An encounter with daily soaps

Television lovers, no wait. Soap opera and the drama lovers, it is advised that you cease to read further as what I'm about to say is concerned with soap operas and their content.

Today, I happened to be in the same room as the telly when my grandma was going through her daily list of serials. Co-incidentally, I entered the room as the screen shifted to let new characters rush in. Unmoved by the sobs, and the cries and the weeping, I sat down near a window to enjoy some fresh air while racing with the football on the fields of Fifa 14. I noticed that the scene kept changing from a temple to a room where some girls were consoling their friend. Well, Fifa was way better than that.

The advert about the channel, Colors, took my attention, and my mind wavered to the screen. The serial returned and the words shaadi, pyaar, sindoor kept echoing in the back of actress' mind, and also in mine. It was 2020 till then, and I was waiting for one of the shows I enjoy with family, namely Taarak Mehta ka Oolta Chasma, to come on TV, so my eyes were glued to the screen.

All of the above was just to let you know the details of what happened. Here begins the part which moved me the most. So, I’m talking about the long running show, Balika Vadhu, and the current story is somewhat about heartbreak and a cancelled marriage (I had to ask my granny the story to know it...:p).

The actress, in an attempt to get back her love, slashed her wrist in full display of the camera (in reel life). Now how is that advisable on screen? Rather than providing hope to youngsters and to make them understand that such things must be taken in stride with life, the short display includes a dialogue as well to add to the suicidal feeling induced in the viewer's mind.

"Usne sirf mera pyar dekha tha ab tak. Ab usse mera jigar dikhega, aur vohi usse vapas le ayega."

This is the dialogue put in my words. The cowardly act of running away from problems by choosing an easy way out is said to be an action taken by great will and strength. Is that morally right to us?

How is it good if a person going through the same event in real life chooses the same way out? Yes, people do copy or at least try to copy famous personalities on television, or otherwise. One of the latest example is the dialogue said by Kapil in his comedy show, "Babaji ka thullu". I have heard this emanating from a range of mouths which include me, my friends, and also a sir of mine at class. This phrase is also spotted diversely on the internet on Facebook, and also otherwise. If that is copied from a comedy show which has just started, then can we imagine what effect this long lasting serial will have?

Sadness, grief, and incessant weeping. That's all we get from soap operas and other shows. Only a minority of shows offer humor, and other forms like history, etc. History reminds me of something else as well. As I was discussing with my friend on this topic, he mentioned that in a serial concerning Maharana Pratap, the facts about Akbar are completely misplaced and used. Now what can I say...

To end it all, I would ask a question: yeh sab serials aur TV shows dekhke hume kya milta hai?

It is entertaining and fun, no doubt, but in reality, all we get from the serials is centralized on one thing- Babaji ka Thullu...:p