Posted:
I started watching Reporters because of two reasons: 1) The title of the serial and 2) my own background as a part of this profession. Over the last six months there are have been multiple instances when the serial has been true to the profession it represents. This is just an attempt to share them with you and to relive some of the beautiful moments.
1. Disguises: As a reporter to pretend to be someone else is a part of your profession. There are multiple instances when you have to take on the identity of someone else or pretend to be someone else. The more you are able to become one with the group, adapt their language and mannerism, the better your chance to get that elusive scoop. While it is seldom as dramatic as Ananya pretending to be one of the caterers to meet the actress in the jail, Kabir pretending to be a doctor or a Tamil Don or both Kabir and Ananya dressing up like the Rajastani couple, fact is, disguise is a part of a reporters job.
2. Stingers: The serial has shown one stinger each for Kabir, Ananya and Manav in the form of Lakshman, Tinu and Pandey respectively. However, in real life, stingers are who make or break your career. Reporters have multiple stingers in one of their beats. A stinger can be a government official or a sweeper in the office, but end of the day, they are the bread and butter for your profession. The relation usually works in terms of give and take favors. While in the serial except for one instance where they showed Kabir paying Tarini for a job she did for him as his stinger, reporters do trade information with them on a day-to -day basis.
3. Manipulation: Some amount of manipulation is expected out of folks in the media. After all, if pen is mightier than a sword, then journalists also need to have the ability to twist things and then use the pen to put their point across. Be it Kabir or Malvika, the characters has been shown to posses this trait in abundance.
4. An inherent ability to take risk: A journalist worth his while is one who can take risks in his/her career. Both Kabir and Ananya have been bestowed with this quality wherein they never shy away from taking risks. Be it in terms of standing up for what they believe in the Mahi Malhotra case, for venturing out to meet a dreaded Baghi, or for doing a sting operation in office right under the nose of your boss, as Ananya did during the Tennis selector case, it is the ability to take risk that puts a reporter apart from the rest.
5. Ability to put two and two together and make 22: Both Kabir and Ananya have been shown to have this quality in the way Ananya understood the big picture in the Bhavna Shroff case or how Kabir got a the news about the raid in the Mahi Malhotra case. This ability to think out-of-the box is one of the primary pre-requisite for a reporter and it has been shown quite well in the serial.
6. Work hours: There was one instance where they show Ananya asking Kabir if she can leave early and the next dialog is Kabir saying the viewers will be ready for his bulletin. This is the reality of the profession. You are expected to work at all odd hours and going home at 9 PM is actually leaving early from work I don't mean to scare any one who is planing to pursue a career in the media, but just want to show this as one of the major occupational hazard which has been aptly portrayed in the serial.
7. Media never sleeps: This is another aspect of the profession which has been realistically portrayed in the serial. Media persons don't operate with any semblance of time in terms of day and night...which folks in other careers adhere to. This profession typically works 24X7.
8. Not being judgmental: An objective assessment of the situation is possible only you don't let your thoughts muddle your ability to be objective. Ananya's character is the best example of this quality in the serial.
9. Cook up a story: This might not sound too complimentary but a reporter needs to have the ability to cook up a story where there is none. This is just the way Kabir did during the Nalini Verma track. Breaking news is not all about an event that is happening out there which you need to cover. Breaking news is also about creating news where there is none!
10. Networking: A good reporter is one who has contacts in all the right places. Khalid, Kabir and Ronnie have been shown to have these contacts, in the government, police department and last but not the least, rival news channels, as shown during the Kidney racket case. It is networking that helps you to stay ahead of your competition.
This is not to say that the characters portrayed in the serial have all been true to their profession. There have been countless instances when the characters at KKN have not been true to their profession. Each time Ananya behaved immaturely or Richa was judgmental or Kabir was not a team player or Manav was lazy, we did think - this is not a reporter or a journalist acts, thinks or behaves...
But, then isn't that how it is in life? There is a thin line between your professional and personal life. This serial proves that irrespective of our profession, first and foremost we are all human beings. Our inherent qualities may or may not make us a better professional, but they do make us a unique human being.
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Aur jaane se...pehle, thank you so much for the all the likes, comments and PMs over the last six months. Much appreciate all the love and support I got from all of you on this forum. I have made some great friends and carry forward some wonderful memories.
Thank you once again...with love -- Sharada
