to discuss? Well, we are not discussing because it is fictional. We are discussing because it is disgusting. Most people like to close their eyes to reality and live in make-believe reality around them. But time and again, ART/Writers have discussed and portrayed the Dewar-Bhaabhi relationship.

Many movies tell us that it should be seen as Mother-Son relationship. Why ? Because it is convenient and upholds social decorum. I believe in that...being of a conservative mind and wanting to have a code of conduct followed by society and family.

So now ask me, how deeply disgusted I must have felt when Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, Tagore wrote few stories with Dewar-Bhaabhi relationship as the central focus, which soon gets mired in romance. To my mind it was disgusting. It was then explored by Premchand as well. As in writers closer to soil in India of 60 or 100 years back were open about writing it. My parents told me even Telugu literature post independence had some references to these digressions. It was disgusting, nevertheless portrayed as characters transgress their "Maryaada" to give into their desires.

I love Satyajit Ray. I love Soumitro Chatterjee. Now imagine, what I had gone through the entire length of the movie "Chaarulata" when I saw Charulata falling for her Dewar. Fine in the end, everything falls into place. But Charu being a true woman (unlike Dips the immoral woman) forces us and her husband to see how she transgressed from being the mother figure, to friend figure and finally the love interest towards her Dewar. Fine the Dewar sets everything in correct perspective, but as the viewers see it in all perception of things going wrong and Charu is being just Charu, we are ultimately shown how her husband regrets having neglected her so long that she never knew what she was doing. It is painful denouement for everyone. For Charu, her love for her husband and her unrequited feelings for her Dewar, both are true.

This complexity of relationships was portrayed by then writers. Ofcourse me being the hardliner, I was like...There is no need to even Debate". But in my heart, I knew the writers dared to write it and brought out taboo subjects to open platform for discussion. Where do we go from those transgressions caught? In olden days, divorce was not a solution. Bringing it out in the open was much more an insult for the husband...so hushing it up was far better.

I wanted to dig deep into why Tagore would always explore this relationship. So I read and read in the Delhi University library and I found articles from essayists...they could find the reasons why Tagore did that...they discussed the socio-economics of the situation...the old husband, the relatively younger wife closer to match the age of her dewar, the husband missing in action and lot of times, the Dewars taking advantage of the situation with flirtatious romance that was frivolous in nature, with no commitments involved and still filling some romance in their boring life. This was true for the woman also.

Case of Dips is same too. She is bored wife with an Idiot Husband. And the Dewar happens to be a single man. Its opportunity for her. And we are disgusted at that. And yes that noise is reaching ST and his team. So now my plea. We heard you. We reasoned with you. But just like in books and probably real life (kept in wraps), these things have an end as they come out in open. Now pleaaazze can we have an end to this ???? PLEAAAZZE 😔

I am still trying to make up my mind between sending this feedback to Sourabh Tewari or just wait for one or two episodes. Because for sure, he too knows, a riotous noise should also be followed up with an action that quietens us into respecting silence. 😳

Angeena thumbnail
12th Anniversary Thumbnail Dazzler Thumbnail
Posted: 12 years ago
#19
@Shri

For me the dewar-bhabhi relation is pure. Like Son-Mother or Brother-Sister. Imagining it to go beyond that is absolutely sickening. I don't want to think about it and so I close my mind to it. I do the same when it comes to RK and Dips. I know what she wants from him, but I just don't consider that aspect.

I've taken these Dips and RK scenes from that perspective. Here, RK keeps pushing her away, so all is well in my world. I know it makes me naive and stupid but there you are ...
Edited by Angeena - 12 years ago
0-SD-0 thumbnail
14th Anniversary Thumbnail Rocker Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 12 years ago
#20
Angeena,

The way I see for olden days writers, they gave viewers...with wives bored in their marriage...which was leading on to ...Break up of marriage Institution.

The olden way of thinking...Shaadi ...Saat Janmo ka Rishta...was being questioned.

Methinks Tagore and all those writers paved way for dissolution of marriage which was something unthinkable in olden days.


That was literature. With a purpose.



But here in 21st century, I don't see much social purpose for portrayal other than ST trying to be realistic and asking everyone one to come out of their romantic pink colored glasses that we wear to watch life around us. Infact I admire that he brought in the complexities.

I always remember Rekha and Anant Nag in Kalyug Movie of Shyam Benegal, how Rekha the Bhabhi consoles her brother in law by the end of the movie when his wife is standing there looking at them...unable to give him the peace of mind that her aunt her was giving to him...Yes...to add in more complexity, Supriya Pathak the wife happens to be her niece married to her brother-in-law. Can it get more complicated 🤪

In real life...I have an example of Govinda marrying his aunt's sister. As in his paternal uncle has a wife who has a very young sister Sunita. Govinda and Sunita fell in love since adoloscents and finally got secretly married, ofcourse with Govinda taking his mother's permission. Its ridiculous ...as in how would Govinda would have addressed her ..."aunty" 😲 and yet they look such a cute couple.

Coming back to ST's purpose...
ST purposefully made all easy way outs adding cartoonish feel to complex topics.
A dewar who hates his Bhaabhi
A Bhaabhi who is immoral
So here nothing can happen and yet he keeps rubbing that relationship over us.😡



Sorry about the digressions...just trying to increase the view of our horizon.
Edited by 0-SD-0 - 12 years ago

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