soap box

Whenever I turn on the TV, I am appalled by the state of the general entertainment channels in India. Particularly the daily soaps and the manner in which they are presented. The mind boggles at this horrible assault on my sense of aesthetics and sensibility. The shallow plot lines, the over the top melodrama, the portrayal of domestic discord in an unreal manner and the less said about the presentation of women the better. I could go on but suffice to say that out there, there is a mad race to the bottom. These shows are tailor made to cater to the lowest common denominator and all those folks who are quite content to a dog in the manger existence and do not want to broaden their horizon. Mind you the housewives in countless small towns as well as big just lap it all up what with their garish make up and kitschy settings kind of engender faux aspiration in them. They are hardly bothered about such things as intellectual depth and a nuanced approach.

Normally I would say to each his own, had it been just that. What nobody seems to have cottoned on to, is what sort of value system the makers of these shows are promoting in a society where the idea of modernity and individual liberty especially women’s right to choose is always in a constant battle with the might of feudalism and patriarchy. I know that those marketing whiz in their cubicles will say it is all about entertainment and numbers and revenue. That not too great a burden should be placed at their doorstep in terms of societal reformation. But how can it be otherwise. The medium of cinema and television is a powerful medium and the world over it is not just about mindless purveying of so called ‘’entertainment’’. It is also a tool to communicate your vision for change. A slice of life projection told in a matter of fact way. But the way things stand in the general entertainment television in this country, is only perpetuating the worst stereotype about gender, family, religion and society. This is only going to encourage the reactionary forces among ourselves.