REALLY?? - Page 2

wonderful, thoughtful posts hope and shefali.

Is Pratigya really helping social progression and women's empowerment in India?

IMHO no. I think MKAP only shows us various societal issues that still exist nowadays. The thing is we, the audience, are already aware of those. We know that they exist. It's only the solution that is unknown to us......

In the end MKAP is a DRAMA. And it follows the basics of each drama - put a 'sizzling' couple in place, show romance and sensationalism to bring the masses to watch. I find the solution shown in the serial very filmy. There's no chance (or close to none) that a girl who had faced what pratigya did and reacted the way she did would be unscratched in real life. I hope that girls watching the show are conscious that it is a drama and are not naive enough to imitate pratigya....that could be rather dangerous......One day, I was leaving my sister's home and going back to mine walking. On the way, a group of intoxicated guy began following me. I didn't confront them. There was a shortcut leading to my sister's home nearby so I took it, explained my sudden reappearance to my sis and phoned my dad explaining to him why I wanted him to come and fetch me.....my solution lacked sensationalism but it was effective in bringing me back home safely....'better safe than sorry' is my motto

I don't watch MKAP for the societal issues aspect of the show.

I began watching because of Krishna. For once there was a lead who was not the typical hero. He was a grey shade character who was leading his life in a practical way. He was relatable to me...more than pratigya. (I used the past tense because he is currently losing that trait and is becoming more of the typical male lead hero of any other show....that's a shame really...)

Thakurs are characters with many shades to them. That makes them interesting to watch for me.

Pratigya on the other hand, is a character leading her life by book. She isn't shown adapting to her environment or situation. She's only going by what is morally right or wrong without thinking about the aftermath.....in that sense I cannot relate to her most of the time.

Hi Hope!

Sam, Shefali, Gawker:

Thanks for your posts

The way I see it Pearl Grey and Star Plus have started quite an entertainment trend with MKAP.

Highlighting Social Issues through a soap (which typically draws a larger audience than any documentary) is not only commendable but also a novel creative concept. In fact, I would be surprised if the entertainment industry did not pick up on this novel concept and use it for all its worth to develop similar themed shows. Re indian audiences I think they will watch the most unrealistic plots for entertainment rather than education. Not to put down Pearl's efforts but I have noted that no matter how crappy Ekta's shows are the TRPs rarely go down and viewership continues based on the lead chemistry. if substance were important for viewership all Ekta's shows would flop. So while I don't question the intellect or morality of Indian audiences I think that they are not as discerning when watching TV at the end of a long day as long as the actors are entertaining.

I also think the CVs are doing a good job keeping people engaged in their plots and the characters. It is very difficult to run a show and constantly show engaging tracks for a three year period.

TV is a powerful medium and reaches a wide audience (both educated and uneducated) and this tool must be used carefully if it is truly meant to spark of a healthy discussion that will effect society positively.

While MKAP does highlight many issues and sparks of that discussion, its solutions are such that they can only be relished for entertainment sake (as I assume was the intent of the production team and star plus) rather than considered for applicability. This is why while I agree it is a trendsetter and a novel concept that will show a new genre of entertainment in India, I do not believe that MKAP is a social drama that will cause actual change in Indian society (to a perceptible degree)

Sam:

I agree the discussion on this forum is unprecedented. It always is when the topic is politics or socetial issues. While MKAP reaches a huge viewership (especially in rural areas) this forum does not extend that far. Our debates do provide certain neutral or impressionable people with a balanced view and leave them to decide which side they relate to - but then again this is limited to the vistiors of the forum.

the "shock and awe" solutions and treatment of social issues makes wonderful TV but really if these are the solutions we are highlighting for people who actually face social issues then I think that it is risque use of a medium as powerful as TV .

Shefali:
Shefali as you mentioned, people watch shows for escapism and MKAP gives them that - it shows sensational solutions for prevailing social ails. to me that is entertainment not education. even the most uneducated person in a rural area knows about social ails in their neighbourhood/vommunity. Highlighting that is not education to me as I am not learning anything new.

gawker:

I totally agree that no one should have to justify their likes or dislikes. people should be free to express an opinion and if one likes it then press like and if you don't then give your opinion and refrain from pressing like but give an opinion in a frank respectful manner without besmirching the other posters views or character or even badgering the other post.

It is the latter that I see happening very often in the name of supporting social change that has prompted me to post this thread.

Anyways as Shefali so wonderfully put it. It is subjective and to each their own, obviously!

Hope😃

Originally posted by: krishna_chalbo

Hope for me MKAP has never been nothing more than a drama which tries to amalgate very sensitive social issues with sensational and filmy solutions. I never watch it with an intention of being enlightened about some social issues and problems for such kind of things we have the sensational hindi news channels😆

Like Aeryn the only thing that made me hooked on to the drama was Krishna's character which had some grey shades and i could relate to that. I could see a a male lead who was in between from being a protogoinist and an antagonist. It highlighted that everyone has both good and evil within them and which is a cause of contradictions when we have to choose one. Infact the whole Thakur family could be associated with real people which I could not with the Sucksena family.

With Amma I could understand how years of domestic abuse could turn into a vicious old cow who would opress her daughter in law and vent out her anger on weaker people.

I could see how SS's unfair treatment with his three kids could lead into Shaktia's anger towards Baba.

I could understand how setting no boundaries for Baba has turned him into a uncontrolable spoilt brat. I could understand his determination to get by hook or crook what he desires because that is how a person behaves who has never been told a 'no'

Even their insecurities with regards to Pratigya and their anger towards is understandble

Have to say the progressive nature of Shayam and his predictment when he has to face social opposition is easy to relate to. Personal problems like stalking faced by Pratigya are understandble but after that none of her actions are. I can't understand someone choosing righteousness over once and other's safety. Peral Grey tries to show Pratigya is a middle class girl who has usual inhibitions and insecurities but her actions reflect she is above those insecurities which is a bit difficult to digest. Like she is gets worried about getting stalked but then gets married to a stalker. She gets abused and almost raped by her husband but then continues to live in that house. She wants to put her in-laws in the jail yet continue to live there house, she sympathisizes with Kesar's plight yet want to save her abusive marriage. she claims to love her husband yet is ready to sacrifice her marraige. all these things are difficult to relate to😕

I'm not looking for good winning over evil. I am not looking for any social msg as an adult i have the ability to differentiate between good and bad, social and unsocial, humanly act and inhumanly act. I don't need a drama to teach me that. For me a drama is interesting if it peeps into the good and the darker side of character as long it is real. There are times when stories which are left with a death of a good can make you interospect more than the usual storyline of good winning over evil. Infact anything different makes the effect last for longer.

Hope, I appreciate the time and effort you put to write these posts. So thank you and continue to do so.....😃.

In regards to learning from the show. I don't learn anything as I don't find Pratigya's struggles and solutions to be inspiring for me. She may inspire many but for me she is just a fictional character where creative license is used for highlighting her strengths and wins. On a personal level I have seen much more difficult struggles with little or no support, and for that reason I dont find her an inspiration of a strong woman.

Her speeches don't have a lasting impact and if they did we would be discussing her every word she spoke. But we don't. Her speeches for me comes across as contrived. They are not to the characters but the audience (the viewers). Whenever she speaks it reminds me that she can go every Sunday to Speakers Corner at Hyde Park where people have the freedom to speak their sermons and an audience to listen and watch. Similarly, her speeches of morality do not leave a lasting impression on me as they are done is such a random and obvious way that it feels she is lecturing us on morality and what we lack in it.

For all solutions the police is not the answer as they are part of the problem. Those that are meant to be protecting and defending the law are misusing it then how do you expect a Joe Blogg to have trust in the law. The police force is corrupt, we all agree, but what about the lawyers who are meant to bring justice. They too misuse the law to prolong the case so that their fees and case can continue flowing. Their interest is not justice but their pockets.

Any positive change is society can only happen when those rogue elements who are meant to be protecting the law are monitored with strict guidelines and regulations.

Brilliant one di👍🏼🤗