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Is TV ready for lip-locks?
Indian television has shed its conservative avatar. What is becoming increasingly common are bold scenes and themes unlike ever before
PALLAVI KHARADE
If Bollywood is changing, can the small screen be far behind? Not really, if some scenes from the serials are any indication. In Star Plus' Viraasat, there are passionate sex scenes between a married couple. In Dulhann, Vidya, a village girl is shown being molested by local goons. Earlier, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki on Star Plus had showed the rape of a blind young girl. Even in Kasautii Zindagi Kii, Mukti, a driver's daughter was drugged and raped by Prerna's son. In Star Plus' Pyar Ke Do Naam, Ek Radha, Ek Shyam, Radha's fianc tries to rape her inside the hotel room.
Such scenes apart, infidelity and extra-marital affairs are dominant on the small screen. In Saat Phere, the ghar jamai has an affair with the maid when the wife is away, a sure sign that television is taking big steps towards having bold content.
Agrees actor Gaurav Chanana, "It is true that television serials are getting bolder. The audience is sick of oldfashioned family dramas, and wants some change. Also, Indian audiences are exposed to bolder stuff like Sex And The City and Desperate Housewives (Star World). As these serials are doing well in our country, producers of Hindi serials are toeing the same line." Sangeeta Ghosh, whose love scene in Viraasat was talked about says, "TV is a reflection of the society. As the society and its values change, thanks to the wide exposure to the Internet, it is natural that TV serials and their stories will get bolder." Director Girish Vasaikar doesn't think Indian audience will digest the bold scenes for too long. "Because of an overdose of melodrama, the audiences are sick of it. So serialmakers are trying to put bold scenes to increase the TRPs. But as people won't relate to it, these bold scenes won't work in the long run. Melodrama is here to stay for a long long time." he says. How successful the ploy will be, only time can tell.
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