Do you wonder about all the recent fuss being made over reality shows in India?
Host: “Have you ever had sexual relations with someone else after your marriage?”
Man: (long dramatic pause) “No”
Host: “Sorry that is NOT TRUE”
Cut to man’s wife sitting in the audience looking visibly shaken.
Host: “Have you ever had sexual relations with someone else after your marriage?”
Man: (long dramatic pause) “No”
Host: “Sorry that is NOT TRUE”
Cut to man’s wife sitting in the audience looking visibly shaken.
Cut back to Man sheepishly looking everywhere but at his wife.
Host: “And we’ll be back after a short break. Don’t Go away.”
Sach Ka Samna which is the Indian version of Moment of Truth recently saw the Parliament disrupted over alleged ‘outrage to Indian morals’.
Host: “And we’ll be back after a short break. Don’t Go away.”
Sach Ka Samna which is the Indian version of Moment of Truth recently saw the Parliament disrupted over alleged ‘outrage to Indian morals’. They are not worried that it is happening, they just don’t want to hear about it.
Apparently throwing microphones and chairs and pulling at colleague’s clothes in the Lok Sabha is part of ‘Indian morals’ but talking about truth isn’t. So they want to ban Reality shows.
And by the way, since Parliament TV has gone LIVE can't it also, technically, be called a Reality Show.
Talk of irony.
Anyway personally I don’t have anything to complain about. For the most part atleast.
Most reality shows are cheap and populated with C listers who are past their prime but they are also like fried food.
Anyway personally I don’t have anything to complain about. For the most part atleast.
Most reality shows are cheap and populated with C listers who are past their prime but they are also like fried food.
Very bad for you obviously, but also sinfully irresistible.
We may have sniggered as Rakhi Sawant dressed up in every piece of jewelry she ever owned/borrowed and got 'engaged' to some loser, but watch we did. (the TRP's for that episode apparently were as high as 5.4)
But should such shows be banned?
HELL NO!
I believe we are mature enough to choose what to watch and what not to without being mollycoddled by the Government. The same government which includes its own stock of C-list characters like the Pimp International – Amar Singh or Village Idiot – Laloo Yadav or Hysterical Diva – here you are spoilt for choice with the Jayalalitas, Mamatas, Mayawatis etc.
Jokes apart, I personally believe that unless you are being forced to watch something against your will there is no need for censorship at all. And especially not in this day and age of the internet where virtually everything can be found online. So what’s the point of censorship?
You may marvel at some crazy ass’s decision to go on national TV to admit to infidelities and other unmentionables but if he/she is an adult willing to do that, then its his/her choice alone.
But should such shows be banned?
HELL NO!
I believe we are mature enough to choose what to watch and what not to without being mollycoddled by the Government. The same government which includes its own stock of C-list characters like the Pimp International – Amar Singh or Village Idiot – Laloo Yadav or Hysterical Diva – here you are spoilt for choice with the Jayalalitas, Mamatas, Mayawatis etc.
Jokes apart, I personally believe that unless you are being forced to watch something against your will there is no need for censorship at all. And especially not in this day and age of the internet where virtually everything can be found online. So what’s the point of censorship?
You may marvel at some crazy ass’s decision to go on national TV to admit to infidelities and other unmentionables but if he/she is an adult willing to do that, then its his/her choice alone.
Not yours or the Govt’s. And you with the remote in your hand have your own choice to make.
To Watch or Not To Watch (and unlike Hamlet your choice is fairly easy).
Simple! Click. Click. Click.
My problem however comes in regard to children.
On shows like Boogie Woogie and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs, young and impressionable children are made to do the most revolting things. And all in the name of Entertainment.
My problem however comes in regard to children.
On shows like Boogie Woogie and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs, young and impressionable children are made to do the most revolting things. And all in the name of Entertainment. An adult can and has the ability to choose what to do and what is right and wrong. Children cannot.
Last weekend on Boogie Woogie a girl barely 8 or 10 years of age came on stage dressed in clothes and make-up that most prostitutes would fine offensive.
When asked what she was going to do, she creepily batted her fake eyelashes and said “Main aap ko kush karna chahati hu” (I want to make you happy).
Cut to parents’ face in the audience and they are beaming at the camera.
The glare of the flash lights and promise of that elusive 15 minutes of fame probably blinding their ability to see the shockingly suggestive innuendo in their daughter’s words and behaviour.
And they continued to smile and applaud even when that little girl began to suggestively smack her own derriere and implore everyone to ‘Zara Zara Kiss Her, Kiss Her, Kiss Her’ and then to ‘Zara Zara Touch Her, Touch Her, Touch Her.’
And on Lil Champs a few weeks ago another pubescent kid chose to sing “Dus Bahane Karke Le Gaya Dil” and in a significant misinterpretation of ‘Dil’, she began to repeatedly thrust her imaginary bosoms at the camera.When Madhuri Dixit heaves & thrusts and asks us to guess ‘choli ke peeche kya hai’ its OK to begin forming the answer in your mind but a 10 year old?
Its just plain creepy.
And the worst part is that there may be many sick adults sitting in dark rooms all over India who won’t be finding it creepy at all.
Most child abuse is committed by a person a child trusts.
Amnesty & UNICEF estimates that child abuse is rampant but goes largely unreported due to social stigma in S.E Asia.
THAT is Scary. And maybe THAT is a Sach we need to come to Samna with.
What Say You?
Till next time
Vish
It was a good thing to see that the petition to ban this show was thrown out on the basis that it is not forced down your throat, and you can make the choice to watch the program or not.
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note, there was another ruling which talked about how you could buy a car in one state and drive it down to another and register it there, "with no extra costs" involved, based on the fact that we are ONE country and we should not have such fragmented decisions that further divide the states and the countries.
I am hoping that we are coming of age finally in terms of those law makers/keepers who make those key decisions, who are able to think simply beyond the here and now.
Looking forward to more pieces from you Vish