Viranis, Aggarwals, Kapoors...Rule

By: Arya Aiyappan
Thursday, January 04, 2007

Viranis, Aggarwals, Kapoors, Goyenkas, Wadhwas, Bajajs, Basus, Khandelwals, Walias, Rathores and many more rule the small screen with the rich gharanas and kutumbs being projected. One cannot escape without noticing how the story mostly revolves around the lives of the wealthy. The politics behind the entire action is centered on trifling familial issues - the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law bickering, father-son clash of views, the grandparents-grandchildren generation gap, sister-in-law naggings, scuffle for wealth and power, sibling rivalry, etc which eventually culminate in the family break-up.

Television is evolving quickly wherein new genres (thrillers, kiddy serials, comedies, etc) are quickly catching up but the lure of daily soaps, the mega serials is immense. Some of the popular shows on Star Plus "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", "Kasauti Zindagi Ke", "Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki", "Saarthi", "Kumkum-Ek Pyaara Sa Bandhan", "Karam Apna Apna", Sony Tv "Kulvadhu", and Zee Tv "Kasam Se", "Saath Phere" focus on the opulent lifestyles of the rich. These serials flaunt the living styles of the rich who mint money and spend them lavishly.

The settings, costumes and make-up are just as interesting as the drama and the events that ensue. The palatial mansions, cars, dazzling lights and spacious rooms are breath-taking so also the custom-made costumes, designer jewellery and other accessories. Ramola Sikand's bindis and jewellery in "Kahiin Kisi Roz" were a rage among the viewers who ardently aped her style of dressing. Much time and energy is devoted to flawlessly depict their lavish styles of living.

It has become the style statement of the age to portray the lifestyles of the rich to the extreme extent of neglecting reality based issues and common man's plight. What goes unnoticed is that these serials cater to the proliferating demands among the audience who derive vicarious pleasure from these daily soaps. The presumption runs that common man bogged down with his daily life would hardly like to wallow in more miseries. They tend to internalize the values and the customs projected onto the screen. The concerns are widely different The lavish parties, opulent weddings, birthday bashes, and other ceremonies are indeed sights that tickle the senses of the common people, though reality is left far behind.

One can rarely come across an inkling of reality for sometimes the ideas are far-fetched and far too practical. The kutumbs also propagate the idea of a joint family where generations live under the same roof. The modern-day audience who come from nuclear households readily accepts the notion of an extended family.

The mega serials bring to life a dream sequence onto the small screen embodying our hidden desires. Time-tested formulas and rehashed stories ensure a captive audience devoid of any receptivity quaintly responds.