Ah well!I was working upon my favourite subject 'Social Psychology' for few notes and stumbled upon this.This analysis note deals heavily with psychological theories,findings relating it to Indian TV scenario and where our beloved show YUDKBH and couple Sameer-Naina stand out.
Please ignore if not interested in reading a slight dose of academic jargon.
Indian Television (read the channels spinning out love-hate story,kitchen politics) has shown how two people can fall in love though being diagonally opposite to each other in terms of appearance,name,fame,status and reputation.Nearly 9/10 shows start with this opposites' as setting to move the storyline forward.This thought has been so etched in Indian audience that 'if we are different,then only we are perfect.'
But yeah! TV people never are the research or experiment doing people. Here come to the picture,Social Psychologists who differ changing the whole scenario.
According to social psychologists,contrary to popular belief ,high levels of attraction are usually based on high levels of similarity-not on being different or opposite.
I will be honest here.YUDKBH started with the 'high levels of similarity' concept.Which is what made us connect instantly.A girl next door with a Librarian father and boy next door with a flourishing business of his grandfather at backdrop.Friendships,go-getter attitude of both Sameer and Naina and most importantly the similarity to put their best' to achieve their aim.For Sameer it was his bet and for Naina it was her first love.Even the pain they shared about loss of parent and the indifference of other parent towards them are similar on-high-point'.That talk in classroom really brought a new dynamics in their relationship.
But lately in one of episodes where Maami scolds Naina bragging about her riches and food processor from Mumbai,I felt the show has fallen back to the Indian TV scenario where it's the popular belief that---Humare beech zameen asmaan ka fark hai phir bhi hum saath hai.
Oh No!Please.This is suffocation in relationship.Being obliged in a relationship is a mark of respect.not love.Indian CVs really give Social Psychologists sleepless nights.
Then with all the manhoosiyat done,(I am still trying to find the chapter dealing with the core concept of Manhoosiyat track'.Wish me luck guys.) CVs came up with growing up difficulties of teenage set in 90s.
Naina and Sameer now in college suffering from 'Appearance-Rejection Sensitivity.' Here the Indian TV scenario and YUDKBH differed ..yes ..at the beginning.
Blame it on our classical conditioning,''What is beautiful is good '' is what we are conditioned with.Don't judge by book's cover,beauty is just skin deep ..all these just fly out of window the moment we find a stunning girl or handsome boy.Our positive extremes of stunning and handsome play a significant role in our judgement.
And this was addressed well in our show when Sameer fell for Naina.A positive extreme tilting toward negative extreme.
But this core concept has been somewhat mishandled (according to me,others may choose to differ) in recent episodes.Complex development in teens regarding appearance is normal but this hampering self-esteem,the mismatch in handling positive extreme and negative extreme with right chord of equilibrium has kind of put me off.Sameer getting attention from all girls is a very positive extreme and Naina judged on eyebrows and all is avery very negative extreme.And this is not a healthy condition.The balance seems completely off.
The track that is being displayed now is actually factors of initial attraction' which Sameer and Naina have crossed.Now I think they should concentrate upon how do they overcome the powerful initial influence of factors that are not predicative of happy relationships.
Naina doing waxing,shaping eyebrows is realistic but its just like falling back to 'Beauty is All' classically conditioned stereotype.
Naina determined to remain bhalu' perhaps would have satisfied social psychologists but this is Indian TV show which falls back to 'TRP Conditioning'.
Thank you for tolerating this piece.
P.S:Strictly my POV.No offence meant.Would love to read all your opinions.😳
