By Alisha Ebrahimji - Texas State University
Friends, Greys Anatomy, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother. These are all accepted as the norm in TV watching today, aren’t they? How many times do you and your friends discuss what happened with Anshuman and the girl he was madly in love with? Or what about how Yash decided to take Arti back and try to make their marriage work?
Yeah, probably not.
Lately, my infatuation with Indian soaps has skyrocketed. Why are they so addicting? I have literally gone from watching one occasionally on my laptop to planning my evening after work around the television screen.
My summer routine consists of going to work, coming home, eating dinner, and then planting myself on the couch for a good two hours…and trust me, two hours is good for a weekday (if there isn’t anything going on during the weekend, I’ll be in the living room for the better part of the day).
Everyone always asks me things like, “what’s wrong with you?” “How old are you?” “You’re wasting your life, and you’re only 22!” But here’s what I have to say about that—you’re all wrong!
I intently watch Punar Vivah on Zee TV and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai on Star Plus. I started the summer off with Punar and then somehow ended up getting addicted to the other after just one night of watching with my uncle.
I won’t give away the story lines and get into the drama but as silly as it sounds, I really do enjoy watching these programs. Obviously, the channels have their fundamental flaws…and I could go on for ages about the over dramatized clothing to the incessant and unnecessary random sound effects in the background as soon as something ridiculous happens. Or even about the way they build the entire show up with suspense and right when something major is about to happen, they end the program for the evening! You could literally not watch the show for a few days and still be able to piece together what happened. It does seem like a bunch of mindless nonsense.
On the other hand, whatever these producers and writers are doing- it’s working! At least for me it is. I know that these shows have the reputation of being so drawn out and only for those gossipy, already over dramatic aunties out there…but what’s really so wrong in watching them?
As long as you keep it real and understand that your life is not nearly as melodramatic as they portray in these soaps, then in my opinion, keep watching sista. I don’t like how watching serials automatically makes you a Fob or Freshie as they say in the UK, or an Auntie who has nothing better to do in life.
I only started watching some of the Zee serials so that my Nanny and I had a hobby to share together. Every week when I would speak to her, we would spend a good thirty minutes gossiping about the shows latest drama. Though it wasn’t much conversation, it made her happy and we connected. As it is, my Gujarati is broken and limited so this was a great way to build that bond with her. Though she isn’t around anymore, I still watch them and think of her regularly.
My cousin and I had a debate the other week about him finding me a suitable LP (which is a word my British friends have taught me meaning “Life Partner.”) and he said the only guys he could possibly think of fixing me up with are about 60 years + because I enjoy drinking chai and watching serials…thanks cuz.
Though this is some of the most theatrical television I have ever concentrated on, I’m hooked and I’m not ashamed to say it! There are a number of questionable issues that arise but at the same time, it’s all mindless entertainment, Give it a chance, I guarantee you’ll be dying to figure out what happens next.
Image courtesy of indya.com
What an entertaining piece! I think you are super cool in admitting that you do watch the Indian dramas.
Great article!!!! BG writer confession: I enjoy watching the soap shows on SONY from 9-10:30pm & I agree they are addicting, but a big part of me wants to be able to connect with my parents as well. They love to watch me cringe & cry out everytime someone says or doesnt something too dramatic!
does ^
“…but what’s really so wrong in watching them?”
A million things! Maybe the vast amount of sexism? The concept that women MUST adhere to traditional norms and be the perfect docile housewife and sacrifice everything for their family’s happiness is extremely amplified on these hindi soaps. I’m not saying these notions do not exist in indian culture, of course they do, but I believe Television has the power and responsibility to show a more complex and diverse family structures and stories. Indian serials are the same old thing and have barely progressed even though Indian culture has become so much more progressive on these issues.
In a country where the killing of female foetuses is common and preference for sons runs deep, is tv really helping by showing women in this way? No. I’m going to guess the women making these shows live very different lives from the women they on their shows…
The post was disappointing, I was hoping for a more in-depth look at the cultural and societal problems of indian soap operas instead, all this post says is “they are addicting so you should watch them!” We cannot ignore the immense power tv has on people and society, especially indians who watch so much of it. You can’t just say “as long as you keep it real, it’s okay to watch anything” and completely ignore the power of media. Are the values and qualities being portrayed in these shows valuable? Does it show a diverse and complex range of characters and personalities? From the few random shows I’ve watched, I’m going to go out on a limb and say No. Also, what qualities are being shown as “good” and what as “bad”? Is this the stuff we want our kids internalizing?