Blame it on Ekta Kapoor. Or should we say the innate tendency to follow successful formula, especially when TVRs are at stake. After having accused the traditional Indian woman clad in bright kanjeevarams and mile-long mangalsutras as 'regressive', general entertainment channels are using the same stereotype to score better. Sample this: Zee's prime time aces – Saat Phere and Kasamh se – are odes to the perfect Indian woman and are raking in the ratings and has even enabled the channel to reconquer the 9-10 pm turf, giving numero uno Star Plus a run for its TVRs. The traditional Indian girl shines bright in Sindoor, Dulhann, Mamta, Ghar Ki Laxmi Betiyaan (Zee), Aisa Des Hai Mera, Thodi Khushi Thode Gham and Vaidehi (Sony), Sollah Singarr, Hare Kaanch Ki Chudiyan, Kuch Apne Kuch Paraye (Sahara One) and Betiyaan.., Saathi Re (Star One) — clearly channels know it's safe to bank on a formula which has changed the fortunes of a channel and a production house. "It's simple: viewers get comfort from watching characters they can relate to. A traditional woman doesn't have to be weak –she is also tough : Bani, Mamta, Vedika, Vidya are all victims of circumstances and the plots revolve around their battle for survival and carving a niche. At the end of the day, viewers empathise with them," feels Ashwini Yardi, head of programming Zee. < = src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> < =1.1 src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-indianexpress_js&dt=1163896595359&adsafe=high&lmt=1163896595&num_ads=4&output=js&adtest=off&channel=financial_express&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.financialexpress.com%2Ffe_full_story.php%3Fcontent_id%3D146810&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnews%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DDVXB%2CDVXB%3A2005-21%2CDVXB%3Aen%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26tab%3Dwn%26q%3Dekta%2Bkapoor%26scoring%3Dd&cc=363&u_h=768&u_w=1024&u_ah=734&u_aw=1024&u_cd=16&u_tz=-360&u_his=46&u_java=true"> Project Finance Magazine
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www.padprintlogic.com | | The saas-bahu tear-jerker might have been a Balaji Telefilms creation on the soapbox, but most other production houses seem to have been doing a fine job of recreating the three-hankie weepie formula. Ask Aroona Irani who has always dared to deviate from the routine about why Vaidehi, her new show on Sony uses the same 'long suffering bharatiya nari' as the protagonist and she says: "Vaidehi did address bold issues: like male impotency – not too many shows would do that in India. Vaidehi is about a woman's test by fire and there has to be certain incidents which will put her in a corner but she does emerge victorious. Audiences will sympthise with a heroine if she's a normal girl like them with a tyrant husband, bossy in-laws – a lot of Indian girls are like that." Star One, launched two years ago as a channel for young professionals, has done a volte face and has two prime time shows using the Indian woman at the helm of things. Shailaja Kejriwal, of Star TV agrees: "We are vindicated. Five years ago we were attacked when Kyunki.., Kahani, Kasauti… started scoring highs on Indian television. Obviously the audience connects with women like Tulsi, Parvati, Prerna. It feels good to see similar women as protagonists in other shows on rival channels – everyone likes a winning formula, but the script has to be good otherwise, shows won't work. As for Star One, we wanted a mix of all kinds of programming and that's what we got — there is need to consolidate now and get better eyeballs." That can happen by using 'hit' formulas which can promise better TVRs. Sandiip Sikcand, creative director, Sony admits that nothing sells better than "fiction on prime time. A majority of our viewers are women and they relate to women like Rusty or Sneha or Kajjal. We try to be depict characters real to life in our shows. Even a working woman like Jassi was a traditional girl at home, so we can't ignore the basic Indian qualities in us." Are shows reflecting characters urban Indians are not familiar with? Not, true, says Smriti Irani, protagonist in Kyunki Saas… "The real India has women like Tulsi and also women like Uma in Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Asmaan. What's wrong if a woman listens to her husband? She can also be a woman of substance by maintaining her dignity and self-respect at home." As Ekta Kapoor sums it up: "Tough women don't need to wear trousers. You can be traditional at heart and still live with dignity. All my protagonists are winners. " As long as the TVRs do the talking, clearly the good Indian girl is here to stay in our boudoirs at prime time. |
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